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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level H , Case PD, Shelf 218, Box A

Artist/Maker	Frith, William Powell (RA) (artist)
Place of origin	London (drawn)

This drawing was made at a London art school run by Henry Sass, who imposed a rigid curriculum. Students began by drawing a sphere in order to learn how to represent the fall of light on a three-dimensional object. Only when they had mastered this task were they allowed to attempt more complex subjects. This work shows the exceptionally high finish expected of advanced students.

Object details

Category	Drawings
Object type	Drawing
Materials and techniques	Black chalk heightened with white on buff toned paper Chalk Toned Paper Drawing Heightening
Brief description	Study of a plaster cast of the bust of a boy. Drawing by William Powell Frith (RA), ca.1835-1837.
Physical description	Drawing of a plaster cast of the bust of a boy.
Dimensions	Height: 25.4cm Width: 19.1cm Dimensions taken from Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1962. London: HMSO, 1964.
Style	British School
Marks and inscriptions	'W. P. F.' (Signed)
Credit line	Given by Mrs I. M. Gore, grand-daughter of the artist
Historical context	The donor states that Frith made this study from a plaster bust when a student at the Royal Academy Schools. The cast appears to be from a Netherlandish or French marble figure of the 17th or 18th century.
Subjects depicted	Bust Boy Cast
Summary	This drawing was made at a London art school run by Henry Sass, who imposed a rigid curriculum. Students began by drawing a sphere in order to learn how to represent the fall of light on a three-dimensional object. Only when they had mastered this task were they allowed to attempt more complex subjects. This work shows the exceptionally high finish expected of advanced students.
Bibliographic references	Owens, Susan, The Art of Drawing British Masters and Methods since 1600, V&A Publishing, London, 2013, p. 100, fig. 75 Victoria & Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1962. London: HMSO, 1964. Lambert, Susan. Drawing: Technique & Purpose. London: Victoria & Albert Museum, 1981. p.32.
Collection	Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number	E.2730-1962

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Record created	June 30, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O699871/drawing-frith-william-powell/

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