Wexford Ledger with Sketches

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George Wallace , Irish, 1920-2009

Title

MediumInk on paper

Dimensions

37.7 x 25.4 cm

Credit LinePresented, the Wallace Estate, 2019

Object numberNGI.2019.243

DescriptionIn the 1990s, George Wallace repurposed this nineteenth century ledger as a sketchbook. The ledger is leather-bound with marbled endpaper. The original contents of the ledger were kept intact by Wallace in the first four pages and the final five pages of the object. They include a map of Knockmullen, Wexford, and several bookkeeping documents. One of the original documents in the ledger dates to 1890. This marks one hundred years between the original 1890 ledger and Wallace’s drawings, which date to around 1990. Wallace is a common name in the Wexford area, which may have further inspired Wallace to acquire this Wexford ledger and use it.
This object demonstrates how drawing was an essential part of Wallace’s practice throughout his life. It includes self-portrait sketches, life-drawings and still lifes, in graphite, ink and watercolour. The ledger shows how Wallace constantly noticed seemingly mundane objects in his everyday world. In this ledger, Wallace seems to have been especially captivated by the natural world around him. He records particular details of a tree trunk or a rock formation in alarming detail, as if he is attempting to capture its presence. However, Wallace also tends to veer into the more morose aspect of the natural world as he carefully records several animal skulls in the early pages of the ledger. He took inspiration from such objects and returned to them time and time again in projects.