Robert Spence

Sarah Richardson writes about an etching by Robert Spence

by Sarah Richardson 3rd October 2014

Robert Spence was born in Tynemouth in 1871 into a Quaker family and trained as an artist in London and Paris. While he painted in oils, he is best known for his dry-point etchings.

Many of his etchings were based on events described in The Journal of George Fox. His style was strongly influenced by Rembrandt and he owned several original etchings by the Dutch master. Soon after the outbreak of the first world war, Robert Spence joined an ambulance unit in France. Spence produced several etchings after the war from his memories and sketches made at the time.