According to Simon Toll,
The vigorous scumbled brush-strokes mark a clear difference between the new generation of painters and the old school of Academicians. Draper's technique of paint application is more like Stanhope Forbes and a future acquaintance, George Clausen, than Leighton or Poynter. Whereas Leighton's paint strokes were neat and careful, often giving a rather static waxy appearance to his paintings, Draper applied rapid strokes of paint with the consistency of treacle, with far more expression and bravura, a technique which has been compared to Lepage and Sargent. It is interesting that the experimental artist, Frank Brangwyn, was among the list of Drapers friends at this time, the two artists visiting each other's studios on several occasions. Draper was also a close friend of John Da Costa, who trained at Julian's ecole a year after?before? Draper. Da Costa was connected with the progressive Newlyn School and was a close comrade of John Singer Sargent, but also painted fantastical pictures and nude subjects.
References
Toll, Simon. Herbert Draper, 1863-1920: A Life Study. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors Club, 2003.
Last modified 5 August 2015