Study of General Louis Botha for "General Officers of World War I"

Rendered entirely in graphite, the drawing relies on delicate shading and precise line work to model the uniform’s folds, facial features, and the texture of the paper. Sargent’s handling of tone creates a three‑dimensional effect, while the restrained palette underscores the study’s purpose as a compositional and anatomical reference rather than a finished portrait.

Created shortly after the war, the sketch formed part of Sargent’s commission to document the principal officers of the conflict. It remained in the artist’s studio archives before entering a private collection, and later was acquired by a museum specializing in early twentieth‑century military art, where it is displayed alongside the finished oil portrait for which it served as a model.