Jacob Epstein, No. 2

Art Historical Context

Augustus John’s etching *Jacob Epstein, No. 2* (c. 1906) offers a compelling portrait of the young sculptor Jacob Epstein, rendered with the delicate precision characteristic of early twentieth-century printmaking. Created when both artists were active in London’s vibrant artistic circles, the work captures Epstein at the outset of his career, just before his bold modernist sculptures began to provoke public debate. Etching, the medium chosen here, allowed John to achieve fine linear detail and subtle tonal variation through the controlled use of acid on a metal plate. The modest sheet size—28.5 by 22.4 centimeters—invites close viewing, emphasizing the intimate nature of the portrait. As a print from the Rosenwald Collection at the National Gallery of Art, this work exemplifies the period’s renewed interest in traditional graphic techniques while documenting the personal and professional connections among Britain’s emerging modern artists.

About the Artist

Augustus John · 1878–1961

Augustus Edwin John OM RA (1878–1961) was a Welsh painter, draughtsman, and etcher whose prodigious early gifts made him the most celebrated portraitist in Britain during the first decades of the twentieth century. Born on 4 January 1878 in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, he lost his mother Augusta Smith in childhood, a loss that left a permanent mark on his restless temperament. He and his elder sister Gwe...