Prints and Drawings Room
View by appointment- Artist
- John Downman 1750–1824
- Medium
- Chalk on paper
- Dimensions
- Support: 229 × 190 mm
- Collection
- Tate
- Acquisition
- Purchased as part of the Oppé Collection with assistance from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund 1996
- Reference
- T10166
Display caption
Downman here uses the simple medium of black chalk and stump. A stump is a small cylinder of soft chamois leather or paper used for smudging chalk charcoal or pencil. The smudged black chalk appears to 'float' on the paper with the fluidity of a brush line. Downman has gone over his initial stump work with very fine black chalk lines to define the features of the cat's face.
Gallery label, August 2004
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