Self-Portrait

Invalided out of the Army after World War I, Ralph Chubb studied at the Slade School of Art between 1919-1922. "During the summer of 1921, however, he returned to his home in Curridge in the Berkshire countryside where he dressed as a gypsy and . . . spent some weeks living rough, among the Romanys, whom he sketched." - Anthony Reid, Ralph Chubb, The Unknown, [The Private Library, Autumn, 1970, p. 152]. Dated Nov. 1921, this delicately rendered self-portrait, which focuses on the body rather than the face (which is not even sketched in), & shows the artist dressed in gypsy costume, seems to be based on Chubb's persona of the previous summer. Ralph Chubb was an innovative & largely unappreciated artist & bookmaker, little known today beyond the homosexual community. During his life (1892-1960), his highly unconventional personal philosophy, which he expounded in his art & books, gained him more enemies than friends. Despite financial difficulties & critical hostility, Chubb, supported by his family, continued to produce his painstakingly hand-crafted books. He believed that his art was a divine gift & that eventually he would receive the recognition he deserved. His dedication to his art & his unswerving truthfulness about himself & his homosexuality have since gained him a devoted following. Fine. Original pencil drawing, signed by the artist in the image: "RNC / Nov. 1921 / (drawn from self)", approximately 5 1/2" x 14", matted & framed. Fine.