What drama ! have to think our man in black top hat was a magician, looking as if he himself is about to disappear in a cloud of smoke with a wave of his cape! Between his orange eyes and lips and his white hair and brows, he also seems perhaps to have been been albino, making him all the more striking looking. The Ethel Esme Church who painted this was, I believe, more commonly known as Esme Church (1893–1972), a British actress and theatre director, who acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company and on Broadway, directed plays for the Old Vic in London, and became head of its theatre school, and then director of the Bradford Civic Playhouse in Bradford, Yorkshire. I purchased this from a seller in England and have found other drawings similar in style signed simply Esme Church, so am confident of the attribution. Very 1920s and I think quite fabulous!
12 3/8” x 9 5/8”, gouache and graphite on paper I believe. Signed and dated 1923 at lower right. Very good condition, with a flag to the lower left corner, which I will press out flat.
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