Despite himself being an amateur artist, Sutherland’s father encouraged him to take up an engineering apprenticeship with the Midland Railway in Derby, but after a year relented and allowed him to study art.

The Slade having no vacancies, Sutherland went to the Goldsmiths’ School of Art in 1921, specialising in etching. There he was part of the group who, in the aftermath of the Great War, ‘discovered’ Samuel Palmer’s pastoral etchings.

Sutherland graduated in 1926, but had already exhibited at the XXI Gallery in 1925. On laid paper. Faint trace of mount stain, slight foxing only visible verso.