Louis SAVAGE
( 1983)
Head of Christ
Pigment ink on paper.
Signed and dated on the verso.
250 x 300 mm. (9 7/8 x 11 3/4 in.)
Signed and dated on the verso.
250 x 300 mm. (9 7/8 x 11 3/4 in.)
Drawn in 2022, the present sheet copies a small late 15th or early 16th century Netherlandish limestone sculpture in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Executed with careful precision, the drawing employs the technique of stippling, whereby the image gradually unfolds through the repeated application of thousands of fine dots, all intricately applied with a technical pen. This subtle approach gives the image an unparalleled delicacy, showcasing gentle tonal transitions uncommon in pen works. It evokes a sense of contemplation and introspection, aptly suited for religious motifs and integral to the philosophical underpinning of Louis Savage's process.
Born in Cornwall and based in London, Louis Savage graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Kingston University in 2005. He has participated in a number of group shows, and has had solo exhibitions of his work at the Printhouse Gallery and Lacey Contemporary Gallery, both in London. Savage’s technique involves using pen on paper to create intricate artworks through stippling, a process in which an image is made up of very fine dots applied over many tens or hundreds of hours. Using stippling, a process with long historical roots, the artist is able to create images that are both detailed and expressive. This slow and deliberate technique, coupled with subjects often drawn from nature, yields works that serve as quiet respites for the viewer. Savage’s art becomes a gentle invitation to immerse oneself in the serenity of meticulous observation.
