Print, lithograph, of a charcoal, acrylics and conté drawing of Harold Pinter, by Jeanine Creaye, 1994.

Litho print proof of a portrait of Harrold Pinter, head and shoulders, showing him looking slightly to the left, leaning his chin on his right hand. From an original acrylics, conté and charcoal drawing on card in tones of black, grey, ox-blood and white.

Given by Janine Creaye

The original of this drawing is owned by Harold Pinter. Janine Creaye completed the work from video of a television interview. Janine Creaye wrote of this print, and the print she gave of Steven Berkoff (S.121-2003):

'Video of drama or interview has proved to be the best way of catching the undercurrents and contained life apparent in these intriguing theatrical people. Since then I have worked a lot from contemporary dance in Britain and movement forms in India (martial arts and Kathakali) where I have used my own films as a source of reference.... All the prints are 'Artist's Proofs' as the run never got made due to financial and marketing considerations which I could not deal with at the time. There were less than 15 of each of these. Two however are owned by (and to my knowledge still displayed at) the Queen Mary and Westfield College in Mile End.'

The artist Janine Creaye completed the work from video of a television interview, as she did for another portrait she completed at the same time, of the actor and director Steven Berkoff. She found video of drama or interview the best way of catching what she called: 'the undercurrents and contained life apparent in these intriguing theatrical people'.

Harold Pinter (b.1930) is one of Britain's most celebrated playwrights, whose career began as an actor when he toured Ireland with a repertory Company, 1951-2, and whose work encompasses directing, screenwriting and writing for television and radio, as well as playwriting. In addition to his CBE, he has won numerous awards including a BAFTA fellowship, a Times Award for Literary Excellence, and in 2000 The Critics' Circle award for Distinguished Services in the Theatre. His plays include The Birthday Party, 1957, The Hothouse, 1958, The Caretaker<./i>, 1959, and No Man's Land, 1974.

S.50-2003