T.E. Lawrence c. 1919

Augustus John made this drawing of T.E. Lawrence using charcoal on paper. Look at the economy of line, and how little it takes to make a likeness. It’s all about touch, the pressure of the charcoal on the page, the angle at which he held the stick, and how he layered those strokes to create tone and shadow. See the way he’s built up the area around the eyes, a flurry of marks that gives the impression of depth and bone structure. Then notice the lines indicating the folds of the garment. They’re so much bolder, less tentative, like quick slashes. There’s a lot of paper showing through here, which makes the image feel light and airy. Like the drawing was made in a flash. John was known for his portraits of writers and intellectuals, and you can see some echoes of his work in the drawings of someone like Wyndham Lewis, but maybe a little less angular. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that drawing is just a conversation, a series of decisions and responses that unfold over time.