Lord Lee of Fareham 1921

Walter Tittle made this plate of Lord Lee of Fareham, sometime during his career as a portraitist. Look at how Tittle lays down the marks here, there’s an interesting tension between the looseness of the lines and the formal nature of the portrait itself. It’s like he’s trying to capture something beyond just the Lord’s likeness. There's a real physicality to the piece, especially in the way Tittle uses cross-hatching to build up the shadows on his jacket and face. The lines aren’t uniform, some are thick and dark, others are thin and light, creating a sense of texture and depth. Notice the concentration of marks around his face and the details of his uniform, it creates a focal point, drawing your eye to the most important aspects of the portrait. This reminds me a little of Whistler’s etchings, that same attention to detail but with a more modern, expressive touch. Ultimately, it's up to us, the viewers, to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the table.