John Wilson
(American, 1922-2015)

Self Portrait no. 8

Signed and dated 1997, l.l.; also titled, u.c.
Charcoal, graphite and ink on paper
Sheet: 15 x 12-1/2 inches

Note:
The drawing is one from a group of studies for a Boston Portrait project initiated by Jim Stroud at the Center Street Studio, Milton. In 1997, Jim reached out to eight artists with a proposal to participate in the project: Bernard Chaet, Ralph Coburn, Reed Kaye, Ellsworth Kelly, Ninon Lacey, Arthur Polansky, Barbara Swan and John Wilson. Stroud supplied each of the artists with a copper plate. Only Chaet, Lacey, Polansky and Swan completed their etchings. Wilson created this, and several other studies for the project, and at least one impression of the unfinished etching exists. However, around 1998, the artist began working with Jim on the six etchings for “Down by the Riverside,” a story from Richard Wright’s Uncle Tom’s Children. Wilson's Down by the Riverside print portfolio and bound book were published in 2001, and the earlier portrait project was never completed.

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