The Spectacular Drawing in Getty's Collection You've Probably Never Heard Of
Look closely to see what makes this self-portrait by a little-known artist so impressive
Self-Portrait, about 1845, Charles Samuel Keene. Pen and brown ink over black chalk, 9 1/2 × 11 in. Getty Museum
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Getty has tons of drawings by celebrated artists like Rembrandt van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh in its collection.
But if you ask senior curator of drawings Julian Brooks which drawing is his favorite, he'll show you a self-portrait by Charles Samuel Keene—an English artist few people have heard of today.
In the first season of Getty's Close Looking video series, Getty curators explore the details of artworks they cherish. For this installment, Brooks reveals why he loves this drawing, made around 1845 when the artist was 20 years old. Keene's meticulous drawing techniques produce a vibrant and dramatic image of himself. See the intense pen strokes, the circular lines around his nose, and the sense of light created through cross-hatching and dots. It's a more intense self-portrait than most, Brooks says.
Watch the video below!
Get an insider's view of more works of art in Getty's Close Looking series, in which art experts and enthusiasts around Getty share some of their favorite works of art.
