Jacob KramerThe Philosopher c.1922

Jacob Kramer 1892–1962

P07060 The Philosopher c.1922

Inscribed ‘Kramer’ 35/50’ in pencil b.r. and ‘The Philosopher’ b.l.
Lithograph, 17¾ x 11¿ (45 x 30.2), on yellow tinted paper, 20 x 13¼ (50.8 x 33.7).
Purchased from the Parkin Gallery (Grant-in-Aid) 1973.
Coll: George C. Hopkinson; Joan Hopkinson; Parkin Gallery, London.
Exh: Parkin Gallery, March–April 1973 (14b).
Repr: The Artist, xxxi, March 1946, p.9; Jacob Kramer: A Memorial Volume, Leeds 1969, p.57, pl.25.

The exact subject of P07060 is unrecorded. However, one of the artist’s sisters, Mrs Sarah Roberts, told Corinne Bellow in April 1974 that it did not represent her father, as has been suggested, but was the artist’s idea of a philosopher. No dated impression of ‘The Philosopher’ has come to light. It was dated c.1922 in the catalogue to the Leeds City Art Gallery Kramer retrospective in 1960. However, in a letter to the compiler of 10 May 1974 Robert Rowe wrote that Kramer was at the time of the exhibition ‘in pretty poor health’ and that ‘his memory was certainly not good’. As a rule the likely dates of exhibits were worked out with Kramer and the lender—in the case of the exhibited impression, Dr W… (read more)