Early Etchings

Graham Sutherland (1903-1980) was a prominent 20th-century English landscape artist, who was inspired by the etchings of Samuel Palmer.;Sutherland's earliest works, done while he was a student at Goldsmith's College in the early 1920s, were images of pastoral calm. However, his early success was ended by the 1929 slump, which destroyed the market for contemporary prints.;His work went through a transformation around this time, and his landscapes became threatening, sinister and tragic. He achieved maturity and made his first significant contribution to English landscape art with "Pastoral" (1930) and "The Garden" (1931). He was not content to be merely an English artist, and in later years he strove for international recognition in portraiture and religious subjects as well as landscape art. His studies of Somerset Maugham and Churchill brought fame and controversy, as did his tapestry for Coventry Cathedral. Sutherland first commanded attention in etching, and this was his principal medium until 1930. Printmaking remained a vital part of his art, and a source of new ideas throughout his career. This work was designed to accompany an exhibition of Sutherland's early etchings, mounted by private dealer, Gordon Cooke, at The Fine Art Society.