Artwork
Sketches and prints
Sketches and prints is a drawing by Marchioness of Waterford Louisa Anne. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a black‑ink drawing on paper that presents a young male figure in profile, showing the head and shoulders turned to the left.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black‑ink drawing on paper that presents a young male figure in profile, showing the head and shoulders turned to the left. The subject wears a garment with a ruffled collar and has short, curly hair, rendered with fine linear detail.
Subject & Meaning
The profile appears to echo the pose of classical sculpture, suggesting the artist may have used an ancient statue as a model. The likeness has been associated with representations of Alexander the Great, though the identification remains speculative.
Technique & Style
The drawing employs a dense network of lines to convey texture, shading, and three‑dimensional form. Varied hatching and cross‑hatching create tonal depth, while the crisp outlines define the figure’s features and the drapery of the collar.
Context
The piece has been linked to Louisa Anne, Marchioness of Waterford, a known draughtswoman of the period, though definitive documentation of her hand is not provided in the available sources.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marchioness of Waterford Louisa Anne
Louisa Anne Beresford, Marchioness of Waterford (née Stuart; 14 April 1818 – 12 May 1891) was a British Pre-Raphaelite watercolourist and philanthropist.
