Engraved copper plate of an eye
- Artist: Paul Kirkup
- Date: 2022
- Medium: engraved copper plate
- Dimensions: 3 7/8 in. x 5 7/8 in. (100 mm x 150 mm) overall
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is “Engraved copper plate of an eye”. In front of you sits a small copper sheet – roughly 100 mm wide by 150 mm high – that glistens under the light. A single eye occupies most of its surface, drawn in crisp engraved lines that dip into the metal. Notice how the black strokes cut into the bright copper; the contrast makes each detail pop.
The artist, Paul Kirkup, used a range of marks: cross‑hatching gives shadow, stippling creates texture, and fine straight strokes outline the pupil. All these techniques show the versatility of engraving on metal. He was inspired by Cézanne’s remark that “Monet was only an eye, but my God, what an eye!” and he based his design on a photograph of Claude Monet taken by Nadar.
Created in 2022, this plate is a modern printmaking exercise in which the surface itself becomes part of the image. Kirkup has worked on eleven portrait series, and here he demonstrates how much can be conveyed through lines alone.
See it in person
Engraved copper plate of an eye is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
