School Desk Illustration Appraisal

"Children at a School Desk" by Eileen A. Soper

This is an original drypoint etching on cream-colored paper, featuring a group of young children seated at a long school desk or communal work table. The artwork is characterized by delicate, expressive linework typical of the drypoint technique, where burrs on the copper plate create soft, velvety shadows. The composition shows approximately seven children in various states of focus; some are writing intently while others appear distracted or resting their heads on their hands. The central figure is a young girl with a large hair bow, seen from behind. The piece is hand-signed in pencil at the lower right margin as "Eileen A. Soper". Physically, the paper shows light even toning consistent with an early 20th-century age, likely dating between the 1920s and early 1930s when Soper's fame as a child prodigy printmaker peaked. There is a visible plate mark surrounding the image. The condition seems good with minor peripheral foxing and light handling creases at the edges. The draughtsmanship is of high quality, capturing the candid, innocent postures of childhood with great economy of line. The background is minimally rendered, focusing the viewer’s attention on the industrious atmosphere of the classroom.