Record

RepositoryArchives
Reference NumberP/MCC/1/30
LevelFile
TitleMcCarthy Sketchbook
Date(s)1999-2000
DescriptionA turquoise floral patterned sketchbook filled with rough drawings. The cover depicts a series of red and white flowers growing out of a mass of turquoise vines. The book is bound with board and is approximately thirty centimetres tall by twenty two wide. All of the sketches inside are of male nudes, and some depict explicitly sexual events. There are no page numbers.

There is a piece of tracing paper inserted near the back of the book. It contains a play on words about Cardinal Ratzinger and an accompanying sketch, presumably poking fun at the future Pope's conservative, anti-homosexual agenda. Aside from that there is nothing truly unusual about this sketchbook. It contains McCarthy's usual collection of male nudes.

Number of Sketches: 76
Extent1 item
PhysicalDescriptionCondition: Externally this item is in good condition. The spine shows no signs of tearing or peeling and the covers are immaculate. However, the interior of the book is in poor condition, with a large cluster of detached pages in the middle and back. Some of the brown pastel shading has smudged in a few of the images, reducing their visibility somewhat.
Access StatusOpen
RequestYES - You can order this material to consult in our Reading Room.
Add to My Items

    Collection highlights

    Highlights from across our collections about London’s East End