The only thing I ever learned to draw particularly well is eyes. Actually, that should read ‘eye’ since I have yet to successfully draw a matched pair. This weird and very narrow talent (if you can call it that) has given me a gratuitously harsh opinion of eye paintings and drawings. I apparently consider myself something of an eye expert. Ridiculous, to be sure, but that’s an issue for another day.
Anyway, that’s why I suspect I’m so attracted to the minute, sometimes-tin-box-enclosed eyes painted by Lucy Pass. Her eyes seem positively classical in technique, and I can imagine how wonderfully startling it would be to come across one when you weren’t expecting it.
It turns out that single-eye paintings weren’t invented by Pass (or by me). In fact, the first one is reputed to have been commissioned by George IV of England, who craved a painting of the sexy widow Maria Fitzherbert on whom he was crushing. Of course, such a token would have scandalized the court in those days, so he cleverly hired a painter to capture just one of her eyes, thereby keeping her identity a secret. That rascally George IV apparently wore the eye just under his lapel and only showed it to favored courtiers. Secret though it was supposed to be, the habit sparked a trend, with lovers’ eyes going viral, as it were, in late 18th century and early 19th century Europe.
You can see all of Lucy Pass’s work (not just the eyes) on her website, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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My OBT 
April 6, 2019 at 8:21 am
I have always thought ‘it is in the eyes. Two artist I follow are especially good at animal eyes and it does make the art come alive.
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April 6, 2019 at 4:08 pm
Ooh, the animal eyes must be beautiful!
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April 7, 2019 at 5:25 pm
Lovely. Yeah. Wish I could draw eyes.
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April 7, 2019 at 6:58 pm
It’s honestly the only thing I can draw, so if you’ve got the rest, we’re set!
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