Study for "Thorn Head" [verso] 1949

Graham Sutherland made this study for "Thorn Head" using pencil and ink on paper. It's a small drawing, intimate really, and mostly monochromatic, which gives it a kind of serious, searching quality. Looking at the marks, I can imagine Sutherland circling and redrawing, finding his way. He's pushing and pulling forms from the darkness—a head? A mask? Some kind of organic, thorny crown. I wonder if he was thinking about the war, and the weight of leadership? The suffering? It’s hard to say, but the thorns feel pretty loaded. I feel like Sutherland is saying something about nature here. He is searching for a form that feels both menacing and alive. It is a powerful statement for artists, reminding us we are constantly in dialogue, responding to those who came before us. We are all evolving together!