[Illustrated letter from William Orpen to Mrs St George with a watercolour sketch entitled 'Myself and Cupid']

Handwritten letter on 8, South Bolton Gardens headed paper. Orpen states while he is writing this letter 'they are taking away the picture to Pittsburgh'. Above the text is a watercolour sketch of the oil painting 'Myself and Cupid'. The sketch indicates colours and details, to give Mrs St George an idea of what the painting looks like.

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Watercolour, Ink and pencil on paper

Cupid in the painting, is an adaptation of Andrea del Verrocchio's Boy with Dolphin. The sculpture was a popular plaster cast among art schools of the time and liked by Orpen. It appears in other Orpen paintings such as 'The Poet' (1921) and was included in 'To the Unknown British Soldier in France' (1922) but later painted over.

Private Collection

Prints & Drawings Department

 

This drawing is not a bit like it but may give you an idea
While I am doing this they are taking away the picture to Pittsburgh
wish they were taking me also for =

Sir William Orpen, Irish artist, born in Dublin, Orpen trained at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art before moving to London to study at the Slade School of Fine Art. He remained in London and became a highly successful portrait and subject painter. Appointed Official War Artist in 1917, Orpen left for France and was stationed at Amiens and the Somme Battlefields. He returned to London after the war and remained there until his death.