About this artwork

Crawhall was taught by his father who encouraged him to draw from his imagination, and not to over-correct his works in case they became static and lifeless. This imaginary composition was drawn in the early 1890s, and clearly shows the artist’s sarcastic humour. Coming from a wealthy family, Crawhall did not need to sell his pictures to make a living. He painted when the mood took him and was extremely self-critical. His first one-man show in Glasgow (1894) was organised by the dealer, Alexander Reid, who introduced him to Scottish collectors. Crawhall’s pictures were avidly sought after, especially by Sir William Burrell. In 1928 he paid as much as £750 for a Crawhall watercolour, at a time when you could purchase a Degas pastel for a mere £400.

Updated before 2020

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Joseph Crawhall

Joseph Crawhall