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William Strang:
Self Portrait, 1910
Framed (ref: 7888)
Inscribed "to Harry Paul from W Strang"

Tags: William Strang etching artists at work men portraits work 1.PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

Provenance: The Artist's Estate; Private collection

Literature: Llewellyn, Sacha, and Paul Liss. Portrait of an Artist. Liss Llewellyn, 2021, p.249.

This work is now normally known as Self-Portrait, No.19, it is referenced in the main catalogue by the artist son as David Strang 633. In the earlier, incomplete catalogue by Binyon, it was referenced as Binyon 519 and it was titled just Portrait of William Strang. (MC)

In his younger years he was a noted serial self-portraitist. The etchings having a wide variety of poses, or setting, or are distinguished by the wearing of a specific hat. His unique lithographic self-portrait was probably prompted by or made at the invitation of Joseph Pennell, himself a keen lithographer, for his book on lithography and lithographers. Pennell commented in his book “Mr Strang’s lithographs so far have been few, but those few have as marked a character as his etchings. They are mainly portraits, simple and dignified, with a touch of severity that has its charm. The one now given, an admirable example of his methods, is an excellent portrait of himself, so sincere and straight-forward a study that we can only hope Mr Strang will be induced to continue his experiments in a medium which he evidently finds so congenial. (EHL)

We are grateful to Elizabeth Harvey-Lee and Michael Campbell for assistance.