A trio of scurrilous etchings portraying three celebrated British artists: John Bellany, Albert Irvin and Stan Smith.

They come from a series of portraits that was created informally by leading members of The London Group in 1980 while they were preparing the Group’s annual exhibition. It includes work by Stan Smith (then president of the Group), John Bellany (vice-president), Albert Irvin, Jesse Watkins, Cyril Reason, Barry Martin, and the late Adrian Bartlett, who co-ordinated the project.

While they were having a boozy lunch in the Tower pub on Westminster Bridge Road, Bartlett came up with the idea that they make portraits of each other that could be easily reproduced.  He duly supplied each of them with an etching plate and left them to choose who they would portray.

The etchings have never been published as a full limited edition. Only a very small number of artist’s proofs have been made from the original plates by Adrian Bartlett. Adrian was director of the Morley gallery where the show was held; he later became president of the London Group. Here’s a link to the whole set.