Designs for Decorative Vases

Mortimer employed only black chalk, allowing for swift, gestural lines and occasional smudging that convey a sense of immediacy. The laid paper’s textured weave and worn edges reveal frequent handling, underscoring the drawing’s function as a working study rather than a polished final piece.

The drawing belongs to Mortimer’s late‑period output, a time when he was active in the British art scene and held the presidency of the Society of Artists in 1774. He died three years later, in 1779, at the age of thirty‑nine. The work is now held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington.