This simple drawing epitomises Cadell?s skill in capturing a figure with a few swift, inky brushstrokes. Cadell produced a series of drawings like this before leaving for service in France in the First World War. Twenty of the drawings were published in 1916 in the book `Jack and Tommy?, which was sold to benefit the Red Cross. Their clean lines and flat colours anticipate the style of his painting in the 1920s.
F.C.B. Cadell (Scottish, 1883 - 1937)
Cadell studied in Paris and lived in Munich before settling in his native Edinburgh around 1909. Cadell's pre-war work is influenced by the Impressionists. From around 1920, his work became brighter and bolder. Shadows were suppressed to such an extent that the paintings of this period are comprised of areas of flat colour. Cadell made regular trips to France and Iona with fellow Scottish Colourist S. J. Peploe. Both artists were influenced by the effects of strong sunlight, which led them to use areas of bright colour in their paintings.
