William Orpen
William Orpen Le Chef de l’Hotel Chatham, Paris c. 1921, oil on canvas, 50x40¼in. (127x102.5cm)
Featuring striking portraits alongside pencil studies and anatomical drawings, William Orpen at Watts Gallery Artists’ Village in Surrey, from 19 November to 23 February, will explore the work of Orpen and his fascination with light and space. Celebrated for his career as an official war artist during the First World War, Orpen was elected president of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters from 1924 to 1930, becoming one of the leading portraitists of his age. Special tours of the exhibition will take place on Tuesdays 3 and 17 December, 7 and 21 January, and 4 and 18 February, from 2 to 2.45pm. For full details and to book go to www.wattsgallery.org.uk/whats-onWilliam Orpen: A Studio Encounter is at Watts Gallery Artists’ Village, Down Lane, Compton, Surrey, from 19 November to 23 February.