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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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: