Pen to Brush: British Drawings and Watercolours

Charming exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery of British drawings and watercolours from the 17th century to the mid-20th century.

The exhibition was showcasing the gallery’s own works on paper collection to mark the reopening of the gallery. The earliest work was a sheet of Isaac Oliver figure studies from about 1610. It was interesting to see James Thornhill’s design for the ceiling of the Painted Hall in Greenwich and I loved a Peter Lely drawing of two heralds.

It was good to see works from the great British landscape artists, so there was a Gainsborough, a Constable and a Turner. It was a nice touch to include the Edward Dayes, shown here, of Somerset House before the Embankment was built because, of course, we were standing in part of the building.

Of the later works there was a wonderfully detailed drawing of a chaffinch nest and May blossom by William Henry Hunt, a Henry Moore shelter drawings and a super Wyndham Lewis self-portrait from 1911.

Closes 27 February 2022

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