Study for the Painting 'The Letter of Introduction'
About this artwork
Wilkie used initial pen and ink sketches like this one to plan the overall composition and proportions of his finished painting (NG 1890). In this drawing he works out the distance between the two figures, the direction of their glances and the subtle actions of their hands and feet. Even without much of the final detail, the characters’ postures, hands and gestures, convey the uneasy atmosphere of the scene. In the final painted version, Wilkie changed the position of the dog, turning its head so that it sniffs in suspicion at the visitor.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Sir David Wilkie (1785 - 1841) Scottish
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title:Study for the Painting 'The Letter of Introduction'
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date created:About 1813
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materials:Pen on paper
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measurements:12.90 x 11.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased 1938
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accession number:D 3941
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gallery:
Sir David Wilkie
Sir David Wilkie
Wilkie achieved international recognition for his highly original paintings of events and episodes from contemporary life. His skills as a narrator were evident in the facial expressions and poses of his characters, and in the informative detail he included. He was born in Fife, the son of a rural...