Walter Sickert: Sketches of Life

Walter Sickert: Sketches of Life by Thomas Kennedy offers an intriguing exploration into the creative world of Walter Sickert, a pivotal figure in modern British art.

Walter Sickert once said, "Any fool can paint, but drawing is the thing and drawing is the test. If you are a good draughtsman you are ipso facto a good painter."

The drawings featured in this publication reveal Sickert's working practices. Renowned as the 'father' of modern British art, Sickert (1860-1942) was a prolific draughtsman who relied on his sketches as preparatory pieces for his paintings.

Drawn from nature, Sickert's sketches exhibit the intricacies of architecture, capture the infectious thrill of performance, and unveil the nuances of a subject's character. His repeated visits to locations allowed him to invest significant time in detailing certain elements or redrawing entire views, enabling him to develop ideas and concepts before transferring them to canvas.

As a mentor and teacher, Sickert influenced a younger generation of artists by advocating the use of preparatory drawings, thereby steering the direction of arts practices in Britain. Stored in Tate's collection and archive, this selection of drawings not only documents Sickert's creative process but also expresses his engagement with the world around him, both in Britain and abroad.