Comments on: John Dempsey’s Portraits

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 19:43:56 +0000

These are beautiful. The perspective of the watercress man’s basket is very successful. These portraits convey immediacy and vitality. The artist has a wonderful understanding of patterns. The garden in Yarmouth is very pretty; makes one wonder if this man ever painted china. His pictures of blind men are very affecting.

What else did John Dempsey paint?

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 19:20:19 +0000

I love this series. Take a second look at the gardener. Oh, those gigantic capable hands. And the way each rose looks like it took hours to render and look so botanically perfect. I so enjoy the way the artist has depicted the feet/shoes of the subjects — making the characters look a bit like they might lift off and sail away. And yet their faces and bodies are so stalwart and sturdy. This is a remarkable series of images, full of fascination and contradiction.

If I passed the doorway to the boot-maker, I would NOT be able to resist a visit inside. The way he has festooned his doorstep is so compelling……a “must” visit. And the gentleman himself looks like a master story teller, impressively garbed in a lovely vest. A festival of details.

Thank you, GA.

By: Bailey Jones

Bailey Jones — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 16:44:05 +0000

Yes, the faces are so realistic and the artist captures the essence of his subjects so well.

I can’t help wondering how the collection ended up in Tasmania.

By: Homer Sykes

Homer Sykes — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 14:44:00 +0000

These are wonderful, I would love to see a book of them.

By: Gillian Tindall

Gillian Tindall — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 14:11:39 +0000

I entirely agree about the patient expressions on many of these people’s faces – at once quietly hopeful, but trying not to show it too much, and also resigned to perpetial mild disappointment.
As seen in the faces of many Big Issue sellers today.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:56:28 +0000

These faces are surely real portraits of real people! Marvellous!

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:29:30 +0000

Marvelous.
Always fascinated by The Regency period.
The portrait of Black Charley is so typical of the time. Lovely.

By: Marie Lenclos

Marie Lenclos — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:27:50 +0000

I love these sensitive and detailed portraits. They make you wonder about the personality of the characters whilst evoking traditions and trades of the past. I also love the way colour is used in these portraits. Subtle and understated (and sometimes detailed) settings create space for highlights of colour in the character or a detail of their trade. The oranges literally burst out of the picture in the first picture. These make me very happy!

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:55:10 +0000

Thank you – very interesting. I can’t work out what medium he used, but despite the odd proportions and perspectives, the faces are very well done.

By: Vicky Stewart

Vicky Stewart — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:41:26 +0000

There is excellent research about Black Charley here
https://georgianera.wordpress.com/2020/03/25/portrait-of-black-charley-of-norwich-by-john-dempsey/