drawing
- Museum number
- 2015,7038.1
- Description
-
Elvis, portrait of the singer Elvis Presley; verso: another portrait of Elvis. 1975
Ink, pencil and gouache on paper
- Production date
- 1975
- Dimensions
-
Height: 970 millimetres
-
Width: 651 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- This working drawing for the print 'The King', (PD 2011,7068.40), shows an idealised portrait of Elvis Presley at the time of his many live concerts in the 1970s. Oxtoby has captured the singer's trademark moody sexuality on stage. He is shown wearing his famous white 'concha' jumpsuit immortalized in the documentary film 'Elvis, 'That's the Way it is', (1970) - the Mexican word 'concha' refers to the metal ring design on the suit.
Although the etching is inscribed with the date '1976', the preparatory drawing for 'The King' derives from a publicity photograph for the 1970 documentary film. Oxtoby has made no secret of working from photographs, often manipulating the image to his own artistic ends. Indeed the original photograph on which the drawing is based includes a guitar which the artist has omitted. The 1976 etching 'The King', is neatly paired with its companion 'The Boy King', (2011,7068.39), showing Elvis at the start of his career in 1956. The two Elvis works encapsulate the singer's career from the rough young hillbilly star of the fifties to the older, smooth Las Vegas performer of the seventies.
This preparatory study for the etching provides a rare insight into the artist's working practice. The drawing is extensively annotated by Oxtoby with printing notes. It was printed at Editions Alecto.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2016 Jan-April, BM, 'Oxtoby's Rockers - Prints by David Oxtoby'
- Acquisition date
- 2015
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 2015,7038.1