An extremely well executed quartet of female nudes.
Sensitively drawn with great expression and emotion.
Excellent condition, newley framed and mounted.
Whilst these are not signed by Edward, they came directly from his leather portfolio of similar works in pencil, which were initialled or signed by himself.
All four frames are the same size. Frame Width 21” / 53cm Frame Height 27” / 69cm
Edward G Powell, was head of the department of commercial art at Glasgow School of Art for nearly 40 years. As a young man he worked for the international advertising agency J Walter Thompson and designed the original art deco-style Black Magic chocolate box.
He brought a high degree of skill and perfection to his department at the art school and considered his discipline to be on a par with the best departments of fine art. He was given equal status to a head of painting and had a professor's studio in the painting department of the Mackintosh building - the commercial art studios being then housed in a rather run-down terrace opposite the main art school.
Edward Powell considered all forms of graphic and commercial design as having as a basis good draughtsmanship and technical skill, as the best paintings have, and in 1954 he appointed someone to teach life drawing and etching to his students as he held it in such high regard within the process of learning design.
