The Art of Sir William Orpen
The dazzling Irish painter created portraits
with an amazing force of precision.
 ne
of my favorite artists has always been the great Irish painter Sir
William Orpen (1878 - 1931). His masterful portraits are extraordinarily
vivid, the combined product of superb draftsmanship, rich color,
and an unerring control of tonal values. He was first and foremost
a painter — the strong, decisive brushstrokes are placed with
athletic vigor and uncanny accuracy. There never seems to be an
ounce of hesitancy or indecision — every stroke registers like
a clear, precise note of music. I offer four examples for you to
study:
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3. Portrait of Sir Robert Laird Borden
In the portrait of Lord Borden, the artist again gives
us an "unfinished" vignette, but here the
dark background color contrasts strikingly with the
white of the canvas. The subtle tonal relationships
of President Wilson's face are replaced with a high-contrast
light-and-shade pattern. One entire half of the head
is in shade, but the bright reflected light forces the
darks to the very center of the face. An extraordinary
concept for a portrait, requiring daring and virtuosity,
two qualities Orpen has in great measure!
1919, Oil on canvas
30 x 25 inches
National Archives of Canada
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