Maggi Hambling: Touch

Fascinating exhibition at the British Museum of prints and drawings by Maggi Hambling.

Hambling has made drawings and prints throughout her career and the title comes from  a quote from her about drawing “The challenge is to touch the subject with all the desire of a lover".

My favourite pictures were the portraits which gave a real sense of the people not just a likeness. There was a very touching picture of a dying Cedric Morris which she drew from memory after visiting him in hospital. I loved a big picture of John Berger.

There was a great section which explained how a set of sea pictures developed from portraits of Henrietta Moraes. The pictures had a wonderful sense of space and have a feeling of looseness and yet close up they have a detailed construction and drawing technique.

Closes on 29 January 2017

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