Blondel and Richard Coeur de Lion

Trevor Stubley, a renowned Yorkshire portrait and landscape painter, created this graphite drawing, 'Blondel and Richard Coeur de Lion.' While the Art Institute of Chicago's record dates this piece to 1826, Stubley was born in 1932, making this attribution year implausible for him. It's more likely this is a later work by Stubley, perhaps a study or illustration, given his extensive career illustrating over 400 children's books and receiving numerous portrait commissions. Stubley was celebrated for his versatility, moving between detailed portraits of figures like HM the Queen and Dame Judi Dench, and vibrant landscape watercolors. This drawing, with its focus on a historical narrative, showcases his illustrative skill and ability to convey drama and character through line work. The subject matter, Blondel and Richard Coeur de Lion, refers to the legendary tale of the minstrel Blondel de Nesle discovering the imprisoned King Richard I of England by singing a song they both knew, a popular theme in romantic and historical art.