The Quakers, by Lisa Maltby, are four portraits of three early Friends and a person sympathetic to Friends, commissioned as part of a Swarthmore Hall exhibition about the birth of the Quaker movement. Illustrated, in turn, are George Fox, Margaret Fell, Sarah Fell and Thomas Fell. Because few authentic paintings of early Friends and friends of Friends exist, the portraits depict what these people may have looked like. George Fox and Thomas Fell do resemble paintings supposed to represent them. Margaret Fell and Sarah Fell are not based on any known paintings. (Sarah and Thomas were the daughter and first husband of Margaret. Thomas, while not a Quaker, supported Friends). The intent of the portraits was to create a colorful and contemporary version of the subjects. Approximately 300 mm by 420 mm, they are digital and were drawn using Pencil and Procreate brushes on a drawing tablet. David Sudlow and Simon Leach designed the exhibition.
Lisa Maltby is a painter from Sheffield in the United Kingdom. Her work includes publishing, design, editorial and heritage images, ranging from small digital illustrations to large murals, with a client list that includes Penguin Random House, The Guardian, the National Trust and Politico. Maltby is a teacher, lecturer and writer, as well. Among other initiatives, she supports Arts Emergency, which assists young artists. She is not a Quaker, though she shares many Friendly values, like social justice and stillness.
The Quakers are charming pictures. The subjects are brought to life by Maltby, a gifted artist.
A link to The Quakers project: https://www.lisamaltby.com/project-updates/quakers-portrait-illustration.
Gary Sandman