Portrait Sketches of Edwin Henry Landseer and Frederick Leighton, with Horsemen n.d.

This graphite drawing of Edwin Henry Landseer's "Portrait Sketches of Edwin Henry Landseer and Frederick Leighton, with Horsemen," features two portrait sketches arranged vertically, above a small group of horsemen. The artist employs a soft, muted palette, primarily using graphite on a toned paper, creating a subtle contrast. The composition is structured around the interplay between the detailed facial features of the portraits and the more gestural rendering of the horsemen below. Landseer experiments with varying degrees of finish, the upper portrait being softer and less defined than the lower one. This contrast in detail directs the viewer's eye, creating a visual hierarchy. The artist seems to be playing with ideas around representation and identity. The drawing challenges fixed notions of portraiture by presenting multiple sketches within a single frame, questioning the singular nature of representation. The structure and arrangement of the elements invites an ongoing interpretation of how we perceive and construct identity.