Judge Lewis 1925

Alfred Bendiner made this drawing of Judge Lewis with what looks like charcoal on paper. The smudgy texture and the broken lines give it a real sense of immediacy. You can almost feel the artist working quickly, trying to capture the essence of the Judge with each stroke. Looking at it, you can see how Bendiner really digs into the material, especially around the face and the stripes of the suit. The lines are dense and scratchy, creating a kind of nervous energy. Then there are areas where the charcoal is much lighter, almost floating on the surface. I keep coming back to the Judge’s profile – that strong nose and receding chin are so exaggerated, but somehow it still feels like a real person. It reminds me a bit of some of Daumier's political cartoons, but with a bit more warmth. It’s like Bendiner isn’t just making fun; he’s also trying to understand who this guy is. It's that tension between caricature and empathy that makes it so interesting.