Department: Visual Art

Walter Sickert studied under both James McNeill Whistler and Edgar Degas and was strongly influenced by Impressionism. This work displays characteristics of Impressionism in its unusual composition, unfinished aspect and the choice of colour tones. The colourful dot-like brush strokes depicting the hare seem to deny the inanimate state of the animal. Death, along with other dark social issues, were favourite topics of Sickert, who was living in Camden Town during the time of several high profile murders. His interest in these cases has led to some posthumous accusations that he could have been Jack the Ripper.