AUSTIN OSMAN SPARE (1886-1956)

By 1911, Austin Osman Spare had moved away from the grotesque pen and ink style that made his fame, towards a mature use of pencil and coloured chalk that found expression primarily through portraiture. This self portrait, executed the year of his marriage to the actress Eily Shaw (1888-1938), demonstrates his increasing confidence. Ernest Thesiger, CBE (1879 - 1961) was an English stage and film actor, celebrated for his performance as Doctor Septimus Pretorius in James Whale's film, Bride of Frankenstein (1935).

We are very grateful to Robert Ansell for preparing this catalogue entry.