Stag, 1913

This drawing was almost certainly made during a trip to Arundel, West Sussex, in September 1913. Gaudier had met Ezra Pound in London two months earlier. The efficiency and speed with which the stag is outlined suggest that at this time Gaudier was already responding to Pound’s interest in Oriental calligraphy. The use of essential and quickly drawn lines and Chinese inks remained cornerstones of Gaudier’s art for the remainder of his career.