Profile of Bella Possibly 1906

Augustus John made this etching titled "Profile of Bella" at some point in his career, but the exact date is unknown. Bella was one of John's models. But this etching is also significant within the wider social and cultural context of portraiture. The image is built up with short, precise lines and cross-hatching, creating depth and shadow. John was British and lived through both World Wars. This puts his artistic production squarely in the context of massive social change, the breakdown of Victorian ideals, and the rise of modernism. John studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, a progressive institution that encouraged experimentation. Yet, in some ways, his work looks back to the Old Masters. The tradition of portraiture had long served the elites. By etching the profile of a woman named Bella, John seems to democratize this tradition, bringing it down to earth. To fully understand "Profile of Bella," we could dig deeper into the artist's biography, study the history of the Slade School, and research the social status of artists’ models in Britain at the turn of the century. Art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.