Young Woman Seated

Born in Dublin, Orpen showed his artistic talent at an early age and became one of the most successful portraitists of the Edwardian era. This graphite sketch is possibly the image of a young woman named Emily Scobel, who modeled for Orpen several times and to whom he was briefly engaged. It reveals the artist’s mastery of technique. Orpen employs quick strokes to capture the sitter’s likeness, while broad shading and an effective use of the paper produce a sense of volume. Sketches such as this one likely served as simple exercises in recording his impressions (2022).