This is a study for the larger work in the City of Manchester Art Galleries
(69.3 x 66.1 cm).

The idea of making studies of open cast coal mines was suggested to Sutherland by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee in the summer of 1943. Open cast mining had been introduced during the war as a means of providing an extra, relatively easy, source of coal. The earth was removed by dragline buckets to expose the shallow seams of coal. Sutherland’s studies were made in Wales at Pwll-Du near Abergavenny.

This drawing was part of the group bought by Pier Paolo and Marzia Ruggerini at the time of the exhibition of Sutherland’s war-time drawings organised by the British Council in Milan in 1979. The Ruggerinis first met Sutherland in 1965. Pier Paolo was a celebrated Italian film maker and in 1967 his documentary on the artist led Sutherland to return to Wales to paint there for the first time in twenty years. The Ruggerinis became great friends and collectors of Sutherland. Their house, Il Castello in Pavia near Milan, had a famous collection of the artist’s work.