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Lot Essay
This vigorous drawing probably dates from the mid-1960s, when Vaughan embarked on a series of paintings of single male nude figures. The energetic hatching and dynamic execution communicates both a sureness in his approach and an uncommon sense of vitality. Vaughan loved drawing and immersed himself in the process. He wrote: "There must be some way of using the brush and colour with the same spontaneity as the pencil. I should have found this out by now. What a difference it would make if painting just went along, with the same total involvement as drawing" (Keith Vaughan, unpublished journal entry, January 6, 1964).
As was his habit, Vaughan has squared-up this drawing, ready to transfer it to canvas. This was a technique he had learnt from Graham Sutherland. Although the figure cannot be directly linked to any known painting, it resembles several canvases dating from the mid-1950s (see Figure in a Red Room, 1956). The contour and profile is invested with volume while, simultaneously, retaining the planar integrity of the page. The confidence found in such drawings, however, was lacking in the artist. He wrote: "Am pleased that the series of drawings are being liked. Why? What could matter less? Any reassurance is welcome in cases of chronic self-doubt (but don’t rely on it)" (Keith Vaughan, unpublished journal entry, January 25, 1957).
We are very grateful to Gerard Hastings, author of Drawing to a Close: The Final Journals of Keith Vaughan (Pagham Press) and Keith Vaughan: The Photographs (Pagham Press), for preparing this catalogue entry. He is currently working on an edition of Keith Vaughan’s life and work in Essex.
As was his habit, Vaughan has squared-up this drawing, ready to transfer it to canvas. This was a technique he had learnt from Graham Sutherland. Although the figure cannot be directly linked to any known painting, it resembles several canvases dating from the mid-1950s (see Figure in a Red Room, 1956). The contour and profile is invested with volume while, simultaneously, retaining the planar integrity of the page. The confidence found in such drawings, however, was lacking in the artist. He wrote: "Am pleased that the series of drawings are being liked. Why? What could matter less? Any reassurance is welcome in cases of chronic self-doubt (but don’t rely on it)" (Keith Vaughan, unpublished journal entry, January 25, 1957).
We are very grateful to Gerard Hastings, author of Drawing to a Close: The Final Journals of Keith Vaughan (Pagham Press) and Keith Vaughan: The Photographs (Pagham Press), for preparing this catalogue entry. He is currently working on an edition of Keith Vaughan’s life and work in Essex.