Artwork
In My End is My Beginning
In My End is My Beginning is a drawing by John Farleigh. It dates from 1943 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
In My End is My Beginning is a drawing depicting a figure shrouded in heavy, textured robes, sitting with clasped hands and a hidden face. The piece conveys a sense of urgency.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, obscured by a hood and enveloped in bulky robes, suggests themes of anonymity, introspection, or mourning. The clasped hands may imply prayer, grief, or contemplation.
Technique & Style
Executed with rough, layered lines, the drawing utilizes overlapping techniques to achieve a three-dimensional effect on the robes. The scratchy, tangled feel implies a rapid, purposeful creation.
Context
Given the emotional intensity and the medium, this work might reflect wartime (if dated similarly to the unrelated engraving) or personal turmoil, though specific context is lacking.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Farleigh CBE, also known as Frederick William Charles Farleigh, was an English wood-engraver, noted for his illustrations of George Bernard Shaw's work The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God, which…
