Artwork Information

Bratby is best known for his large format, heavily impasted portraits of celebrities, but he also made many likenesses of his wives, children and friends. This rough sketch captures his eldest son David, then aged about 7. He is perched on the edge of a chair, the buckles of his shoes undone, as if waiting for his father to do them up and take him out. David’s bored expression is reinforced by the title, which reveals the frustration of constantly having to sit still for an artist – not an easy thing for a child. (Intimate Portraits, 2005)