John WellsCliff Figure 1950

John Wells born 1907

P77132 Cliff Figure1950

Engraving 117 x 144 (4 5/8 x 5 5/8) on wove paper 197 x 283 (7 x 3/4 x 11 1/8); plate-mark 120 x 149 (4 3/4 x 5 7/8); printed by the artist at Penzance School of Art and published by him in an edition of 25
Inscribed ‘John Wells. 1950' below image b.r. and ‘1/25' below image b.l.
Purchased from the artist (Grant-in-Aid) 1985

In P77132 the image of a nude female figure emerges from a complex of enmeshing lines and hatchings.

In a letter to the compiler dated 14 January 1988, Wells wrote:

Cliff Figure was made with that idea [the title] in mind. I made a number of paintings with heads or figures suggested by studies and drawings of rock formations ... Several of us, including Denis Mitchell and Peter Lanyon had instruction in etching and engraving at the Penzance Art School with the Principal at that time, E. Bouverie Hoyton, a Rome scholar and very fine etcher and engraver. There was a lot of interest in the Art School at that time with life classes… (read more)