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THE-  STUDIO 

An  Illu/tr^ted  A^g^^pe 
of  Roe  ^Applied  Art 


JUNE 
5,  1909 


I 


^^^tt>i^t^.i^«Jl^^|te^sw8ft^ 


44LeicejterSquda^ 

LONDON  WC 

Monthly 


VOL.  47 
No.  195 


FOR  PARTICULARS 
OF  THE  SPECIAL 
SUMMER  NUMBER 
SEE  WITHIN. 


NOW  READY  "  THE 
WATER  COLOUR 
DRAWINGS  OF 
J.  M.  W.  TURNER." 


THE     STUDIO. 

EDITED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY   CHARLES    HOLME. 


Contents y  June   15,   1909. 

SUPPLEMENTS:— A  Colovrbd  Reproduction  or  a  Pastel  dv  LEON 
LHERMITTE  entitled  "  Les  DpNTBLLiinEs '' ;  A  Coloured  Rbproooc- 
TioN  OP  AN  Oil-painting  by  l£on  LHERMITTE  entitled  "Les 
PlCHEURS  A  LA  LiCNS";  A  Rkproduction  in  Colours  of  a  Coloured 
Pen  Drawing  ev  ANNIE  URQUHART  entitled  "Gossips"  ;  a  Rbproduc- 
TIOH  in  Colours  of  a  Coiolked  Lithogr<ph  ev  VICTOR  OLQYAI 
entitled  "Winter  on  the  Banks  or  the  Garam." 

\AoH    LHERMITTE,   Painter  of    French    Peasant    Life.     By    FRiDftRlc 

Hknriet.     Ten  Illustrations 3 

HIBPAN0-M0RE8QUE     LUSTRE     WARE.      By    Avmer     Vallakcb. 

Twenty-three  Illuilrations '4 

SOME  NEW  AMERICAN    ETCHINQS    BY   JOSEPH    PENNELL.     By 

Dr.  Hans  W.  Si.nckr.     Six  Illujtrations " 

THE  ROYAL  ACADEMY  EXHIBITION,  1900.     Fifteen  Illustrations  29 

THE  SALON   OF  THE   SOCIETE  NATIONALE   DEB  BEAUX-ART8, 

PARIS.     By  Henri  Frantz-     Nine  Illustrations 44 

STUDIO-TALK  (Frc,H  oyrctvn  CfmifoiuienU):— 

London,  Three  Illus.,  54;  Manchrstbr,  Four  Illus.,  59;  Glasgow, 
Four  Illns.,60;  Paris,  One  Illus., «];  Vienna,  Six  Illiu., 64;  Beoapbst, 
Seven  Illus.,  70;  Bbri.in,  Three  Illus.  74 

REVIEWS  AND   NOTICES 76 

THE  LAY  FIQURE:  On  the  Love  of  Alt k 


AWARDS  IN  "THE  STUDIO"  PRIZE  COMPETITIONS.     Eight  Illustrations. 


sr/ 


:, ,  thml  may  6*  lui' 

-     --    , vtry  effort  -wiU  be  made  fo  r. 

rtft^tA  MSS.,  ami  all  Jr-awinet,  tfc.,  rtJteUd  < 

hfld  hifttttlf  rtt^anttbU  /Of  tht  t.%fr  CM//tf.Yy  ^r  refitm  thereof.     Statnfis /9r  retitm  tkoutd 
aH-iaddrutit/^tk*  tender  «UariywiiMn9n€P«tyMS.,drawtHg,  ttt. 


miwajfttesetU.m'id/fuM 


The  Stodio  is  registered  for  transmission  to  Canada  by  Canadian  Ma^a 


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ARTiSTlC  ^ 
^  WALL 
^     PAPERS. 

SmoRTlMERS?*.^ 

REOEHT-SIKEET'V/,  ^ 
FACTORY?  ^ESSEX-R? 


THEIR  LATEST  WALL  PAPERS 

ARE   ALWAYS  ON  VIEW  "^g^  !    J 

And  are  to  be  obUined  of  all  Decorators  and  Wall  Paper  Mer(„ 


'  Telephof 
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LIBERTY!^ 


DESICnCRS  AND  MAKERS  OF 
ARTISTIC  EMBROiDERIESoFAuKINDS 
DRAWINGS  s£rfT  on  approval  POST  FREE 


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REQUISITE  SUPPLIED.  A  BOOK  COMTAININC  lOO  ORIGINAL 
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UdeRTY  &  CO     fiECDLEWORK    DEPARTMENT    EAST    INDIA    MOUSE  RECEMT    ST.  W  ' 


■■'LES  DENTELLIERES.''    from  the 
PASTEL   BY   LEON    LHERMITTE. 


THE  STUDIO 


L 


EON  LHKRMITTK.  PAINTER 
OF  FRENCH  PEASANT  LIFE. 
HV     FREDERIC     HENRIET. 


Thk  painter  Leon  Lhermittc  holds  high  rank 
among  contemporary  artists,  and  is  oni-  of  whom 
we  can  say  without  exaggeration  that  he  enjoys, 
at  the  present  time,  a  world-wide  reputation.  This 
he  owes  to  the  e.vceptional  gifts  w^ith  which  Nature 
has  endowed  him,  but — and  this  is  the  more  rare — 
he  has  known  how  himself  to  foster  those  talents 
hy  stubborn  and  unflagging  labour,  by  a  steadfast 
effort  which  has  never  wavered,  and  by  an  ardent 
and  unceasing  striving  to  attain  his  ideal,  which 
has  carried  him  to  the  radiant  summits  of  his  art. 

It  is  now  forty-five  years  since  Lhermitte  first 
attracted  attention  by  his  earliest  contributions  to 
the  Paris  Salons.  At  one  bound  he  leapt  over  all 
those  successive  phases  of  convention  which  are  to 
every  artist  almost  a  law  of  nature  :  his  talent  took 


at  once  its  definite  character,  and  .so,  althougli  he 
still  continues  to  wield  the  brush  with  an  ever- 
young  and  virile  hand,  the  moment  seems  to  us  to 
have  arrived  in  which  to  take  a  general  survey  of 
his  work,  in  order  to  draw  therefrom  a  synthetic 
ajjpreciation  of  its  aims  and  significance. 

Lhermitte's  biography  will  not  detain  us  long. 
Like  all  fortunate  people,  those  artists  have  no 
history  who  combine  with  a  pa.ssionate  and  single- 
minded  devotion  to  their  art,  the  levelheadedness, 
the  good  sense,  which  preserves  them  from  adven- 
tures. We  will  therefore  merely  occupy  ourselves 
with  the  circum.stances  of  his  childhood,  the  con- 
dition of  his  environment,  and  the  hereditary 
influences  which  may  explain  the  native  savour, 
that  touch  of  the  soil,  the  charming  rustic  fragrance 
which  is  inherent  in  all  the  productions  of  his 
brush.  At  the  same  time  we  must  not  fail  to  try 
and  discover  the  part  that  his  earliest  aesthetic 
sensations,  experienced  on  his  arrival  in  Paris,  and 


'  LA   FAMII.l.E   ' 

XL\"II.     No.   195.— June,   1909. 


( IVashingloii  Gallery) 


BY    LEON    LHERMITTR 


L^oii   Lhctniiitte 


the  influence  of  the  students  with  whom  he  mixed 
may  have  had  in  forming  his  artistic  perception. 

Leon  Augustin  Lhermitte  was  born  on  31st  July, 
1844,  ^t  Mont-Saint-Pere,  a  picturesque  village  in 
the  vicinity  of  Chateau  Thierry,  situated  on  a  steep 
hill  wl'.ich  commands  a  view  of  the  valley  of  the 
Marne.  His  father,  a  native  of  the  district,  passed 
here  a  long  and  honoured  existence  as  school- 
master. Hillsides  planted  with  \ineyards  and 
wooded  at  their  summits  enclose  the  richly-culti- 
vated plains.  The  countrj'  bears  a  joyous  aspect, 
clear  and  varied  :  the  undulating  sylvan  landscape 
is  alluring  rather  than  severe.  Such  is  the  setting 
wherein  unfold  themselves  the  countless  episodes 
of  rural  life,  the  joy  and  ruggedness  of  which  the 
painter  so  ably  depicts.  Leon  Lhermitte  was  sickly 
as  a  child,  and  in  consequence  became  solitary  and 
meditative.  During  those  long  days  which  he  was 
compelled  to  spend  on  his  back,  he  copied  for  his 
own  amusement  and  distraction  with  pen  or  pencil 
the  drawings  in  the  illustrated  papers  lent  him  by 
kindly  neighbours.  These  drawings  he  executed 
with   deceptive  fidelity  :    but  far  from   contracting 


his  vision,  this  often  somewhat  melancholy  occu- 
pation did  not  prevent  him,  when  at  last  returning 
health  allowed  of  his  essaying  to  draw  from  Nature 
— how  fair  must  she  not  have  appeared  to  him 
after  his  long  seclusion  ! — from  interpreting  her  at 
the  first  attempt  with  great  breadth.  His  e.xcep- 
tional  gifts  attracted  attention  in  high  quarters  and 
gained  for  the  young  man  a  grant  from  the  Govern- 
ment, and  also  a  small  pension  from  the  Conseil 
General  of  the  Department  of  Aisne,  which  allowed 
of  his  going  to  study  in  Paris. 

In  1863  Lhermitte  entered  the  Ecole  Lnperiale 
de  Dessin,  of  which  Belloc  was  the  director.  This 
constitutes,  as  it  were,  a  kind  of  preparatory  course 
through  which  one  passes  before  entering  the  Ecole 
des  Beaux-Arts.  Besides  the  obligatory  training 
under  the  regular  masters  of  the  school,  Lhermitte 
also  took  the  course  of  instruction  in  drawing  from 
memory,  then  recently  instituted  by  Lecoq  de  Bois- 
baudran.  His  interest  was  keenly  aroused  by  the 
novelty  of  this  master's  outlook  :  he  appreciated  to 
the  full  his  unfettered  spirit,  liberated  from  all  the 
trammels  of  conventional  methods,  and  recognising 


■"  LE   BENI'dICITE"   (CHARCOAL   DRAWING) 

4 


LHERMITTE 


■       7-  -. 


Ldoii    Llicriiiittc 


in  him  a  true  man,  a  force  which  had  risen  superior 
to  the  ordinary  routine  of  art,  became,  like  his 
friend  Cazin,  one  of  Lecoq's  most  fervent  disciples. 
The  youth  of  the  day,  and  notably  Lhermitte's 
comrades  at  Lecoq's  studio,  had  developed  a  pre- 
judice against  the  teaching  at  the  Ecole  des  Beaux- 
Arts,  believing  it  to  be  opposed  to  the  free  develop- 
ment of  originality,  and  Lhermitte  left  the  school 
deliberately,  thus  renouncing  all  those  advantages 
which  it  offers  to  its  laureates.  This  was  to  take 
the  longest  road ;  but  he  thereby  gained,  in  that  he 
became  the  product  of  his  own  unaided  effort ; 
alone  he  evolved  his  methods  of  work  and  his 
technique,  and  in  consequence  has  become  the 
most  individualistic  of  our  painters. 

Lhermitte  had  then  no  other  teacher  than 
Lecoq.  This  excellent  master  taught  him  to  see, 
to  feel,  and  to  think.  He  raised  before  the  eyes 
of  the  young  artist  the  veil  of  the  inner  mysteries 
and,  as  it  were,  led  him   to  the  very  threshold  of 


the  holy  of  holies.  And  above  all  he  inculcated 
in  his  pupil  all  the  es.sentials  of  drawing — the  ulti- 
mate foundation  of  all  works  of  art,  and  at  the 
same  time  the  practical  means  of  assuring  one's 
daily  bread  ;  for  he  would  often  repeat,  "  II  faut 
vivre,  et  qui  sait  bien  dessiner  se  tirera  toujours 
d'affaire." 

Thus  occupied  solely  with  drawing,  under  a 
master  who  carried  almost  to  extremes  his  conten- 
tion that  students  are  always  pressed  to  start 
painting  before  they  ought,  Lhermitte,  already 
bearing  some  reputation  for  his  charcoal  studies, 
had  so  far  never  used  a  brush.  He  had  been 
anxious  to  do  so  certainly,  but  had  rather  feared  to 
embark  upon  this  branch  of  art.  Possessed  of  a 
medium  over  which  he  had  complete  control,  of  a 
means  of  expression  which  amply  realised  his 
imagination,  he  came  to  make  veritable  pictures 
of  his  charcoal  drawings.  It  was,  indeed,  only 
natural  that  he  should  find  pleasure   in  a  style  of 


l-E    REVEIL    DE    L  ENFANT  ' 

6 


BY    LEON    LHERMITTE 


Lcoii    Llicniiiftc 


LAMI    DES    HIMBLES 


(Boston  Museum  o-  Fine  Ar/s) 


IIY    LEOX    IHEKMITTE 


work  which  he  had  carried  to  the  highest  perfection, 
and  which  began  to  afford  him  very  appreciable 
results.  From  England  —it  is  only  fair  to  remember 
it — came  his  first  pecuniary  encouragement.  A 
former  student  of  the  Atelier  Lecoq,  Alphonse 
Legros,  who  for  some  considerable  time  had  made 
London  his  abode,  became  a  warm  supporter  ot 
the  young  artist,  and  when,  afte;'  the  war  in  1870, 
Lhermitte,  fearful  for  the  future,  deemed  it  prudent 
to  try  his  fortune  in  London,  Legros  made  him 
acquainted  with  Edwards,  Heseltine,  Seymour- 
Haden,  and  introduced  him  to  Ed.  Si^vre,  who 
was  engaged  at  the  moment  on  a  publication  of 
considerable  magnitude  on  the  works  of  art  in  the 
collections  of  England.  Struck  by  the  qualities 
of  precision  and  delicacy  in  the  work  of  the  young 
draughtsman,  Sievre  did  not  hesitate  to  enrol  him 
among  his  collaborators.  Legros  went  further,  and 
admitted  some  of  his  protege's  charcoal  drawings 
to  the  Black  and  White  Exhibition,  where  they 
soon  aroused  interest.  In  1873  Lhermitte  again 
sent  to  the  exhibition,  again  achieved  the  same 
success,  and  was  unanimously  elected  a  member 
of  the  hanging  committee  of  the  society  for  the 
ensuing  year.  1S74  was  a  red-letter  year  for 
Lhermitte,   for  the  Jury  of  Awards  of   the    I'aris 


Salon  granted  him  a  third  medal,  expressly  voted, 
for  his  large  charcoal  drawing  Le  Binidiciti  and  for 
his  picture  La  Aloisson  (purchased  by  the  (iovern- 
ment  and  placed  in  the  Musee  de  Carcassonne),  thus 
showing  that  in  the  field  of  painting  he  had  not 
been  inactive,  and  henceforth  he  worked  in  both 
mediums  equally.  Lhermitte  learnt  to  paint  by 
plunging  into  the  midst  of  difficulties,  in  the  same 
way  as  some  boys,  knowing  no  fear,  learn  to  swim 
by  throwing  themselves  into  the  water. 

I^hermitte  has  scattered  through  the  world 
countless  charcoal  drawings,  themselves  amply 
sufficient  to  make  an  artist's  reputation.  What  a 
precious  document  wc  should  have  if  their  author 
were  able  to-day  to  give  a  list,  as  certain  arti.sts 
have  done,  a  kind  of  Liber  veriiatis  of  all  the 
studies  he  has  made  and  disseminated  I  But  he 
has  flung  them  far  and  wide,  like  the  rose  tree  its 
flowers. 

A  draughtsman  so  sure  of  himself,  so  adroit  at 
realising  by  simple  contrasts  of  black  and  white 
all  the  effects  of  which  that  austere  monochromatic 
medium  is  capable,  would,  one  supposes,  find  him- 
self not  unprepared  to  use  the  needle,  and,  indeed, 
at  the  first  attempt  Lhermitte  proved  him.self  a 
successful  etcher.     It  was  in  London  in  1871  that 

7 


Ldoii    Lherniitte 


he  executed  his  first  plate,  etched  under  the  eve 
of  Legros,  who  helped  him  and  superintended  the 
biting.  The  subject  was  a  Renaissance  cuirasse 
damascened  with  foliage,  destined  for  the  work 
which  Ed.  Sievre  was  editing.  The  latter  was  so 
pleased  with  the  result  that  he  at  once  entrusted 
Lhermitte  with  the  making  of  a  series  of  plates, 
twelve  in  number.  The  "  Etcher's  Portfolio " 
appealed  to  his  talent,  and  Arthur  Tooth,  who  had 
been  one  of  the  first  to  presage  the  success  of  the 
young  artist,  commissioned  from  him  two  excellent 
landscapes,  LEglise  St.  Madou  and  La  Cathedra'e 
lie  Rouen.  The  limited  space  at  my  disposal  com- 
pels me  to  refer  the  reader  to  the  work  in  which  I 
have  described  and  catalogued  the  forty-four  plates 
which  constitute  the  etched  work  of  Lhermitte 
("Les  eaux-fortes  de  Leon  Lhermitte,"  published 
by  Alphonse  Lemerre,  Paris,  1905). 

When  in  1 886,  a  society  of  Pastellists  was  started, 
modelled  on  the  Society  of  ^\'ater■colour  Painters, 
Lhermitte  became  a 
member,  and  from  its 
foundation  took  a  promi- 
nent place.  It  hardly 
seemed  as  though  he  had 
changed  his  tnetUr,  so 
much  at  home  did  he 
find  himself  at  once  in 
the  new  medium,  which 
he  now  used  in  prefer- 
ence to  charcoal,  and 
which  collectors,  ever  sus- 
ceptible to  the  charms  of 
colour,  seem  to  the  more 
appreciate. 

A\'e  now  hasten  on  to 
consider  the  work  of  the 
painter,  following  the 
different  phases  of  his  art 
from  the  struggles  of  his 
tii-biit  to  the  apex  of  his 
career.  The  first  period 
extends  from  i866,  the 
year  of  his  first  appear- 
ance at  the  Salon,  till 
1873,  when  a  very  charm- 
ing work,  Le  Luiriii,  gave 
promise  of  most  import- 
ant achievements.  The 
second  j>eriod  starts  in 
1874  with  La  Alois  son, 
already  named,  which 
indicates  already  the  road 
which  the  artist  now  has-  ••  laifalf. 


tens  to  tread.  This  period  is  illustrative  of  what 
we  shall  call'  the  first  manner.  If  it  still  betrays 
some  hesitation  in  the  choice  of  subjects  it  num- 
bers certain  charming  pieces,  such  as  L'Aieiile 
(Musee  de  Gand)  and  Le  Cahirel  (1881),  a 
powerful  painting  of  a  peasant  theme  with  life- 
sized  figures,  and,  like  L'Aieule,  containing  the 
germ  of  those  qualities  which  find  their  fruition 
later  in  La  paye  des  Moissoneries  (1882),  a  work 
of  the  transition  period  still,  on  account  of  the 
rather  commonplace  secondary  characters,  but  in 
which  the  figure  of  the  resting  reaper  gives  to 
the  work  its  moral  significance.  This  figure  is  a 
discovery.  It  symbolises  the  rugged,  yet  noble, 
toil  of  the  soil,  and  harks  back  to  the  mother  idea 
which  formerly  inspired  the  painter.  From  this 
work — a  favourite  with  the  public  at  the  Luxem- 
bourg Museum,  and  one  which  has  been  popularised 
by  engraved  and  lithographic  reproductions  — Lher- 
mitte's  style  of  painting  continues  to  gain  in  breadth. 


(In  I  he  G he  III  Museum) 


EV   LEON    LHERMIITE 


■r.  -Sj 


Ldoii    LIicr})iitte 


He  deals  more  freel)-  with  his  models  :  he  creates 
types,  such  as,  for  instance,  the  old  reaper  of  the 
Salon  of  1883,  who,  under  a  blazing  sky,  wipes 
away  with  the  back  of  his  hand  the  sweat  from  his 
brow,  a  symbol  of  harsh,  overpowering,  inexorable 
toil.  He  strives  to  depict  general  ideas,  as  in  La 
Veiidaiige,  of  18S4  (New  York  Museum),  which 
shows  us  a  fair  and  buxom  village  girl  with  rounded 
arms  and  swelling  bosom  :  and  again  in  Le  Vin 
(Salon  1885),  which  depicts  a  winepress,  where  the 
newly-pressed  juice  flows  abundantly  under  the 
action  of  the  wheel  which  two  strong  vintagers  are 
laboriously  turning.  This  picture,  which  now 
belongs  to  the  Vasnier  Clallery  at  Rheims,  is  a 
veritable  epic  of  the  vine,  and  who  could  have 
done  it  better?  La  Feuahon,  of  1887,  shows  us 
an  aged  labourer  hammering  the  blunted  edge  of 
his  scythe  with  ringing  blows  that  one  can  almost 
hear    resounding  through 

the  silence    of   the    field,  

and  in  Le  Faucheur  (Ex- 
position Universelle,  1900) 
the  mower  with  the  regu- 
lar sweep  of  his  scythe 
lays  the  ripe  swaths  in 
parallel  lines  beneath  the 
sun. 

Meanwhile  an  official 
commission  for  two  deco- 
rative panels,  destined 
for  the  new  Sorbonne, 
attracted  Lhermitte  to 
fresh  fields.  The  first  was 
a  portrait  of  the  celebrated 
physiologist  Claude- 
Bernard,  vivisecting  before 
the  eyes  of  his  colleagues 
a  poor  unfortunate  rabbit 
immolated  upon  the  altar 
of  Science.  The  second 
represented  the  Professor 
Sainte-Claire-Deville  con- 
ducting some  chemical 
experiments  before  an 
audience  of  savants  and 
students,  skilfully  disposed 
upon  the  tiers  of  the  lec- 
ture theatre.  These  two 
works,  placed  in  the  Salle 
des  Commissions  in  the 
Faculte'  des  Sciences  at 
the  Sorbonne,  form  a  most 
interesting  document,  con- 
taining   as    they    do    por-  "  le  petit  FRfeRE" 


traits  of  all  the  leading  lights  of  the  scientific  world 
of  that  day.  The  Department  of  Fine  Arts  of  the 
Prefecture  de  la  -Seine,  in  their  turn  commissioned 
from  Lhermitte  a  painting  for  the  Hotel  de  Ville, 
the  subject  being  one  that  accorded  perfectly  with 
the  tastes  and  capabilities  of  the  artist — L'  Carreaii 
lies  LLal/es,  the  market  square  early  in  the  morning, 
where  the  food  and  provisions  daily  consumed  in 
the  great  city  were  piled  up  and  displayed, 
Lhermitte  showed  himself,  as  usual,  quite  equal 
to  the  new  task,  which  he  executed  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time,  for  he  knew  exactly  what  he 
wanted  to  paint  and  how  to  set  about  it.  Li  this 
huge  composition  (Societe  Nationale,  1895)  a 
great  crowd  of  porters,  market-gardeners  and  pur- 
chasers push  and  jostle  one  another,  struggling 
around  the  piles  of  vegetables,  of  bright-hued 
fruits,    hampers    of  eggs,    crates    of   poultry,    etc. 


BY   I.EON    rUF.RMITTE 


l\ 


"LES  PECHEURS  A  LA  LIGNE." 
FROM  THE  OIL  PAINTING  BY 
LEON      LHERMITTE. 


Ldoii    /Jic/'Jiiiffc 


The  picture  was  first  placed  in  one  of  the  apart- 
ments of  the  Prefect  of  the  Seine,  but  as  the  size 
of  the  room  did  not  allow  of  its  being  seen  to 
advantage,  it  was  placed  in  the  Petit  Palais  of  the 
Champs  Elysees. 

Lhermitte  has  not  been  content  merely  to  de|)ict 
the  outward  appearance  of  his  models,  their 
gestures  and  their  picturesque  charms,  but  has 
aimed,  in  certain  works  of  a  higher  order,  at 
expressing  something  of  their  inner  beauty  of 
character.  Such  is  L'Ami  des  Humbles  (1894  ; 
Boston  Museum),  a  modern  paraphrase  of  the  storv 
of  the  Journey  to  Emmaus  (p.  7).  Jesus  appears 
suddenly  to  a  family  of  peasants  who  are  about  to 
partake  of  their  humble  meal  of  soup  and  remain 
spellbound  with  devout  emotion  before  the  un- 
expected guest  who  honours  their  table.  We  will 
not  discuss  the  intentional  anachronisms  of  the 
picture.  Even  had  he  merely  intended  to  insist 
upon  the  necessity  for  each  and  all  of  us,  rich  or 
poor,  in  this  lower  world,  of  keeping  ever  before 
our  eyes  a  sublime  ideal,  one  must  praise  the  artist 
for  his  noble  thought.  He  returns  to  the  same 
idea  in  a  beautiful  painting,  shown  in  1905  under 
a  similar  title,  Chez  ks  Humbles  (New  York 
Museum).  Jesus  bears  the  glad  tidings  of  hope 
and  great  joy  to  some  peasants  who  are  invoking 
for  their  little  ones  a  divine  blessing.  Besides  its 
excellent  qualities  of  composition  and  execution, 
always  a  characteristic  of  the  painter,  he  has 
imbued  this  work  with  an  intensity  of  expression 
which  renders  it  a  picture  of  surpassing  beauty. 
In  his  picture,  La  Mart  et  le  Biicheron,  the  artist 
has  shown  his  ability  to  portray  the  terror  and 
anguish  of  a  poor  mortal  in  extremis.  An  un- 
fortunate woodcutter,  crushed  by  the  weight  of  the 
branches  he  bears,  falls  to  the  earth  unable  to 
stagger  along  any  further.  He  calls  for  Death, 
and  when  that  grim  messenger  appears,  the  poor 
toiler,  ice-cold  with  fright,  begs  him  to  assist  him 
again  to  bear  his  load  of  faggots.  "Plou/ol  soufrir 
que  mourir"  concludes  the  good  La  Fontaine  ! 
This  affecting  interpretation  of  the  old  fable  was 
acquired  by  the  State  at  the  .Salon  of  1895.  and  is 
now  in  the  Musee  at  .\miens. 

Concurrently  with  the  elaboration  of  these  works 
of  highest  significance,  Lhermitte  jiroduced  many 
easel  pictures,  always  impeccable  in  execution,  and 
in  which  the  landscape  often  ])layed  the  leading  role, 
the  figures  being  merely  accessories,  but  neverthe- 
less alive  and  ever  in  harmony  with  the  decorative 
scheme  and  the  scenes  in  which  they  were  placed. 

The  pictures  of  1908  seem  to  sum  uj)  and  crown 
in  a  kind  of  apotheosis  of  rustic  family  life  all  the 


previous  achievements  of  the  artist.  He  has  not 
deserted  his  Virgilian  themes.  At  the  close  of  a 
fair  autumn  day,  their  work  done,  a  family  of 
labourers  gather  beneath  a  rick  preparatory  to 
wending  their  way  back  to  the  farm.  A  young 
couple  in  the  prime  of  life,  the  aged  parents,  the 
children,  symbolise  the  three  generations  which 
constitute  the  normal  household,  not  counting 
'"trois  grands  boeufs  blancs  taches  de  roux,"  which, 
if  one  may  believe  Pierre  1  )upont,  also  form  part  of 
the  family.  La  Famille  (p.  3)  is  a  work  of  noble 
proportions  and  classic  in  the  perfect  equilibrium 
of  the  composition. 


Hlsl'A.\0-MOKES(jUE   LLSTRE  WARE 
I.  -COPPER     LUSTRE     AND     LIGHT     BLCE     DISH 

(c.  1475-1510) 

2. — COrPER     LUSTRE     ASM)     DARK      BLIE     DISH 
(EARLY    XV.    CENT.) 
(See  next  arlicle) 

»3 


Hispcnio-Morcsque  Lustre  I  Tare 


^\  e  had  meant  to  conclude  with  this  crowning 
work  of  great  largeness  of  vision,  but  the  indefatig- 
able artist  carries  us  on  to  this  year's  Salon,  where 
he  has  struck  a  new  note  in  his  Emigrants,  a 
souvenir  of  Wissant,  Pas-de-Calais.  A  family  of 
poor  folk  has  halted  for  a  moment  by  the  wayside, 
in  a  clear  and  limpid  landscape  with  soft  valleys, 
whose  simple  lines  seem  to  add  to  the  impressive- 
ness  of  the  picture.  To  the  present  year  belong 
also  the  works  of  which  reproductions  in  colour 
accompany  this  article,  a  pastel  and  a  painting, 
both  bearing  witness  to  Lhermitte's  mastery  in 
these  mediums. 

\\  e   have    now    made   a    survev,  alas .'    far   too 


FIG.    3. — REVERst    UK    LLMKK    lilbll    iij.     I475 — I5OO) 

short,  of  the  triumphant  career  of  Le'on  Lhermitte. 
To  him  has  been  accorded  the  rare  privilege  of 
compelling  the  admiration  of  the  elite  who  judge, 
and  of  the  crowd  that  knows  no  criticism  save  the 
promptings  of  its  heart.  He  is  classic  in  the  solid 
foundations  of  his  talents,  but  also  innovator  in 
certain  aspects  of  his  work.  He  is  allied  with 
tradition  through  the  clearness,  the  rhythm,  the 
thoughtfulness  which  are  the  distinctive  qualities 
of  our  race.  He  is  modern  in  his  love  of  sunlight, 
of  movement,  of  life,  and  in  the  significance  of  his 
subjects.  His  work  is  sane  and  strong  in  its 
harmonious  unity.  It  sings  in  praise  of  toil  in  the 
open  air,  labour  in  the  fields,  and  of  the  love 
of  God's  earth.  The  genial  artist  preaches  h\ 
example,  himself  carrying  out  the  precepts  of  his 
work,  for  every  year  he  returns  to  saturate  his 
being  with  the  old  familiar  scenes,  and  though 
14 


risen  to  the  receipt  of  many  distinctions — he  has 
been  "  Oflficier "  of  the  Legion  of;Honour  since 
1894,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Institut,  etc. — 
Lhermitte  remains  still,  as  ever,  the  child  of  Mont- 
Saint-Pere.  F.  H. 


H 


I.SPA\0-:\IORESOUE  LUSTRE 
WARE.  BY  AYMER  VAL- 
LAN'CE. 


The  origin  of  Hispano-Moresque  lustre  is 
obscure.  Some  writers  have  traced  it  back  to 
Persia  in  remote  times  ;  but,  be  that  as  it  may, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  secret  of  the  me- 
tallic reflex  was  known,  in  the  ninth  century  of  the 
Christian  era,  to  the  potters  of  Bagdad,  whence, 
through  Northern  Asia  probably,  it  found  its  way 
with  the  Moors  into  the  Spanish  peninsula.  There 
its  manufacture  was  so  far  established  among  the 
invading  population  as  to  attract  special  comment 
and  description  in  the  first  half  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury. Unfortunately,  however,  there  is  no  authenti- 
cated specimen  known  of  this  early  date  ;  nor  does 
the  ware  become  adequately  represented  before 
the  fourteenth  century.  Indeed,  examples  belong- 
ing to  this  period  are  so  rare  that  a  man  may  easily 
reckon  them  upon  his  fingers.  Of  the  following 
century,  however,  it  is  otherwise.  Though  almost 
always  an  object  de  luxe,  in  the  fifteenth  century, 
and  thenceforward  until  the  practical  extinction  of 
the  craft  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  lustre  ware  became  more  and  more  known 
and  esteemed.     What  opus  Ang/icanum  was  among 


-REVERSE     OF     LUSTRE    DISH     (MALAGA     OR 
\ALE.NCI.A,    L.ATE   X\'.    CENT.) 


Hispano-Morcsqiic  Lustre  Ware 


FIC.    5. —  l.rsTRE    ni-II    wnil    HAKK    KI.UE    bird   and    letters   (early    XV.    CENT.) 


works  of  the  needle,  that,  in  the  later  middle 
ages,  was  Hispano-Moresque  lustre  pottery  among 
fictiles.  It  was  sought  after  and  treasured  through- 
out the  civilised  world,  more  especially  in  Italy. 
Thus  is  accounted  for  the  large  proportion  of 
specimens  which  not  only  bear  Italian  coats-of- 
arms,  showing  them  to  have  been  produced  for  con- 
temporary Italian  families  of  wealth  and  position, 
but  displav  shields  shaped  in  such  peculiarly  charac 
teristic  fashions  as  imply  no  mere  verbal  blazoning, 
but  that  actual  drawings  by  Italian  hands  must 
have  been  supplied  to  the  Moorish  executants. 
Lustre  ware  was  imported  into  this  country  in  the 
sixteenth  century,  if  not  earlier.  King  Ren^  of 
Anjou  in  his  private  chapel  had  lava/10  dishes  of 
"  terre  de  Valence"  (as  the  Inventory  describes  this 
kind  of  pottery,  because  \'alencia  became  the  most 
notable  centre  of  its  manufacture  and  export)  ;  and 
.seeing  that  Rene's  daughter,  Margaret,  became,  by 
her  marriage  with  Henry  VI.,  in  1445,  queen-consort 
of  England,  it  is  probable  enough  that  she  may  have 
brought  over  from  her  father's  court,  at  some  time 
or  another  during  her  thirty  years'  residence  here, 


specimens  of  this  very  ware. 
Excavations  at  Bristol,  not 
many  years  since,  resulted 
in  the  discovery  of  a  num- 
ber of  fragments  from  an 
early  fifteenth-century  dish 
of  Hispano-Moresque  lustre 
and  light  blue.  The  design 
is  that  of  a  convention- 
alised tree  of  life  between 
two  deer,  without  antlers. 
Each  of  them  stands  on  a 
ledge  ornamented  with  a 
device  similar  to  that  which 
encircles  the  shoulders  and 
base  of  the  drug  pot.  Fig. 
22,  and  which  is  believed 
to  l>e  derived  from  Arabic 
lettering.  The  component 
pieces,  thirty  in  number, 
were  found  in  a  rubbish- 
pit,  which  also  contained 
fragments  of  English  pot- 
tery ranging  from  the 
Norman  period  to  the  six- 
teenth century.  The  dish, 
then,  may  be  assumed  to 
have  reached  this  country 
not  later  than  the  sixteenth 
century.  It  was  exhibited 
before  the  Society  of  Anti- 
quaries at  Burlington  House,  in  April,  1901,  and 
is  illustrated  in  their  published  Proceedings. 


FIG.  6.— DISH,  PALE  COPPER   LUSTRF,  AND  DARK  BLUE, 
138    IN.    DIAMETER   (VALENCIA,    XV.— XVI.    CENT.) 

15 


Hispaiio-Morcsqiie  Lnstt'c  II  arc 


Of  the  various  ancient  writers  who  have  given  an 
account  of  the  manufacture  of  this  ware  only  one, 
in  1585,  names  the  vehicle  with  which  the  pigment 
was  laid  on,  to  wit,  not  a  brush  but  a  feather; 
with  the  use  of  which  the  admirable  vivacity  and 
facileness  of  touch  are  entirely  consistent.  This  is 
particularly  noticeable  in  the  large  sweeping  curves 
and  flourishes  with  which  the  ornament  of  Hispano- 
Moresque  ware  abounds.  Nevertheless,  many  of 
the  broader  surfaces  must  ha\'e  been  washed  in 
with  a  brush.     Acjain,  certain  minute  features,  such 


-PALE    I.l'STRF,    lllSH    WrrH    BI.IIE    OUTLINE 
(XV.  —  XVI.    CENT.) 


earlier  work  ;  while  the  copper-red  colour,  increasing 
in  depth  and  intensity  with  the  advance  of  time,  is 
the  sure  sign  of  a  comparatively  late  date.  The 
reason  is  that  the  earlier  potters  were  more  lavish 
of  the  precious  silver  metal,  but  that,  as  years  went 
on,  dictates  of  economy  caused  a  more  sparing  use 
of  silver.  The  combined  efifect  of  blue  and  lustre 
together  will  also  be  found  to  become  more  rare 
in  later  work  than  in  early  specimens.  The 
latest  pieces  are  characterised,  not  only  by  less 
\igorous  and  more  meticulous  handling,  but  also 
bv  a  uniformlv  heavy  purplish-red  tinge  in  the 
lustre. 

Again,  in  the  earlier  period,  the  reverse  side  of  the 
lustred  plate  had  almost  as  much  decorative  care 
bestowed  upon  it  as  the  obverse.  On  the  contrary, 
in  late  specimens  the  ornament  of  the  reverse  tends 
to  degenerate  into  thin  and  meaningless  strokes  and 
curls.  Two  dishes  in  the  Victoria  and  Albert 
Museum  (Figs.  3  and  4),  depicting  respectively 
an  eagle  displayed  and  a  griffin  segreant  (a  griffin 
formed  the  badge  of  a  medieval  Spanish  Order 
of  ("hivalry),  illustrate  the  above  peculiarity.  Had 
these  two  not  been  reverses,  they  might  have  been 
assigned  to  the  very  beginning  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  But  that  such  a  date  is  too  early  the 
character  of  the  obverse  abundantly  proves.  In 
either  example  the  obverse,  with  its  over-fine  and 
laboured  intricacy,  is  incomparably  inferior  from 
the  artistic  standpoint,  though  doubtless  at  the 
time  of  its  production  it  must  have  been  in  accord 
with  the  taste  of  the  age.  Whereas  the  type  of 
design  on  the  reverse,  with  its  old-fashioned  flavour, 
was  already  so  far  out  of  vogue  and  of  such  small 


as  the  tendrils  of  plants  or  ceriphs  of  lettering,  for 
which  feather  and  brush  alike  would  seem  to  be 
too  pliant,  suggest,  from  the  calligraphic  qualities 
they  present,  the  use  of  some  such  ini[)lement 
as  a  calamus  or  reed-pen. 

The  ground  is  usually  a  soft,  cream-tinted  glaze, 
or  "  varnish,"  as  it  is  termed  in  the  literature  of  the 
subject.  The  range  of  the  palette  is  limited.  For 
instance,  black  and  green  have  been  proved  un 
suitable  for  the  process.  Practically,  therefore,  the 
only  colour  introduced  beside  the  characteristic 
lustre  is  an  intense  azure  blue,  without  the  .slightest 
taint  of  yellow  or  green  in  its  composition.  As  to 
the  lustre  itself,  it  admits  of  almost  infinite  grada- 
tions of  tone  from  palest  lemon-yellow  to  deep 
ruddy  copper,  according  to  the  proportion  in  which 
silver  or  copper  predominates.  As  a  rule  the 
faintest  and  most  golden  tinge  distinguishes  the 
16 


EIG.    8. — GOLDEN    Ll'STRE    I'L.^TE    (XVI.    CENT.) 


HispiVio-Mo)'cs(]iie  Lusfir  J  fa  re 


9.  —  I'ALE   COPPER    LLSIRK    DISH    WITH    RAI>Kii   Cl-NTRE   (XVI.    CENT.) 


bears  in  iIk-  centre  the  arms 
of  the  Aragonese  family  of 
Puig  or  Despuig.  But  for 
this  circumstance  the  occur- 
rence of  the  initial  Y,  ten 
times  repeated,  might  be 
thought  to  denote  Queen 
Isabella,  King  Ferdinand's 
wife,  who  died  in  1504,  a 
date  which  should  fix  the 
limit  of  the  production  of 
objects  for  her  use  and 
service.  And  yet,  since  the 
Y  in  the  case  in  point 
cannot  be  ignored,  it  may 
either  stand  for  one  of  the 
Puig  family  named  Isabella, 
or  it  may  mean  that  one 
of  them  was  attached  to 
the  court  of  Queen  Isabella 
of  Castile.  Whether  or  not 
any  significance  belongs  to 
the  thistle-like  ornament 
between  the  Ys  it  is  im- 
possible to  say  Nor  has 
the  flower  or  fruit  forming 
the  bearings  of  the  shield 


account  as  to  be  relegated 
to  the  less  honourable  and 
less  important  position  of 
the  back  of  the  dish.  Both 
Nos.  3  and  4,  therefore, 
l)elong  to  a  transitional 
period,  nearer  to  the  end  of 
the  fifteenth  century  than 
to  the  beginning.  Both  are 
of  considerable  size.  No.  4 
measures  17  inches,  the 
other  an  inch  or  two  more, 
in  diameter.  The  latter  dis- 
plays on  the  obverse  a  coat- 
of-arms  believed  to  be  that 
of  the  family  of  Cardona, 
of  Catalonia.  Nos.  6,  7, 
8,  9,  13  and  14  all  bear 
armorial  shields.  Nos.  6 
and  7,  charged  with  dol- 
phins, have  on  that  account 
been  supposed  to  be  ob- 
jects supplied  for  the 
Dauphin  of  France.  The 
conjecture  is  given  for  what 
it  may   be  worth.     No.   7 


OOl.l)   LUSTRE   AND   DARK    BLl'E    DISH    (EARI.V    .\VI.    CE.NT.) 

•7 


Hispa)io-Morcsqne  Lustre  IVare 


-COPPER    LL'STKE    UlSH    WITH    BLUE 
OUTLINE   (XVI.    CENT.) 


on  No.  13  yet  been  identified.  No.  9  displays  a 
wyvern  ;  while  No.  14,  a  lion  rampant  holding  in 
his  dexter  paw  a  fleur-de-hs,  probably  represents 
some  Italian  family,  notwithstanding  the  shield 
itself  is  not  of  Italian  shape. 

Among  other  examples  not  yet  referred  to,  five 
comprise  representations  of  various  birds,  which, 
not  being  charged  upon  shields,  are  to  be  regarded 
as  decorative  rather  than  heraldic.  Nos.  2  and  5, 
the  former  adorned  with  a  fine  rendering  of  a  raven, 
are  both  early  examples,  dating  from  the  first 
quarter  of  the  fifteenth  century.  Nos.  15  and  23 
depict    birds    more  nearly   like  pigeons    than  any 


others.  In  the  subject  of  No.  i — a  late  fifteenth- 
century  dish  in  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum — 
the  student  of  mediaeval  natural  history  lore  current 
at  the  time  when  the  work  in  question  was  pro- 
duced will  have  no  difficulty  in  recognising  the 
hoopoe.  This  bird,  according  to  the  passage  trans- 
lated from  the  Latin  text  of  the  Bestiarj^,  is  one 
which  "when  it  finds  that  its  parents  have  waxen 
old  and  their  eyes  dimmed,  gently  extracts  their 
worn-out  feathers,  salves  their  eyes,  and  warms 
their  limbs,   as  who  would   say   to   them,    'As   ye 


-BROW.N    LUSTRE    lusu,    gi    IN.    DIAMETER 
(VALENCIA,    XV. — XVI.    CENT.) 


13.  —  LUbTRE    AND    BLUE    DISH    (VALENCI.V, 

c.  1475—1500) 


have  laboured  to  rear  me,  so  do  I  in  like  manner 
for  you.'  Thus  are  the  parent  birds  again  renewed 
in  youth  and  vigour."  The  moral — for  every  such 
fable,  no  matter  how  fantastic,  always  conveys 
some  ethical  or  dogmatic  application — is  that  "  if 
brute  creatures  perform  such  filial  ser\-ice  for  one 
another  without  understanding  though  they  are, 
much  more  ought  reasonable  human  beings  to 
render  support  in  their  turn  to  father  and  mother." 
In  the  present  representation  the  two  young  birds, 
depicted  on  a  smaller  scale  to  betoken  that  they 
are  the  offspring  of  the  other,  are  in  the  act  of  re- 
juvenating the  parent  hoopoe.  It  may  be  remarked 
that,  in  the  official  label,  the  bird  is  identified  as  a 
pelican,  to  traditional  representations  of  which  it 
bears  not  the  slightest  resemblance. 

Among  the  fioral  forms  which  are  of  most 
frequent  occurrence  in  Hispano-Moresque  lustre- 
ware  the  vine-leaf  ornament  of  the  early  fifteenth- 
century  drug-pot.  No.  16 — the  earliest  of  all  the 
drug-pots  illustrated — and  also  the  bryony  scrolls, 


Hispaiio-Morcsqnc  Lustre  Ware 


leaves  and  tendrils  in  No.  lo,  are  two  to  which 
attention  ought  chiefly  to  be  drawn.  The  minute 
net-pattern  to  be  seen  surrounding  the  central 
shield  in  No.  14,  and  occurring  also  in  Nos.  8 
and  9,  as  well  as  the  gadroon  ornament  in  the 
border  of  the  latter  and  of  No.  15,  alike  betoken 
a  somewhat  late  stage  of  the  art.  They  will 
scarcely  be  found  in  any  examples  prior  to  the 
si.xteenth  century.  On  the  other  hand,  the  bold 
spirals  and  dots  of  Nos.  2  and  5  are  characteristic 
of  the  best  period,  the  first  half  of  the  fifteenth 
century. 

The  aesthetic  value  of  lettering  was  fully  realised 
by  Moorish  artists.  Hence  this  factor  is  one 
which  constitutes  an  important  element  in  Hispano- 
Moresque  lustre  decoration.  The  lettering  which 
forms  a  ring  within  the  outer  rim  of  plate  No.  9, 
a  late  e.xample,  has  become  a  meaningless  con- 
vention. Far  superior  is  the  sacred  monogram,  in 
a  fanciful  variety  of  black-letter,  in  the  centre  of 
the  dish.  Fig.  10.  But  the  finest  of  all  are  the  simple 
black-letter  characters  of  the  text  of  the  Angelic 
Salutation  on  the  rim  of  the  dish.  Fig.  5.  One  has 
only  to  picture  what  the  dish  would  be  like  without 
them  to  appreciate  how  enormously  the  decorative 


KIG.    14. — DISH,  I'AI.E  COLD  LUSTRE  AND  BLUE  (.MALAGA  OR  VALENCIA,  XVI.  CENT.) 


15. — DARK    RED   LUSTRE   DISH    (VALENCIA, 
XVI.    CENT.) 


effect  of  the  whole  composition  is  enhanced  by  the 
series  of  radiating  lines  which  the  principal  down- 
strokes  of  the  letters  afford.  A  dish,  almost  an 
exact  counterpart  of  this  one,  only  with  a  grey- 
hound in  the  middle  instead 
of  the  bird,  is  comprised  in 
the  famous  Osma  Collection. 
Other  favourite  motifs,  be- 
sides heraldic  lions  in  great 
variety,  are  bulls,  castles, 
and  sailing  .ships.  The  device 
of  the  castle  is  commonly 
explained  to  represent  the 
province  of  (Castile.  How- 
ever, in  connection  with  the 
above  and  with  the  fact  that 
Manises  was  one  of  the  chief 
seats  of  the  manufacture  of 
lustre  ware,  it  is  interesting 
to  recall  that  the  noble  family 
of  Boil,  lords  of  Manises, 
bore,  for  coat  armour,  quar- 
terly argent  three  castles 
gules  and  vert  a  bull  or. 
For  instance,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  name  the  tomb  with 
effigy  of  Don  Felipe  Boil, 
who  distinguished  himself 
greatly  under  King  Jaime  U. 
and  died  in  1384.  The 
monument  was  set  up  in  the 
chapter-house  of  the  Domin- 
ican convent  at  \'alencia. 
19 


Hispaiio-Morcsquc  Lustre  11  'are 


It  is  an  infallible  symptom  of  decadence  and 
jaded  resource  when  the  craftsman,  ill-content 
with  the  limitations  proper  to  his  craft,  seeks  to 
supplement  them  by  adventitious  de\ices  borroweil 
from  extraneous  arts  and  processes.  Thus,  in  the 
earlier  and  purer  products  of  the  Hispano-Moresque 
potters  art  no  such  extravagances  are  found  as 
the  lumps  and  ribs  which  encrust  the  surface 
of  many  examples  of  sixteenth-century  work, 
features  inspired  by  the  craving  to  imitate  in  clay 


FIO.     l6.  -DRUG     POT,     GOLDEN' 

LUSTRE    AND     DARK     BLUE 

(EARLY    XV.    CENT.) 


the  rivets  and  joints  of  metal  vessels.  A  slight 
amount  of  modelling,  indeed,  such  as  occurs  in 
the  embossed  leafage  of  Fig.  23  is  legitimate  and 
effective ;  but  the  pronounced  ribs  of  Fig.  8  are 
objectionable  for  two  reasons  :  firstly,  because,  as 
explained  above,  they  suggest  a  constructive  feature 
false  and  foreign  to  the  material,  and  secondly, 
because  by  breaking  up  the  surface  of  the  plate  into 
a  series  of  limited  compartments  they  lend  them- 
selves only  too  readily  to  a  cramped  and  ener\ated 
littleness  which  necessarily  precludes  the  free  and 
untrammelled  exercise  of  the  decorators  art.  And 
yet,  since  the  applied  painting  to    the  last   never 


FIG.     17. — EWEK.    KEli    COFI'ER    LUSTRE    (XVI.    CENT.) 

degenerated  into  realism,  lustre  ware  remains 
unrivalled  for  its  aesthetic  qualities  among  any 
other  kinds  of  potterv  in  the  world. 

AvMER  \'allance. 

The  writer  desires  to  acknowledge  his  indebted- 
ness to  the  works  of  Senor  Juan  Riano,  Mr. 
Leonard  Williams,  and  Mr.  A.  van  de  Put.  For 
perniLssion  to  reproduce  Figs,  i,  3,  4,  6,  12,  15, 
18  and  21,  acknowledgment  is  due  to  the  autho- 
rities of  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum  :  and  for 
all  the  other  objects  illustrated  to  the  proprietors 
of  the  Spanish  Art  Gallery  in  Conduit  Street. 


—RED    LUSTRE     DISH,    9    IN.     DIA.METER. 
(VALENCIA,    XV.  — XVI.    CENT.) 


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American  Etchings  by  Mr.  Joseph  Pennell 


FIG.    23.  —  DARK    Ll'STRE    DISH    U-ATE    XV.    CENT  ) 

(See  freeediiig  ail uU) 


s 


OME     NEW    AMERICAN    ETCH- 
INGS BY  MR.  JOSEPH  PENXELL. 


Mr.  Pennell  has  returned  from  America, 
bringing  with  him  beautiful  things.  The  country 
has  been  decried  by  one  of  its  own  citizens  as 
antagonistic  to  art,  super-practical.  But  it  does 
not  appear  so  to  Mr.  Pennell.  Before  now  he  has 
seized  upon  one  of  its  most  practical  and  at  once 
characteristic  features,  the  sky-scrapers,  and  drawn 
inspiration  therefrom  for  superb  works  of  art. 
This  year  he  has  chosen  his  subjects  from  among 
surroundings  still  more  decidedly  American,  if 
possible,  and  such  as  sound  at  first  hearing  still 
more  uncouth — Coal,  Oil,  Steel,  the  three  great 
national  passwords. 

To  one  well  acquainted  with  the  numberless 
ways  in  which  Mr.  Pennell  has  put  his  fascinating 
style  of  etching  into  practice,  it  seems  almost 
impossible  that  there  could  be  any  chance  for 
further  novelty.  Vet  he  will  have  to  admit 
admiringly  that  there  have  been  new  departures. 
I,  myself,  do  not  over-rate  novelty  of  treatment, 
and  would  have  been  well  satisfied  to  see  Mr. 
Pennell's  same  fine  black-and-white  convention 
applied  to  new  subjects.  An  honestly  good  thing 
does  not  lose  in  value  by  repetition.  However,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  Pennell  has  struck  several 
new  notes,  and  at  least  one  of  them  would  seem  to 
have  been  altogether  beyond  the  reach  of  his 
particular  style,  before  he  compassed  it.  Some 
of  the  new  plates  display  a  remarkable  power  of 
coloration.      Take,   for    example,    the   one   called 


Steel — Jh  tfie .  Works  at  Homestead.  It  conveys  an 
overwhelming  impression  of  thick  atmosphere, 
saturated  with  smoke  and  grime,  and  strangely 
lurid  with  the  sulphuric,  foggy,  yellow  light  of  a 
setting  sun.  In  it  all  contours  are  dissipated,  and 
approaching  objects  change  from  hazy  phantoms 
to  real  things  with  a  startling  rush,  just  before  they 
reach  you.  I  recall  no  instance  of  an  artist's 
mastering  colour  with  brush  and  oils  more  force- 
fully than  Mr.  Pennell  has  done  here  with  his 
suggestions  that  depend  solely  upon  the  media  of 
black-and-white. 

-^  Another  fine  new  note  is  that  of  the  hazy, 
grayish  vista,  splendidly  represented  by  the  plate 
called  Iron  and  Steel — Pittsburg,  No.  2.  No  attempt 
at  colour-suggestion  is  in  evidence.  There  is  a 
heavy  atmosphere  of  fog  and  steam  settled  upon 
the  plate.  Through  it  indistinct  piles  loom  up,  the 
landmarks  of  a  town  of  turmoil  and  trouble.  In 
the  work  itself  line  as  such  almost  disappears, 
except  in  the  near  foreground,  and  the  plate  seems 
to  have  been  painted,  gray  in  gray,  like  a  grisaille. 

Mr.  Pennell  even  succeeds  in  touching  new  chords 
while  working  upon  his  old  theme,  upon  archi- 
tecture. For  even  some  of  the  new  Skyscraper 
plates  strike  me  as  an  altogether  fresh  handling  of 
the  well-tried  subject. 

I  cannot  help  myself,  I  must  commit  a  sacrilege, 
if  it  is  a  sacrilege, — Mr.  Pennell,  I  am  afraid,  will 
be  the  first  to  pronounce  it  one.  I  personally 
place  Mr.  Pennell's  style  of  architectural  etching 
even  above  Whistler's.  ^Vhistler's  undying  glory 
was  that  .of  the  great  innovator,  of  the  developer 
of  a  true  style,  at  once  full  of  taste  and  logical. 
But  his  interest  was  centred,  I  should  sayexclusively, 
in  the  beauty  of  his  interpretation  The  subject 
as  such  had  no  real  claim  upon  him.  Thus  it 
happens  that  his  etchings  are  essentially  the 
same,  whether  he  works  in  Venice,  or  in  Brussels, 
or  in  London,  Mr.  Pennell's  convention  of  black- 
and-white  for  architecture  is,  to  my  taste,  just  as 
beautiful  as  that  of  \\'histler.  But  over  and  above 
that,  he  possesses  an  extraordinary  power  of 
grasping  the  possibilities  of  subject.  How  intensely 
Spanish  are  his  Toledo  plates,  and  how  clearly  do 
they  bring  to  light  the  very  essence  of  their 
character, — if  we  may  speak  of  a  building  or  of  a 
view  as  possessing  character  I  That  he  has  the 
refined  sense  of  the  poet  to  see  beauty,  where 
ordinary  mortals  cannot  penetrate  beyond  the 
commonplace,  is  a  gift  by  itself. 

I  feel  as  if  we  were  wonderfully  indebted  to  Mr. 
Pennell  for  our  capabilities  of  seeing,  of  enjoying, 
with  these  new  plates.  Hans  W.  Singer. 


-"^    •-'       r"';^i'  ..      -r-«Bfcfct**-ff'• 


"PALISADES  AND  PALACES,   NEW 
YORK."         BY    JOSEPH      PENNELL. 


i 


"NEW  YORK   FROM    BROOKLYN 
BRIDGE."    BY  JOSEPH  PENNELL. 


"STEEL-EDGAR     THOMSON 
WORKS."    BY  JOSEPH   PENNELL. 


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The  Royal  Academy  Exhibition 


HE    ROYAL    ACADEMY 
BITIOX,    1909. 


EXni- 


The  exhibition  which  the  Academy  has  provided 
this  year  is  oddly  lacking  in  either  shocks  or 
surprises  :  there  are  few  things  in  it  which  surprise 
by  their  superlative  merit,  and  there  are  also  few 
which  shock  by  their  obvious  incompetence.  It 
is  by  no  means  badly  hung,  it  is  not  overcrowded, 
and  it  gives  quite  a  good  idea  of  what  is  being 
done  by  the  present-day  artists  who  represent 
reasonably  all  the  more  rational  schools  of  practice 
which  happen  to  be  in  fashion.  Indeed,  there  is 
even  a  touch  of  the  modern  extravagance  which 
goes  beyond  what  many  people  consider  rational 
limits,  for  there  is  a  portrait  by  Signer  Mancini 
which  has  all  his  usual  tricks  and  affectations,  and 
perhaps  rather  less  than  his  usual  degree  of  clever- 
ness. But  this  is  the  only  unexpected  note  in  a 
show  that  is  otherwise  quite  in  accordance  with 
precedent,  and  that  will  appeal  as  strongly  as  ever 
to  that  section  of  the  public  which  looks  upon  an 
annual  visit  to  Burlington  House  as  a  social  duty 
which  may  not  be  neglected.  The  collection  as  a 
whole  is  encouraging  in  its  maintenance  of  an 
appreciably  high  level  of  technical  achievement, 
and  to  some  extent  disappointing,  because  it  shows 
a  diminution  rather  than  an  increase  of  imaginative 
invention  among  the  artists  of  this  country — they 
have  learned  their  trade  well,  but  they  are  dis- 
inclined to  apply  this  knowledge  to  the  working 
out  of  ideas  which  are  interesting  or  important. 

It  is  this  fact  that  makes  particularly  memorable 
such  an  example  of  riotous  imagination  as  The 
Night  Piece  lo  Julia  by  Mr.  Charles  Sims,  an 
exquisite  painting  which  combines  to  perfection 
extraordinary  fertility  of  fancy  and  the  rarest  beauty 
of  craftsmanship.  There  is  imagination,  too, 
simpler  and  more  restrained  but  sufficiently  real,  in 
The  Tivo  Mothers  by  Mr.  Edward  Stott,  who, 
both  in  this  picture  and  in  another  of  similar 
sentiment,  The  Flight,  has  turned  from  his 
realistic  treatment  of  pastoral  motives  to  a  more 
abstract  and  in  some  respects  less  confident  type  of 
art.  Mr.  Hacker,  again,  has  found  in  rustic  life 
suggestions  for  imaginative  painting,  and  his 
canvases,  The  Gloaming,  The  Han-est  Moon, 
and  The  Cow  Shed  are  marked  by  qualities  of 
serious  sentiment  which  deser\e  much  respect. 
Mr.  Byam  Shaw's  allegory.  The  Niw  Voice,  is 
an  instance  of  more  didactic  sentiment,  of  the 
presentation  of  a  moral  lesson  through  the  medium 
of  pictorial  symbolism,  and  it   is  acceptable  as  a 


characteristic  work  by  a  painter  who  certainly  is 
not  lacking  in  original  ideas.  Another  side  of  his 
art  is  shown  equally  well  in  his  Rude  Boreas, 
which  is  excellent  as  a  statement  of  shrewdly 
observed  facts.  A  more  poetic  adaptation  of  fact 
distinguishes  Mr.  Campbell  Taylor's  Bed-time, 
a  picture  of  quiet  sentiment  painted  with  charm 
and  restraint,  and  open  to  adverse  criticism  only  on 
the  ground  that  the  size  of  the  canvas  is  a  little 
excessive  for  so  dainty  a  subject.  Mr.  J.  W. 
Waterhouse,  an  artist  who  aims  consistently  at  a 
high  order  of  poetic  expression,  is  represented 
this  year  by  two  small  pictures,  Thisbe  and 
Lamia,  which  are  delightful  in  their  delicate  and 
yet  vigorous  individuality  and  entirely  attractive 
in  their  beauty  of  colour  :  and  Mr.  E.  A.  Hornel, 
a  decorator  rather  than  a  painter  of  sentiment, 
combines  happily  sensitiveness  of  design  and 
subtlety  of  feeling  in  Jiis  composition.  The 
Chase.  Even  more  sensitiveness — sensitiveness 
to  varieties  of  colour  and  modulations  of  tone — is 
to  be  perceived  in  Mr.  J.  M.  Swan's  Endymion, 
a  picture  exquisitely  conceived  and  carried  out 
with  masterly  decision. 

Although  it  has  no  subject  in  the  ordinary  .sen.se 
and  no  purpose  either  didactic  or  sentimental,  Mr. 
Sargent's  Cashmere  is  to  be  counted  as  in  many 
ways  the  greatest  achievement  which  has  been 
included  in  the  exhibition,  so  extraordinarily 
accomplished  is  it  in  execution  and  so  exact  is  it  in 
observation.  Rarely  has  Mr.  Sargent  turned  to 
such  admirable  account  that  intimacy  of  vision 
which  is  one  of  his  strongest  characteristics,  and 
rarely  has  he  displayed  such  perfect  understanding 
of  graces  of  line  and  delicacies  of  modelling — this 
picture,  indeed,  will  add  appreciably  to  his  already 
commanding  reputation  as  a  painter  of  amazing 
powers.  His  two  portraits  of  Mrs.  Astor,  and 
The  Earl  of  VVemyss,  and  his  large  decorative 
painting,  Israel  and  the  Law,  have  also  very 
definite  distinction  and  help  greatly  to  make  the 
exhibition  memorable.  Mr.  J.  J.  Shannon's  most 
ambitious  picture  is  a  large  group,  Frances,  Dinah, 
and  Kathleen,  Daughters  of  Francis  Tennant,  Es<].; 
but  the  one  in  which  he  attains  the  highest  success 
is  his  wholly  charming  portrait  of  Chlor,  Daughter 
of  H.  E.  Preston,  Esq.  Mr.  Melton  Fisher  shows 
a  very  successful  group  of  Bettie,  Thea,  and  Winnie 
Lysler,  which  has  given  him  an  opportunity  of 
painting  an  effect  of  open-air  lighting  which  he  has 
managed  with  exceptional  sensitiveness  and  with 
delightful  spontaneity.  Sir  Hubert  von  Herkomer's 
masterly  full-length  of  The  Right  Hon.  Sir  John  T. 
Brunner,  Bart,  M.P.,  Mr.  George  Henry's  clever 

29 


TJic  Roval  Acadcjiiv  Exhibition 


character  study  of  W.  Hardy  Wilson,  Esq.,  Mr. 
Waterhouse's  dainty  little  picture  of  Mrs.  A.  P. 
Henderson.,  and  Mr.  G.  Hall  Neale's  splendidly 
robust  portrait  of  Sir  Edward  Russell  are  all  special 
features  of  the  show  ;  and  Sir  William  Orchardson's 
supreme  technical  skill  and  unrivalled  understanding 
of  the  subtlest  refinements  of  his  craft  are  dis- 
played to  perfection  in  his  portraits  of  Mrs.  Moss- 
Cockle  and  Sir  Lawrence  Jenkins,  Chief  Justice  of 
the  High  Court  of  Calattta.  There  are  other 
notable  portraits  by  Mr.  H.  S.  Tuke,  Mr.  \\'. 
Llewellyn,  Mr.  Harold  Speed,  Mr.  Glazebrook,  Mr. 
Stanhope  Forbes,  and  Mr.  Charles  Sims;  and  there 
is  a  group,  The  Golden  Age,  by  Mr.  Tom  Mostyn, 
which  can  be  highly  praised  for  its  originality  and 
power. 

The  landscapes  which  rise  conspicuously  above 
the  general  level  are  Sir  E.  A.  ^Vaterlow's  Arundel 


Park,  Mr.  Alfred  East's  Lavingdon  Water,  Mr. 
Aumonier's  Jhe  Castle  Valley,  Tintagfl,  Mr. 
Hughes  -  Stanton's  Sunset,  Hamble  River,  and 
St.  Jean,  near  Avignon,  Mr.  James  Henry's  In 
Flanders,  and  Mr.  David  Murray's  In  a  Grove  oj 
Grey  Olives.  Mr.  Murray  also  shows  a  sea  piece 
which  marks  in  a  very  interesting  way  a  successful 
departure  from  his  customary  type  of  subject  ; 
and  there  are  three  other  canvases  by  Mr.  East 
which  excellently  illustrate  his  methods.  All  these 
pictures  can  be  sincerely  welcomed,  and  with  them 
can  be  associated  in  this  welcome  such  sound  per 
formances  as  Tne  Idlers,  by  Mr.  Fred  Stratton 
Ihe  Road  to  the  Marsh,  by  Mr.  Westley  Manning 
Twilight  in  the  Birches,  by  Mr.  Adrian  Stokes 
The  River :  Afterg/ori',  by  Mr.  Arnesby  Brown ; 
Early  Spring,  Rydal,  by  Mr.  Frederic  Yates  ;  and 
Mr.   W.    H.    Bartlett's    broad   and   effective  coast 


"TWILIGHT    IN    THE    BlRCliES" 
30 


BY   ADRIAN   STOKES- 


"THE   TWO   MOTHERS" 
BY   EDWARD   STOTT,   A.R.A. 


'J    - 


>  a 


^.  X 


The  Royal  Academy  Exhibition 


subject,  The  End  of  the  Fair:  Back  to  the  Island. 
Mr.  Leslie  Thomson's  Holyhead  Mountain,  as  well, 
must  be  included  among  the  more  remarkable  of 
the  records  of  nature,  so  sound  is  it  in  handling 
and  in  its  beauty  of  illumination.  Other  pictures 
which  have  a  clear  claim  to  attention  are  Mr.  W. 
Llewellyn's  The  Print  Collector,  Mr.  Clausen's  In- 
terior of  an  Old  Barn,  and  Ttvilight :  Interior, 
Mr.  La  Thangue's  Ligurian  Mountains,  Mr.  Walter 
Donne's  The  Newhaven  Packet  and  The  Maritime 
Alps,  Mr.  Edgar  Bundy's  City  Fathers,  Mr.  Arthur 
Streeton's  St.  Mark's,  Mr.  W.  W.  Russell's  On  the 
Beach,  Mr.  George  Harcourt's  The  Tracing,  and 
Mr.  Young  Hunter's  My  Lady  Charity. 

There  is,  on  the  whole,  a  less  convincing  display 
of  sculpture  than  has  been  seen  in  the  galleries  in 
recent  years.  Mr.  Goscombe  John's  bronze  statue 
of  The  Late  Colonel  Saunderson,  M.P.,  and 
memorial  to  The  Late  Bishop  Lewis  ;  Mr.  Bertram 
Mackennal's  group.  Tragedy  Enveloping  Comedy ; 
Mr.  Derwent  Wood's  Atalanta ;  and  Mr.  F.  W. 
Pomeroy's  Model  of  Recumbent  Effigy  of  the  Late 
Bishop  Lloyd  of  Neivcastle-on-Tyne,  are  important  ; 


and  there  are  smaller  works  of  great  interest,  like 
the  statuette  Destiny,  by  Mr.  F.  Lynn  Jenkins  ; 
La  Belie  Dame  Sans  Merci,  by  Sir  George  Framp- 
ton ;  Sappho,  by  Mr.  Mackennal ;  The  Inception 
of  Uu  Modern  World,  by  Mr.  Albert  Toft ;  The 
Late  George  McCulloch,  a  relief,  by  Mr.  Drury ; 
and  the  statuettes  by  M.  Fremiet ;  and  there  are 
several  good  portrait  busts  Mr.  Brock's  half-size 
model  of  the  Justice  group  which  is  to  form  part  of 
the  Victoria  Memorial  represents  well  a  sculptor 
whose  work  is  always  notable ;  and  the  Memorial 
for  the  Grave  of  One  who  Loved  his  Fellow  Men, 
by  Mr.  Reynolds-Stephens,  is  admirably  ingenious 
in  design  and  accomplished  in  treatment.  But  the 
general  run  of  the  contributions  is  only  moderately 
interesting. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Chantrey  Fund  have 
acquired  the  small  picture,  A  Favourite  Custom, 
by  which  Sir  Laurence  Alma-Tadema  is  repre- 
sented in  the  show.  There  is  already  one  of 
his  works  at  Millbank,  but  this  belongs  to  Sir 
Henry  Tate's  collection  and  was  not  a  Chantrey 
Fund  purchase. 


'THE    IDLERS 

34 


BY    FRED    STRATTON 


TWILIGHT:    INTERIOR" 
BY   GEORGE   CLAUSKX.   R.A. 


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'CHLOE,  DAUGHTER  OF 
H.  E.  PRESTON,  ESQ." 
BY   I.  I.  SHANNON,  A.R.A. 


■LA  BELLK  DAME  SANS  MKRCl"; 
BRONZE  STATUETTE.  HV  SIR 
GEORGE    ERAMPTON,    R.A. 


'THE   TRACING" 
BY   GEORGE    HARCOURT 


'BED-TIME" 
BY   L.   CAMPBELL   TAYLOR 


The  Salon  of  the  Socidtd  Natioi/ale,  Paris 


"MEMORIAL    FOR   THE   GRAVE   OF   ONE   WHO   LOVED   HIS   FELLOW   MEN 

(Royal  Academy.     By  special  permission  of  the  Artist) 


BY   W.    REYNOLDS-STErHENS 


T 


HE  SALON  OF  THE  SOCIETE 
NATION  ALE  DES  BEAUX- 
ARTS,  PARIS. 


There  have  been  some  very  hard  things  said 
about  the  Salons  during  these  last  few  years,  and 
one  cannot  but  recognise  that  certain  of  the  re- 
proaches levelled  at  the  two  Societies  who  annually 
hold  these  large  exhibitions  are  not  without  good 
foundation.  No  one  will,  in  fact,  deny  that 
individually  the  works  suffer  by  being  grouped 
together  in  such  large  numbers,  and  that  such 
paintings  as  those  of  Menard  or  Billotte — to  take 
two  names  at  random  from  among  the  best-known 
— gain  immeasurably  by  being  seen  in  Petit's 
Gallery  or  in  some  other  such  room  of  restricted 
dimensions.  Another  complaint  that  one  hears 
very  justly  made  regarding  the  Salons,  and  the 
Nationale  in  particular,  is  that  it  contains  so  very 
44 


little  previously  unexhibited  work.  The  Salon  of 
the  Societtf  Nationale  tends  more  and  more  to 
become  a  closed  exhibition,  and  the  invited  works, 
that  is  to  say  all  those  by  other  artists  than  the 
members  and  associates,  are  year  by  year  diminish- 
ing in  number.  It  is  therefore  most  unlikely  to 
find  here  new  talent,  thus  giving  good  cause  to 
these  detractors  of  the  Salons. 

On  the  other  hand,  were  the  Salons  to  be 
suppressed,  where  should  we  have  a  chance  of 
seeing  those  large  pictures  which  naturally  cannot 
figure  in  any  exhibitions  other  than  those  of  this 
class  ?  I  can  hardly  imagine,  in  truth,  how  one  of 
M.  Auburtin's  panels  or  a  work  by  M.  Besnard 
or  M.  Roll  could  be  shown  otherwise  than  at  such 
a  show  as  this.  Then  again  most  French  painters 
belong  to  one  or  other  of  the  smaller  societies — 
Internationale,  Pastellists,  Societe  Nouvelle,  Aqua- 
rellistes,      Peintres     de     Paris,     etc. — but     in    all 


The  Salon  of  the  Socidfd  Nationale,  Paris 


these  groups  the  foreign  artists  are  in  a  very 
small  minority,  and  so  hardly  anywhere  save  at  the 
Grand  Palais  is  it  possible  to  see  their  work.  So 
it  is  always  at  the  Salons,  and  there  alone,  that  one 
sees  side  by  side  products  of  the  most  diverse 
talents  and  has  an  opportunity  of  appreciating  as  a 
whole  the  trend  of  contemporarj'  painting. 

The  distinctive  feature  of  the  Societe  Nationale 
this  year  is  that  it  has  received  very  many  more 
large  compositions  than  usual.  Many  of  these  pic- 
tures have  not,  it  is  true,  much  interest ;  such,  for 
instance,  as  M.  Berteaux's,  which  has  a  surface  area 
of  2  2  square  metres  (over  230  square  feet),  and 
is  destined  for  the  great  staircase  at  Nantes,  and 
several  others  as  well.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have 
lively  recollections  of  three  works  among  the 
decorative  paintings  which  are  of  the  highest  im- 
portance. 

Our  attention  is  at  first  attracted  by  M.  Besnard's 
large  painting  for  the  ceiling  of  a  cupola.  This 
great  artist  has  already  executed  three  panels  for 
the  ceiling  of  the  Petit  Palais.  The  first  two,  in 
which  Besnard  depicts  with  bold  symbolism  La 
Pensee  and  La  Matiire,  figured  at  the  Salon  two 
years  ago  ;  the  third,  La  Mystique,  has  not  appeared 
there  at  all ;  and  now,  in  the  fourth,  which  he  calls 
La  Plastique,  he  shows  us  in  a  magnificent  back- 
ground of  clouds — as  it  were  an  Olympus  upon 
the  summits  of  the  mountains — four  large  figures, 
two  of  which,  those  in  the  foreground,  are  very 
beautiful  paintings  of  the  nude.  Besnard  has  here 
depicted  with  his  powerful 
originality,  the  ancient  and 
symbolic  legend  of  Paris 
and  the  apple ;  but  Paris 
is  here  at  the  same  time 
Apollo,  god  of  the  Arts, 
grasping  the  mane  of  a 
fiery,  winged  stallion, 
which  is  one  of  the  best 
features  of  this  masterly 
conception.  The  work  has 
all  Besnard's  customary 
fine  qualities  —  the  very 
striking  colouring,  that 
beauty  of  style,  and  that 
feeling  for  decorative  effect 
which  are  ever  present  in 
all  his  paintings,  but  have 
never  been  so  completely 
evinced  as  here. 

In  Room  I.  M.  Rene 
Menard  shows  the  series 
of    paintings  which    were  "  la  collation  ' 


commissioned  by  the  Government  for  the  Ecole 
de  Droit — the  most  important  so  far  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  his  brush.  These  pictures  appear  to  mark 
the  consummation  of  the  painter's  art,  for  Menard, 
now  in  the  complete  possession  of  his  technique 
and  arrived  at  the  full  maturity  of  his  talent,  seems, 
so  to  speak,  to  sum  up  his  artistic  achievements 
in  this  work.  As  four  of  the  panels  have  already 
appeared  in  The  Studio  for  April,  1909,  we  now 
give  the  two  others  which  side  by  side  form  the 
centre  of  the  decorative  scheme.  In  them  our 
readers  will  recognise  one  of  those  beautiful  land- 
scapes of  antiquity  of  which  Menard  holds  the 
secret.  All  here  is  of  great  nobility,  and  of  the 
classic  breadth  which  connects  Menard,  through 
his  affinity  with  Poussin  and  Claude,  with  those 
pure  springs  of  beauty  and  lofty  thought  which 
flow  from  Hellas. 

M.  J.  Francis  Auburtin  continues,  with  much 
distinction  and  merit,  his  series  of  large  decorative 
pictures.  Disciple  of  Puvis  de  Chavannes,  he  seeks 
above  all  for  harmony  and  beautiful  effects  of 
colour  in  mural  painting.  His  large  panel  this 
year  is  entitled  L'Essor.  As  he  himself  explains 
in  the  catalogue,  he  has  striven  to  express  in  the 
four  female  figures  the  stages  of  human  thought — 
first  dormant,  then  awaking,  rising  upward,  and 
finally  taking  flight  into  space,  free,  radiant,  and 
immortal.  It  is  a  beautiful  symbol  of  a  very  noble 
conception,  treated  with  much  power,  and  a  subject 
admirably  appropriate  for  mural  decoration. 


BY    LUCIEN   SIMON 
45 


The  Salon  of  the  Socidte  Natioiiale,  Paris 


If  these  three  large  decorative  paintings  are 
those  which  most  forcibly  attract  one's  notice, 
though  by  very  different  characters,  —  Menard 
tracing  the  continuity  of  classicism,  Besnard  allied 
to  the  traditions  of  the  decorative  artists  of  the 
eighteenth  centurj',  and  Auburtin  worthily  carrying 
on  the  style  of  Puvis — there  are  still  other  works 
which  deser\-e  our  attention  and  even  our  admira- 
tion, even  though  they  do  not  display  such  pro- 
nounced styles.  So  one  finds  much  charm  and 
gracefulness  in  the  panel  by  M.  Roll,  the  Society's 
distinguished  President :  also  in  the  Fuite  en  Egypte 
painted  for  a  church  by  Madame  Wehrle'  with 
touching  sentiment ;  a  decided  feeling  for  the 
picturesque  in  the  work  of  M.  de  la  Neziere,  Les 
Keligions  de  Fhide ;  a  dramatic  power  in  the 
Episode  de  iSyo,  by  M.  Pierre  Lagarde ;  and 
charming  drawing  in  the  portrait  of  Mme.  Delarue 
Mardrus,  by  M.  Hubert  de  la  Rochefoucauld. 


The  large  painting  by  M.  Gillot,  Pres  la  Mine — 
St.  Etiemie,  deser\es  more  than  a  mere  mention, 
for  it  is  the  work  of  a  member  of  the  Nationale  in 
whose  talents  I  have  the  greatest  confidence. 
Gillot  is  a  delightful  painter  of  Paris,  and  the 
possessor  of  pronounced  individuality ;  and  this 
individuality  asserts  itself  in  every  piece  of  work 
he  does.  'WTien  commissioned  to  paint  a  decora- 
tive panel  for  the  town  of  St.  Etienne,  he  was  quite 
equal  to  depict  with  his  own  palette  one  of  those 
subjects  dear  to  Constantine  Meunier  or  Jules 
Adler.  One  finds  here  in  Gillot's  strong  and  firm 
work,  so  exquisite  and  yet  so  simple,  despite  the 
sad  severity  of  the  subject,  ringing  harmonies,  such 
as  in  the  reds  of  certain  of  the  clothes  of  the  workers 
dimly  seen  through  the  fog  or  in  the  glare  from 
the  locomotives  and  from  the  factory  on  the  left  of 
the  picture. 

The  panel  by  M.  Aman-Jean  pleased  me  much, 


"SUR  LE   PONT  DES  SAINTS-PfeRES  " 
46 


ION    LA  TOUCirE 


'LA  MARCHANDE   D'AMOURS' 
BY   GASTON    LA   TOUCHE 


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The  Salon  of  the  Socidtd  Natioiiale,  Paris 


'PRfeS   LA   MINE — SAINT-ETIENNK 


stoned  by  the  Fntuh  Gcn'i 


BY    E.    L.    GILLOT 


though  in  quite  a  different  way.  This  artist  is 
possessed  of  an  extremely  graceful  vision,  and  one 
cannot  resist  the  charm  and  elegance  of  these 
ladies,  seated  in  a  beautiful  park,  who  are  being 
diverted  by  a  scene  from  an  Italian  comedy  played 
by  some  children.  Some  of  the  daintiness  of 
those  old  painters  of  /hes  galan/es  seems  to  linger 
in  this  work. 

M.  Jacques  Blanche  seemed  to  me  to  be  amongst 
the  best  represented  of  the  exhibitors  this  year, 
and  he  has  seldom  shown  a  more  striking  assem- 
blage of  works  or  pictures  which  contain  more 
excellent  qualities  than  at  this  Salon.  Though 
considerably  influenced  by  the  works  of  English 
painters — and  could  one  choose  better  masters? — 
Blanche  is  becoming  every  year  more  himself,  and 
may  be  counted  among  our  very  foremost  French 
portrait  painters.  In  his  contributions  to  the 
exhibition  one  finds  something  of  all  the  subjects 
he  affects ;  vigorous  portraits  of  men ;  a  very 
seductive  female  portrait  (Mrs.  Saxton  Noble),  the 
background  of  which  displeased  me  a  little ;  a 
brilliant  piece  of  still  life,  and  some  flowers  painted 
as  only  Blanche  knows  how  to  paint  them. 

5° 


M.  Lucien  Simon  is  also  another  of  the  Society's 
strong  personalities: — a  fact  which  I  have  no  pre- 
tensions to  teach  anyone, — but  what  is  worth  while 
to  note  about  M.  Simon  is  that  he  always  remains 
himself,  the  charming  colourist  that  we  well  appre- 
ciate. After  the  magnificence  of  the  Cathedrale 
(T Assise,  his  picture  of  last  year,  he  has  returned  to 
his  beloved  Brittany.  This  corner  of  the  dining- 
room  is  already  familiar  to  us,  with  its  big  bay 
windows  opening  upon  the  tranquil  horizon  of  a 
fair  calm  autumn  sea.  It  is  the  painter's  own 
house  at  B^nodet,  which  we  have  already  seen  as 
the  setting  for  portraits  of  his  family,  and  among 
them  Dauchez,  M.  Blanche's  brother-in-law.  In 
La  Collation  also  the  children  gathered  around 
the  table  are  members  of  his  family.  It  is  a  rnost 
remarkable  work  of  very  powerful  execution,  as 
also  is  the  portrait  of  the  painter  by  himself. 

M.  Gaston  La  Touche  is  also  one  of  the  best 
known  and  the  most  successful  of  the  adherents  of 
the  Nationale.  After  the  very  considerable  effort 
of  his  exhibition  last  year  his  energy  has  by  no 
means  flagged,  as  his  large  panel.  Theatre  tie 
Verdure,  amply  attests  ;    as  also  do  La  Marchande 


"LA  PLASTIQUE."  PANEL  FOR  THE 
CEILLNG  OF  THE  PETIT  PALAIS, 
PARIS.   BY  PAUL  ALBERT  BESNARD 


L'ESSOR." 

BY   J.    F.    AUBURTIN 


The  Salon  of  the  Socidte  Nationale,  Paris 


d' Amours,  and  his  "  paysage  Parisien,"  works  in 
which  truth  and  fantasy  are  skilfully  blended  with 
such  charming  effect. 

M.  Hochard,  who  so  faithfully  portrays  all  the 
diverse  and  numerous  aspects  of  modern  life,  has 
shown  us  with  what  striking  success  he  is  able 
to  cope  with  other  subjects.  His  picture,  Mme. 
BoViiTj,  is  an  exact  re-creation  of  Rouen  at  the 
time  when  Flaubert's  heroine  came  there. 

M.  Caro-Delvaille  is  one  of  our  young  painters 
■who  gave  much  promise,  and  who,  is  fulfilling  those 
expectations.  He  has  already  signed  a  half-dozen 
works,  each  worthy  of  a  place  in  one  or  other  of 
the  public  galleries.  His  two  contributions  this 
year  will  certainly  have  the  success  they  merit ;  the 
one,  Groupe  Paten,  is  a  powerful  study  of  the  nude, 
which  artists  are  unanimous  in  pronouncing  a  work 
of  the  first  order ;  the  other  will  have  more  success 
with  the  general  public,  for  it  presents  the  portrait 
of  one  of  our  popular  heroines,  popular  equally  in 
Paris  and  in  London — I  mean  Mme.  Simone. 

Many  landscapists  of  talent  are,  as  usual,  repre- 
sented at  the  Nationale,  without  being  able 
however  quite  to  fill  the  gap  left  by  Cazin  and 
Thaulow.  An  excellent  artist  who  died  this  year, 
Frederic  Houbron,  is  here  present  for  the  last  time 
with  some  superb  views  of  Paris.  Raffaelli  does 
not  exhibit  this  year,  which  is  a  pity,  but  Billotte 
is  very  happily  represented  by  various  landscapes, 
among  which  a  view  of  the  fortifications  struck  me 


by  its  delicious  silvery  tone.  Mesl^  shows  some 
charming  landscapes  somewhat  reminiscent  of  his 
master  Cazin ;  Chevalier  some  good  sober  sea- 
pieces  ;  F.  Desmoulin  some  very  remarkable  snow 
scenes;  Stengelin  some  superb  pictures  of  Holland; 
Willaert,  the  Belgian  painter,  a  capital  picture  of 
boats  under  snow;  Mr.  Waidman  has  a  splendid 
study  of  the  Meuse  ;  M.  Duhem  some  Flemish 
scenes ;  M.  Gabriel  an  extremely  beautiful  Bar- 
bizon  picture  ;  and  there  are  some  very  excellent 
pieces  by  M.  Dauchez  and  M.  Le  Sidaner. 

I  cannot  pretend  to  have  passed  in  review,  in 
this  article,  all  the  interesting  pictures  at  the  Salon. 
There  still  remain  many,  such  as  the  admirable 
Jeanne  cTArc  of  M.  Boutet  de  Monvel  the  elder, 
which  deserve  more  of  our  attention.  But  I 
cannot  leave  the  subject  of  the  Grand  Palais 
without  attracting  attention  to  the  several  notable 
works  there  exhibited.  Henri  Fraxtz. 


We  are  requested  by  Mr.  Wilson  Steer  to  state 
that  the  ascription  to  him  of  the  title  of  "  Pre- 
sident of  the  New  English  Art  Club  "  in  our  first 
article  in  last  month's  issue  is  an  error.  Mr. 
Steer  is  a  member  of  the  executive  committee  of 
the  Club,  but  the  constitution  of  the  Club  does 
not  recognise  any  such  ofiice  as  President,  all 
members  being  equal.  This  erroneous  ascription 
was,  we  need  hardly  say,  entirely  the  result  of  a 
misapprehension,  and  we  regret  its  appearance. 


"BATEAUX   sous   LA   NEIGE,    SUR    lA    1,,~,    A   ..AM. 


53 


studio-  Talk 


STUDIO-TALK. 
(From  Our  O-wn  Correspondents.) 

LONDON. — The  Exhibition  at  the  New 
Gallery  this  year  was  the  first  held  under 
the  new  system  of  management  by  which 
the  gallery  is  to  be  controlled  for  the 
future.  The  old  method  of  selecting  works  for 
exhibition  has  been  abandoned,  and  the  contribu- 
tions come  now  from  a  group  of  subscribing  artists, 
to  each  of  whom  a  certain  amount  of  wall  space  is 
allotted ;  and  the  hanging  committee  is  elected 
from  the  general  body  of  these  subscribers.  The 
exhibition  lost  little  of  the  atmosphere  which  has 
distinguished  it  in  past  years,  because  most  of  the 
men  enrolled  as  subscribers  have  been  represented 
there  by  important  work  year  after  year. 


imaginative  paintings  by  Mr.  R.  Anning  Bell,  in 
both  of  which  he  has  managed  different  colour 
schemes  with  conspicuous  success.  Mr.  Spencer 
A\'atson's  Cupid  and  Psyche  was  notable  for  its 
sumptuous  richness,  and  Mr.  Cayley  Robinson's 
The  Faretvcll,  for  its  curiously  personal  qualities  of 
expression  and  sentiment ;  and  there  was  real  sin- 
cerity of  manner  and  method  in  the  All-Souls 
Day — Hungary,  by  Mrs.  Adrian  Stokes.  Mr. 
Wetherbee's  A  Little  Herd  Girl,  and  Mr.  T.  C. 
Gotch's  Midsummer' s  Eve  and  A  Study  in  Reds, 
must  not  be  overlooked. 


Perhaps  the  best  painting  in  the  show  was  Mr. 
J.  J.  Shannon's  In  the  Bums,  an  exquisite  variation 
on  the  conventional  portrait  group  and  a  delightful 
example  of  free  and  spontaneous  craftsmanship. 
But  there  were  memorable  portraits  also  by 
Mr.  H.  de  T.  Glazebrook,  Mr.  Harold  Speed, 
Mr.  Spencer  Watson,  Mr.  Coutts  Michie,  [^and 
the  Hon.  John  Collier;  and  two  by  Mr.  W. 
Llewellyn — of  Mrs.  Manseil  Woods,  and  Nell, 
Daughter  of  fames 
Givynne  Holford,  Esq. — 
illustrated  excellently  his 
decorative  manner  of  deal- 
ing with  portraiture.  Mr. 
Melton  Fisher's  dainty 
study  of  Miss  Beatrice 
Ferrar  was  also  import- 
ant as  a  telling  likeness 
and  as  an  agreeable  piece 
of  painting. 


Landscapes  of  conspicuous  merit  were  plentiful  in 
the  exhibition — such  excellent  records  of  nature  as 
Mr.  Alfred  East's  The  Edge  of  the  Pool,  Mr.  Hughes- 
Stanton's  The  Mountain  Road,  Provence,  and 
Mr.  Leslie  Thomson's  Over  the  Sea  to  Skye,  were 
specially  prominent,  and  with  them  must  un- 
questionably be  reckoned  Mr.  J.  L.  Pickering's 
robustly  romantic  Gorge  of  the  Arora,  and  The 
Hills  of  Carghe,  the  Moorland  near  Shap  Fells,  and 
A  Breezy  Day  on  the  Upper  Fell  Country,  by 
Mr.  Oliver  Hall,  and  the  expressive  Solitude,  by 
Mr.  Grosvenor  Thomas.  Mr.  Moffat  Lindner's 
sunset  subject.  Approach  to  Amsterdam,  and  his 
brilliant  water-colour.  Rain  Clouds  on  the  Maas,  did 


Among  the  figure  pic- 
tures deserving  of  serious 
consideration  must  cer- 
tainly be  counted  Un 
Bain  sous  le  Premier 
Empire  by  Mr.  Talbot 
Hughes;  Mr.  E.  A. 
Hornel's  attractive  com- 
position, The  Blackbird's 
Song,  Mr.  J.  Young 
Hunter's  The  Orchard 
Door,  Mr.  P.  A.  Hay's  re- 
markably skilful  water- 
colour,  The  Squire's 
Daughter,  and  the  two 
54 


.\LL-SOULS    DAV — HUNGARV  " 


(New  Gallery)  BY  .MRS.   ADRIAN  stokes 


(New  Gallery) 


'IN   THE   DUNES." 
BY   J.   J.   SHANNON,   A.R.A. 


studio-  Talk 


"RAIN    CLOUDS   O.N    THE    .MAAS"    t^VATER-COLOUR) 


(Am-   Gai!„j) 


BY    MOFFAT    LINDNER 


ample  credit  to  an  artist  whose  work  is  always 
fascinating  in  its  power  and  originality ;  and  such 
paintings  as  Mr.  D.  Y.  Cameron's  Criffd,  Mr.  Mark 
Fisher's  The  River  Side,  Mr.  James  Henry's 
Malham  Cove  and  Autumn  Morning  on  the  Ure, 
Mr.  Coutts  Michie's  Thi  Valley  Village,  Mr.  R.  \\'. 
Allan's  Towards  Sunset,  and  Mr.  Peppercorn's  The 
Woodland  Dell,  add  distinction  and  variety  to  the 
collection.  The  sculpture  was  not  very  important 
but  included  some  good  things  by  Mr.  Basil  Gotto 
and  Mr.  Albert  Toft ;  and  the  applied  art  contri- 
butions of  Mr.  Nelson  Dawson,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Arthur  Gaskin,  Mr.  J.  P.  Cooper  and  Mr.  H. 
Stabler  can  be  frankly  commended. 

The  Dowdeswell  Galleries  recently  afforded  us 
an  opportunity  of  studying  the  work  of  the  late 
John  Fulleylove,  one  of  the  most  successful  of  the 
members  of  the  Royal  Institute.  If  the  artist 
disappointed  in  pictures  of  a  large  scale,  his  was 
the  not  common  gift  of  synthesising  many  small 
details  in  a  sketch  with  freedom  of  touch  and 
pleasant  suggestion  of  finish.  He  was  always  at 
his  best  in  his  sketches,  as  in  those  of  7he 
Orangery,  Versailles,  Ely  Cathedral,  Edmonton 
Churchyard,  and  Jesus  Lock,  Cambridge. 
56 


Exquisite  is  perhaps  just  the  word  to  apply  to 
the  art  of  Mr.  Roger  Fry,  especially  in  such 
panels  as  Rome  and  the  sUvery  Verona,  and  the 
fruit-pieces  shown  in  his  recent  exhibition  at 
the  Carfax  Gallery,  but  when  out  of  tender 
colour  come  monsters,  as  in  his  illustrations  of 
Dante's  "Inferno,"  we  could  wish  that  in  concep- 
tion they  were  less  jejune.  There  was  a  delicate 
kind  of  beauty  in  every  panel,  but  the  subjects 
seemed  viewed  nearly  always  through  a  formula — 
never  directly.  

We.  carried  away  the  impression  from  the  Old 
Water  Colour  Society's  present  exhibition  that 
it  is  up  to  their  highest  standard  if  attention 
is  not  at  once  claimed  by  new  and  imme- 
diately striking  works.  Mr.  R.  Anning  Bell  in 
T/ie  Arrow  is  more  interesting  than  ever,  and 
there  are  some  particularly  beautiful  little  works 
by  Mr.  George  Clausen,  R.A.  The  President, 
Sir  E.  A.  Waterlow,  and  Mr.  J.  AV.  North,  both 
contribute  in  their  best  vein.  Loch  Alsh,  by  Mr. 
Robt.  Allan,  must  rank  with  the  chief  of  his 
successes.  Mr.  Francis  James  has  not  painted  his 
bouquets  of  flowers  more  daintily  than  this  year. 
Mr.  David  Murray  in  At  Bordighera — Grey  Day 


studio-  Talk 


has  a  notable  success. 
Mr.  Hughes-Stanton  is 
now  handling  in  his  water- 
colours  themes  which 
have  attracted  him  as  an 
oil  painter  with  the  same 
command  of  quiet  atmo- 
spheric suggestion.  A  fine 
picture  is  Mr.  Paterson's 
The  Yawl.  The  reflec- 
tions in  the  water,  into 
which,  fortunately,  he  has 
not  been  able  to  intrude 
his  ever  -  prevalent  blue, 
make  that  picture  a  very 
beautiful  piece  of  water- 
colour  painting.  Mrs. 
Stanhope  Forbes's  Spring 
Blossotns  is  a  picture  very 
charming  in  technique 
and  colour.  Never  has 
Mr.  Herbert  Alexanders 
art  been  happier  than  in 

a  little  lyrical  picture  of  sun  shadows  drifting  over 
velvety  downs.  As  their  latest  acquisition  the 
Society  is  indeed  to  be  congratulated  on  the  art  of 
Mrs.  Laura  Knight — a  brilliant  impressionist  with 
an  art  full  of  freedom  and  resource. 


'THE  TEMPLE   OF   THE 


At  this  year's  exhibition  of  the  Royal  Society  of 


'THE    FARMVARD"  BV    A.SUtRaO.N    HAOUE,    R.I. 

(See  Manchester  Studio-  Tali) 


3N    GOD  BY    PHILIP   T. 

(See  Manchester  Studio-  Talk) 


British  Artists  the  work  of  a  recent  member  stood 
out  prominently — that  of  Mr.  Hayley  Lever,  espe- 
cially in  his  Morning :  Drying  Sails,  St.  Jves. 
Then  The  White  Lady  of  Mr.  Joseph  Simpson  at 
once  claimed  attention.  Other  works  which  come 
at  once  to  mind  among  many  others  ably  surround- 
ing their  President,  Mr.  East's  own  high  achieve- 
ment in  The  Valley  of  the 
IVye,  were  The  Hungarian 
Feasant,  a  study  by  Mr.  P. 
Laszld,  The  Late  Rudolph 
Lehmann,  Esq.,  by  Sir  H. 
von  Herkomer,  Porlock, 
by  Mr.  F.  A.  W.  T.  Arm- 
strong, Until  the  Day 
Breaks,  by  Mr.  Michaelson, 
Atitunui's  First  Touch,  by 
Mr.  Walter  Fowler,  The 
River  near  Wimborne,  by 
Mr.  F.  \\'hitehead.  Mists 
and  Dews  of  the  Mornins;, 
by  Mr.  T.  F.  Sheard,  The 
Evening  Hour,  by  Mr.  J.W. 
Schofield,  La  Salute,  by 
Mr.  A.  Streeton,  A  Breezy 
Day,  by  Mr.  A.Carruthers- 
Gould,  Anstey's  Cove,  by 
Mr.  Lewis  F.  Fry,  Sunset 
on  the  Afedrcay,  by  Mr.  F. 
F.  Footet,  and  some  small 
canvases  by  J.  Muirhead. 
57 


Sfiidij-  Talk 


The  Royal  Institute  of  Painters  in  \\'ater 
Colours  has  just  held  its  one  hundredth  exhibition. 
The  Society  was  started  in  1831  as  the  New- 
Society  of  Painters  in  ^^'ater  Colours,  as  a  protest 
by  the  unattached  water  colour  artists  of  the  da\- 
against  the  closed  doors  of  the  Old  Society. 
Certainly  the  claims  which  the  Society  makes  in 
its  introductory  note  to  the  catalogue  as  to  the 
help  it  has  rendered  to  newcomers  to  the  ranks  of 
artists  in  water  colours  have  been  justified.  The 
exhibition  was  worthy  of  the  occasion  in  its 
completeness  of  character. 


At  the  Leicester  Galleries  Mr.  Arnesby  Brown 
exhibited  a  series  of  cabinet  pictures,  displaying  to 
full  advantage  his  mastery  in  the  treatment  of 
sudden  effects  of  sunlight  and  his  skill  as  a  cattle 
painter.  In  the  same  galleries  Miss  Ruth  Doll- 
man's  water  colours  of  the  Sussex  Downs  showed 
great  discretion  as  to  the  difficulties  they  will  go 
out  and  embrace,  but  all  that  the  artist  essays  she 
accomplishes  in  a  delightfully  sympathetic  way. 


At   the  Ryder   Gallery    Mr.   H.   C.   Chetwood 


Aiken  exhibited  interesting  pastel  and  water-colour 
drawings  of  Dutch  and  other  subjects,  but  he  is 
inclined  to  use  too  often  the  "  cumulus  "  prescrip- 
tion in  his  skies,  and  stability  of  drawing  in  the 
buildings  in  such  a  sketch  as  Twilight  Bristol 
would  increase  the  reality  of  effect. 

Among  other  exhibitions  which  claim  notice  is 
that  of  E.  T.  and  E.  H.  Compton  at  the  Fine  Art 
Society.  Both  artists  paint  in  a  quite  similar 
\ein,  sharing  the  same  admirable  qualities  of  strict 
truthfulness  to  certain  aspects  of  nature,  largeness 
and  dignity  of  composition  and  scholarly  drawing. 
And  at  this  latter  gallery  Mr.  Frank  Short's  recent 
exhibition  of  etchings,  mezzotints  and  water  colours 
must  be  mentioned.  The  distinguished  etcher 
remains  at  his  best  perhaps  still  in  plates  of  the 
character  of  Rye  Port,  but  his  excursions  into  mezzo- 
tints after  Turner  and  others  are  very  interesting. 
The  Fairyland  of  H.  J.  Ford  is  familiar  to 
many  readers  of  the  fairy-tale  books  by  Andrew 
Lang  which  he  has  illustrated.  The  original 
drawings  for  these  were  lately  shown  at  the  Baillie 
Gallery,  together  with  paintings,  some  of  the  larger 


'MORNING    ON    THE    SUSSEX    DOWNS 
58 


Maiuhcstt-r  Studio-  Talk) 


BY    MILDRED   HAI.I, 


Studio-Talk 


'AN   OCTOBER    MORNING 


BY   F.    \V.    TACKSON 


of  which  were  of  much  beaut)'.  Mr.  Sowerby's  water 
colours  at  the  same  rooms  were  pleasant  in  their 
semi-pre-Raphaelite  method. 


M^ 


ANCHESTER.— The  recent  annual  ex- 
hibition of  the  Manchester  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts,  if  not  to  be  congratulated  as 
a  whole  on  a  higher  standard  of  work 
than  its  predecessors,  or  a  noticeable  enrolment  to 
its  associates,  must  be  complimented  on  its  more 
carefully  thought  out  arrangements  —  especially 
noticeable  in  the  hanging  of  the  large  gallery.  But 
an  exhibition  containing  such  sincere  and  capable 
work  as  that  by  Mr.  Fred.  W.  Jackson,  Mr.  H.  S. 
Hopwood,  Mr  Philip  T.  Gilchrist,  Miss  Mildred 
Hall,  Miss  Gertrude  E.  Wright,  and  others  men- 
tioned in  these  notes,  is  not  one  lightly  to  be 
dismissed.  

In  the  first  room  Mr.  Fred  W.  Jackson's  water- 
colour,  An  Arabesque,  attracted  by  its  breadth, 
design  and  observant  treatment  of  a  moving  crowd 
in  a  narrow  Moorish  street.  On  the  opposite  wall 
Mr.  H.  S.  Hopwood's  dexterous  little  sketch  in 
body-colour  of  A  Cafi  Archway,  Biskra,  was  inter- 
esting, though  more  of  the  artist  was  felt  in  his  Study 
in  Rose  and  White,  a  tall  figure  of  a  lady  in  a  pink 


dress,  standing  by  a  half-opened  door  :  gradations 
of  white,  grey  and  gold  with  a  restramed  use  of 
pastel,  completing  a  harmony  confident  and  truth- 
ful. Morning;  on  the  Sussex  Downs,  by  Miss 
Mildred  Hall,  was  a  work  of  rare  distinction 
among  the  water-colours.  Other  noticeable  work 
in  the  same  room  claiming  attention  included 
W.  Eyre  Walker's  Berket  Common  on  the  Rivet 
Eden,  with  its  dark  sweeping  evening  sky ;  Mr.  A. 
J.  Mavrogordato's  The  Parthenon  —  Moonrise, 
excellent  in  colour,  though  the  placing  of  the 
moon  was  rather  disturbing.  Immediately  below 
was  another  Moonrise,  by  W.  H.  Wilkinson,  attrac- 
tive by  its  contrast  in  rich  tones  of  brown  and 
green.  An  Anglesea  Farmyard,  by  Mary  McNicol 
Wroe,  Grey  Evening,  Conway  Valley,  by  Walter 
Emsley,  Spring,  by  F.  M.  Monkhouse,  and 
Evening,  by  Ethel  Hall,  were  all  full  of  interest 
and  artistic  interpretation  ;  and  last,  but  not  least, 
Miss  Elizabeth  Orme  Collie's  Mary,  a  charming 
study  in  charcoal,  produced  the  desire  to  see 
more  of  this  artist's  sympathetic  work. 


In  the  large  gallery  devoted  to  oils  and  sculpture 
Mr.  Fred  W.  Jackson's  October  Morning  arrested 
one's  gaze  by  its  capable  painting  and  atmospheric 
quality — a   task  handled  with  an   intimate  know- 

59 


studio-  Talk 


ledge  of  that  early  scintillating  light  over  a 
fisherman's  bay  foretelling  a  day  of  heat.  In  his 
smaller  pictures,  The  Widow's  Garden,  and  notably 
RurtiU'ick  Bay,  a  more  decorative  treatment  was 
e^■ident,  and  enchanted  with  its  alluring  colour  of 
red  roof-tops,  silver)--green  and  dove-grey  shadows, 
crowned  by  a  faint  violet  sky.  Balancing  on  the 
same  wall,  Mr,  H.  S.  Hopwood's  A  Picardy  Farm- 
yard commz.nded.  attention  by  its  direct  observation ; 
perfectly  composed  and  painted,  it  was  a  picture 
to  be  studied,  and  Mr.  Hopwood  has  seldom  given 
us  anything  more  virile.  For  genuine  charm,  un- 
stinted praise  must  be  given  to  Mr.  Philip  T. 
Gilchrist,  R.B.A.,  whose  Temple  of  the  Moon-God 
gives  the  true  feeling  of  moonlight,  the  inter- 
pretation of  which  so  many  artists  treat  with  an 
inky  brush.  Bringing  in  the  Boats  from  the 
Beach,  by  James  W.  Booth,  R.C.A.,  had  much  of 
the  breath  of  the  wind  and  strength  of  a  strenuous 
nature.  The  River,  by  Tom  Mostyn,  showed  a 
markedly  powerful  technical  accomplishment  and 
decorative  quality  of  painting  that  one  would  wish 
had  been  devoted  to  a 
more  composedly  de- 
signed landscape  worthy 
of  the  artist's  undoubted 
ability.     


Making  a  round  of  the 
remaining  gallery  one  re- 
marked the  brilliant 
colouring  of  The  River 
at  Llandulas,  by  Mr. 
Anderson  Hague,  R.I., 
whose  recent  exhibition 
at  Mr.  Carruthers'  show- 
room was  of  considerable 
local  interest.  The  Farm- 
yard here  illustrated  being 
from  that  collection ;  A 
Melody,  Miss  Adelina 
Leon,  by  Thomas  Cantrell 
Dugdale ;  the  landscape 
work  by  R.  G.  Somerset, 
R.C.A. ;  the  flower  paint- 
ing by  Miss  Fanny  Sugars, 
and  the  more  carefully 
composed  Geraniums,  by 
Miss  Tinker  ;  the  genuine 
adherence  to  nature  by 
Mr.  Elias  Bancroft, 
R.C.A.,  in  his  \orkshire 
Beck,  and  a  similar  love 
in  The  Rising  Moon,  by 
60 


Byron  Cooper ;  the  prominent  imaginative  and 
\agorous  attainments  by  the  president,  H.  Clarence 
Whaite,  P.R.C.A.,  R.W.S. ;  Autumn,  by  Reginald 
Barber :  the  architectural  studies  by  Mr.  Edgar 
Wood,  A.R.I. B. A.  :  the  alluring  work  in  clay  by 
Miss  Gertrude  E.  Wright ;  and  the  noticeable 
George  Milner,  Esq.,  M.A.,  J.P.,  in  bronze,  by 
John  Cassidy,  A.R  C.A.  E.  A.  T. 

GLASGOW. — Not  the  least  remarkable 
feature  of  the  Glasgow  School  of  Art 
is  the  measure  of  individuality  it 
seems  to  develop  in  many  of  the 
students  who  pass  through  its  classes.  This  is 
particularly  so  in  the  case  of  the  women  artists, 
whose  work,  in  both  fine  and  applied  art,  is  well 
and  favourably  known  to  readers  of  The  Studio. 
Only  last  month  I  had  occasion  to  call  attention  to 
some  excellent  work  by  them  at  a  recent  exhibition 
held  at  the  school  (see  Art  School  Notes,  pp.  330 
et  seq.).  In  the  course  of  these  notes  I  mentioned 
the  contributions  of  Miss  Annie  Urquhart,  a  former 


'spring"  (coloured  pen-drawing) 


BY   ANNIE    URQUHART 


AMWȣ-yTSOUilFi(?ifi'l'- 


"GOSSIPS."     FROM  THE  COLOURED  PEN- 
DRAWING   BY   ANNIE    URQUHART. 


Studio-Talk 


student,  and  readers  are  now  enabled  by 
the  accompanying  reproductions  to  form 
a  closer  acquaintance  with  her  work. 


Miss  Urquhart  adopts  a  method  at 
once  quaint,  decorative  and  distinctive, 
in  her  charming  pictures  of  children, 
daintily  gowned,  and  all  arranged  in 
delightful  leafy  environment  She  uses 
vegetable  parchment  for  her  drawings, 
her  method  being  to  outline  first  with 
pen  and  ink  and  then  to  stipple  the 
colour  on  with  a  comparatively  dry 
brush.  She  proceeds  slowly  and  thought- 
fully, and  a  peculiarity  of  her  method  is 
that  she  divides  the  sheet  of  parchment 
into  sections  and  then  outlines  and  com- 
pletely colours  a  part  here  and  there  before  drawing 
the  other  parts.  Miss  Urquhart  groups  her  pictures  in 


BOOKBINDING 


a  relationship  of  su 
giving  to  them  an 


BY    MISS  J.    MACHURIN 

bject,  method  and  colouring,  thus 
additional  decorative  value  ;  but 
a  rather  curious  manner- 
ism slightly  mars  some  of 
them — a  figure  is  bisected 
or  a  face  half  hidden  by  a 
tree  trunk  or  a  spreading 
blossom-laden  branch. 


•BLOSSOMS       (COLOURED   PEN-DRAWING) 


BY   ANNIE   URQfHART 


Miss  J.  Maclaurin  is 
also  a  past  student  of  the 
Glasgow  School  of  Art, 
and  during  her  career  there 
gave  much  attention  to 
bookbinding,  becoming 
efficient  both  in  the  actual 
binding  of  the  book  and 
the  hand  -  tooling  of  the 
cover.  The  example  of 
her  work  now  reproduced 
shows  an  appreciation  of 
the  value  of  undecorated 
spaces  —  an  important 
consideration  in  this  class 
of  design.  J.  T. 

PARIS.  —  The 
Soctete  d<s  Ar- 
tistes aninialiers 
has  held  recently 
us  lirst  exhibition  at  the 
Cercle  Internationale  des 
Arts,  Boulevard  Raspail, 
and  the  show  was  full  of 
interesting  work.  It  con- 
tained a  delightful  contri- 
bution from  Besnard,  Le 
63 


studio-  Talk 


cheval  arabe,  a  careful  and  exact  study  of  the 
animal  and  its  specialised  form,  and  also  excellent 
works  by  Doigneau  and  Dagnac-Rivifere.  M.  Stein- 
len  has  always  been  par  excellence  the  painter  of 
cats ;  no  one  has  depicted  with  greater  fidelity 
all  the  lithe  and  subtle  attitudes  of  this  branch  of 
the  genus  Feiidce.  He  has  made  a  transcript  by 
lithography  of  one  of  the 
best  of  his  studies,  and 
this,  herewith  reproduced, 
was  used  as  a  poster  for 
the  exhibition.  Lastly, 
there  was  here  revealed  a 
young  artist  of  consider- 
able talent,  M.  Oger,  of 
whom  I  shall  have  some- 
thing to  say  on  another 
occasion.  In  his  studies 
of  birds,  lions  and  dogs, 
M.  Oger  gives  evidence  of 
great  freedom  and  a  charm- 
ing precision  in  the  use  of 
crayon.  We  shall  expect 
much  from  him.        H.  F. 


VIENNA.— The 
Spring  Exhi- 
bition at  the 
Kiinstlerhaus, 
which  was  opened  by  the 
Emperor,     is    remarkable  "tkier  and  snake  ' 

64 


for  the  comparatively  large 
number  of  really  good 
works.  Among  them  a 
large  portrait  group  by 
Josef  Jungwirth,  repre- 
senting a  sitting  in  the 
Lower  Austrian  Diet,  is 
one  of  the  most  note- 
worthy, because  of  the 
excellence  of  the  compo- 
sition as  a  whole  and  in 
detail.  The  work  contains 
no  less  than  a  hundred- 
and -twenty  portraits,  for 
each  of  which  the  painter 
received  s'ittings.  Promi- 
nent among  the  assembled 
members  is  Dr.  Carl 
Lueger,  the  Burgomaster 
of  Vienna,  to  whom  the 
members  are  listening  with 
upturned  faces,  illumined 
by  the  light  from  their 
green-shaded  electric  lamps.  The  entire  work  occu- 
pied two  years  in  execution,  and  as  may  be  imagined 
involved  a  vast  amount  of  preparatory  study  in  the 
shape  of  portrait  sketches  and  other  details.  Two 
other  important  historical  works  were  exhibited, 
both  commissioned  by  the  Archduke  Francis 
Ferdinand — one    by    Ludwig    Koch,    representing 


BY   STEINLEN 


BY    KARL    FAHRINGER 


PORTRAIT  OF  THE  ARTIST'S  DAUGHTER 
RV    LEOPOLD    HOROWITZ 


Studio-Talk 


Sdma  Kurz  and  Prince 
Liechtenstein^  both  in  his 
best  manner  and  really 
fine  achievements. 


SCULPTURE   GROUP:    "A    PROCESSION   OFMONKS 

General  Johann  von  Spork  praying  before  the 
decisive  battle  with  the  Turks  at  St.  Gotthardt  in 
1664,  and  the  other  by  Julius,  Ritter  von  Blaas, 
depicting  a  charge  of  dragoons  at  Kolin  in  1757. 


A  work  which  has  attracted  much  attention  is 
a  painting  by  John  Quincy  Adams,  called  1  he 
Operation,  showing  an 
operating  -  room,  with  a 
surgeon  about  to  operate 
upon  a  woman.  The 
patient's  face  is  hidden, 
but  nearly  all  the  other 
details  incidental  to  such 
a  scene  are  given  in  vivid 
reality.  It  must  be  con- 
fessed that  one  finds  it 
difficult  to  look  at  such 
a  realistic  feat  of  painting 
without  a  shudder,  and 
clever  as  it  is  one  feels 
justified  in  asking  whether 
a  public  exhibition  like 
the  Kiinstlerhaus  is  the 
proper  place  for  it.  No 
question  of  that  kind  can 
arise  in  regard  to  the 
same  painter's  portraits 
of  the  prima  donna 
66 


Portraits  as  usual  form 
a  large  element  in  this 
exhibition  of  the  Genos- 
senschaft.  That  Professor 
von  Angeh,  despite  his 
years,  still  maintains  his 
vigour  and  artistic  feeling 
is  shown  by  his  portrait 
of  the  well-known  sculptor 
Professor  Weyr.  Pathetic 
interest  attaches  to  Laszl^'s 
portrait  of  the  aged  actor, 
Ritter  von  Sonnetithal, 
who  died  suddenly  a  short 
time  ago,  and  remarkable 
for  its  delicate  treatment 
is  Laszl6's  Princess  Lilly 
Kuiski.  The  same  is  to 
be  said  of  Leopold  Horo- 
witz's portrait  of  his 
daughter,  which  is  indeed  a  fine  performance. 
Arthur  von  Ferraris's  portraits  include  one  of  his 
daughter,  whose  auburn  hair  and  fair  face  contrast 
well  with  the  greys  and  dark-blues  of  the  picture. 
Victor  Scharf,  Heinrich  Rauchinger,  Kasimir 
Pochwalski,  P.  Joanowitsch,  E.  Leviedzki,  and 
W.  V.  Krausz,  are  all  well  represented.     Nikolaus 


EV    FRIEDRICH    GORNIK 


"aUTU.MN   splendour   in   the  CASTI  E   GKOlNIi; 


BY    EDl'.^RD    KASPARIHES 


PORTRAIT   OF   TRIXCK    LIIXHTENSTEIN 
BY   JOHN    QUINCV    ADAMS 


PORTRAIT   OF   FRAU    RAOUL   AUERHEIMER 
BY    NIKOLAUS    SCHATTENSTEIN 


Studio-  Talk 


Schattenstein  is  making  further  strides  forward,  his 
portrait  of  Frau  Raoiil  Auerheimer  being  one  of  ex- 
ceptional merit.  David  Kolm's  red  chalk  drawing  of 
J^rati  Heller-Ostersetzer  carries  with  it  a  pathetic 
note,  as  this  gifted  young  lady,  whose  work  as  an 
artist  has  on  more  than  one  occasion  been  repro- 
duced in  The  Studio,  died  quite  recently.  Victor 
Schauffer's  portrait  of  The  German  Emperor,  in 
scarlet  mantle  over  a  white  uniform  and  wearing 
the  order  of  the  Black  Eagle,  was  commissioned 
by  the  monarch  for  presentation  to  Count  Wilczek, 
as  a  souvem'r  of  his  visit  to  the  Count  at  Burg 
Kruzenstein  some  two  years  ago,  and  is  a  dignified 
work.  Jehudo  Epstein's  portrait  of  a  lady  in  black 
with  a  green  shawl,  is  admirable. 


There  are  numerous  landscapes  and  genre 
pictures.  Edward  Zetsche,  Karl  Pippich,  Otto 
Novak,  Alfred  Zoff,  Hugo  Darnaut,  F.  Brunner, 
M.  Suppantschitoch,  O.  RuziCka,  R.  Germela, 
H.  Ranzoni,  E.  Ameseder,  Hans  Larwin,  Hugo 
Charlemont,  KarlO'Lynch  of  Town,  Adolf  Schwarz, 
Franz  Windhager  and  E.  Kasparides,  are  all 
well   represented,   some  of  the  pictures  being  par- 


ticularly beautiful  in  composition  and  treatment. 
R.  Quittner's  Paris  Boulevard  by  Night  is  full  of 
bustle,  life  and  movement  everywhere  ;  Otto 
Herschel's  studies  of  drapery  and  interiors  of  our 
grandmothers'  time  are  finely  treated  and  delicate 
in  colour.  Lazar  Krestin  and  Isidor  Kaufmann 
are  both  excellent  in  their  portrayal  of  Galician 
Jews,  whom  they  have  studied  in  their  own  country, 
and  Karl  Fahringer's  animal  studies  are  always 
welcome,  an  excellent  example  of  them  being  the 
Tiger  and  Snake  reproduced  on  page  64.  Some 
good  specimens  of  graphic  art  by  F.  Gold,  A. 
Cossman  and  Tomislav  Krizman  are  among  the 
features  of  the  exhibition. 


In  the  plastic  section  L.  Hujer,  Prof.  Marschall, 
Karl  Wollek,  S.  Schwartz,  Hans  Schaefer,  show 
medals  and  plaquettes  of  high  artistic  merit  ;  S. 
Lewandowski  sends  a  marble  bust  of  the  celebrated 
Polish  poet  Count  Zygmund  Krasinski ;  Friedrich 
Gornik  A  Procession  of  Monks,  which  is  highly 
praiseworthy,  and  Leo  Bernstein  some  excellent 
busts,  that  of  Baroness  Schey  and  Prof.  Leschetitzky 
being  remarkable  for   the  beauty  and  strength  of 


'TREBINJE,    HERZEGOVINA"   (ETCHING) 


{See  Budapest  Studio-  Talk) 


BY    ROBERT   l4vY 
69 


StndiO'Talk 


"QUIET  water"   (coloured  WOOD   ENGRAVING) 

treatment,  while  K.   Kundmann  and  Hans  Miiller 
both  contribute  good  work.  A.  S.  L. 


GYULA    CONRAD 


B 


UDAPEST.— 
The      Interna- 
tional   Graphic 
Exhibition  held 
here  this  Spring  was  the 
first   of   its    kind   held  in 
Budapest.     Owing,    how- 
ever, to  the  immense  num- 
ber of  exhibits   and   the 
want    of    order    in    their 
arrangement,  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  get  a  comprehen- 
sive  view   of   the   whole. 
This   is  to    be  regretted, 
for    as    no    attempt    was 
made  to  show  the  intimate 
character   of  graphic   art 
and  its  value  for  purposes 
of  decoration,  the  majority 
of  visitors  carried  away  a 
confused  idea  of  the  en- 
semble.     The   exhibition 
was  to  some  extent  retro- 
spective ;    in  addition    to  work    by   contemporary 
artists    of    various     countries     besides    Hungary, 


"ZEEEGENV"'    (ETCIUNC 

70 


UY    I'ROFEbSOR    LAJOS    KAUSCHER 


^^: 


Sf/idio-  Talk 


in  graphic  art,  by  means 
ot  lectures  and  exhibitions, 
and  also  by  selling  proofs 
at  a  low  price  so  a!s  to 
bring  them  within  the 
reach  of  art  lovers  whose 
resources  prohibit  the  pur- 
chase of  expensive  prints. 
The  room  devoted  to 
works  by  members  of  the 
society  was  one  of  the 
most  interesting  in  the 
whole  exhibition. 


WOOD    ENGR.-\VIX( 


BY    VICTOR   OLGV.M 


The  two  etchings  by 
Prof.  Rauscher  now  repro- 
duced, not  only  serse  to 
show  his  methods  and 
largeness  of  vision,  but 
prove  that  he  possesses 
the  poetic  instincts  of  the 
true  artist.  He  has  ex- 
perimented on  some  new 
methods   for    aquatinting 


including  the  best  exponents  in  the 
various  branches  of  graphic  art  now- 
living,  there  was  a  carefully  selected  and 
interesting  representation  of  work  done 
by  the  Hungarian  artists  of  the  past. 
This  part  of  the  exhibition  was  system- 
atically arranged,  thanks  to  the  exertions 
of  Dr.  Gabor  de  Terey,  the  well-known 
connoisseur  and  director  of  the  Museum 
of  Fine  Art.  It  is,  indeed,  owing  to  this 
gentleman  that  graphic  art  in  Hungary 
has  met  with  so  much  encouragement 
on  the  part  of  the  Government. 


The  modern  movement  in  this  direc- 
tion began  some  five  years  ago  when  an 
exhibition  was  held  in  Budapest.  Then 
last  year  a  group  of  young  artists,  among 
whom  Victor  Olgyai,  a  pupil  of  Prof. 
William  Unger,  took  a  prominent  part, 
formed  themselves  into  the  Society  of 
Hungarian  Graphic  Arti.sts,  and  the 
society  has  quickly  justified  its  existence. 
The  President  is  Professor  Lajos  Raus- 
cher, who  has  devoted  his  whole  career 
to  the  furtherance  of  graphic  art,  without 
thought  of  gain,  and  Prof.  Olgyai  is  act- 
ing as  secretary  of  the  society,  the  aim  of 
which  is  to  awaken  more  general  interest 


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1 

I.INOLEU.M    ENGRAVING 


BY    BEI.A    ERDOSSY 
73 


studio-  Talk 


which  he  hopes  to  make  known  to  the  world 
presently.  Some  very  good  work  was  shown  by 
Oskar  Glatz  and  Istvan  Zador,  in  both  cases  por- 
traits done  in  chalk  and  pencil.  Gyula  Rudnay's 
washes  revealed  fine  feeling  and  a  freedom  of 
execution  which  added  to  the  charm  of  his  work. 
Gyula  Conrad's  woodcuts  have  a  peculiar  beauty : 
he  loves  to  linger  in  quiet  places  and  is  peculiarly 
happy  in  such  scenes  as  Quiet  Water,  now  repro- 
duced. The  woodcuts  by  Prof.  Victor  Olgyai  are 
of  another  genre,  strong  in  line,  betraying  no  sign 
of  weakness,  no  exaggeration  in  expression,  every 
touch  sure  and  firm.  This  artist  conducts  a  school 
for  graphic  art,  and  no  one  has  done  more  to 
arouse  an  interest  in  the  subject  in  Hungary  than 
he.  Sandor  Nagy  is  a  worthy  exponent  of  etching 
in  pure  line.     Robert  Levy's  plates  show  a  sincere 


and  sympathetic  touch,  free  from  hesitation  ;  he 
seeks  his  inoiifs  in  such  old-world  spots  as  Trebinje, 
Herzegovina,  the  subject  of  the  plate  now  repro- 
duced ;  B61a  Erdossy's  linoleum  engravings  are 
interesting  and  point  to  great  imaginative  power. 
This  artist  also  contributed  some  etchings  of  un- 
doubted power  and  beauty.  Andor  Sz^kely's 
coloured  pen  drawings  showed  a  firm  grasp  of 
material  and  subject. 


Among  the  other  Hungarian  exhibitors  of  note 
were  Rippl-Ronai,  Istvan  Zichy,  Gyula  Tichy, 
Imre  Simay  (a  member  of  the  Vienna  Hagenbund 
at  Vienna,  who  has  made  a  name  for  himself  by 
his  drawings  and  paintings  of  animals,  monkeys  in 
particular),  Oskar  Mendlik,  Sigismund  Vajda, 
P.  Laszlo,  L.  Michalek  and  B^la  Benczur.  A  few 
lady  artists  contributed  to  make 
the  exhibition  interesting,  among 
whom  should  be  named  Alice 
Szmik,  who  sent  a  capital  interior 
in  pastel,  and  Madame  Fris- 
chauer,  whose  talent  was  attested 
by  a  portrait. 


AN  OLD  door"  (etching) 

74 


BY  PROF.  LAJOS  RAUSCHF.R 


I  must  pass  over  the  work 
contributed  by  leading  etchers 
of  other  countries.  The  ex- 
hibition was  not,  however,  com- 
pletely international,  for  Austria 
and  Germany  were  practically 
left  out  in  the  cold.  Had  these 
countries  been  adequately  repre- 
sented the  exhibition  would 
have  gained  greatly  in  interest 
and  its  title  would  have  been 
justified.  One  was  glad,  how- 
ever, to  see  so  much  good  work 
done  by  young  Hungarian 
artists,  who  in  spite  of  having 
learnt  in  various  schools  have 
their  own  personal  touch  which 
shows  itself  in  its  freedom,  its 
freshness  and  a  commendable 
absence  of  conventional 
methods.  A.  S.  L. 

BERLIN. —  The  Royal 
Academy  has  been 
opening  its  galleries 
to  the  Old  Master  Ex- 
hibition of  the  Kaiser  Friedrich 
Museum  Verein.  This  society, 
the     supporter     of     the     royal 


studio-  Talk 


GANYMEDE 


BY    CARL    MAX    REBEL 


museums,  on  this  occasion  only  showed  the  posses- 
sion of  about  t\vo  dozen  members,  and  the  dehght- 
ful  collection  considerably  enhanced  the  interest  of 
the  interval  between  the  departing  winter  season 
and  the  newly  prepared  annual  summer  exhibi- 
tions. We  were  able  here  to  enjoy  the  ennobled 
truthfulness  of  Bruyn  and  Krigel,  Morelse  and 
Terborch,  as  well  as  the  delicate  work  of  Nattier 
and  Rigaud,  and  the  sombre  beauties  of  Goya. 
Hals  and  Rembrandt  were  represented  by  some 
prominent  examples  of  their  various  phases, 
Rubens  and  Van  Dyck  by  fine  earlier  portraits ; 
and  the  grand  spirit  of  the  Renaissance  spoke 
through  Raphael,  Bronzino  and  Titian.  Portraits 
predominated  in  the  exhibition,  but  some  masterly 
still-life  pieces  created  a  pleasant  variety.  The 
increasing  number  of  classical  treasures  in  German 
private  possession  is  quite  astonishing. 

At  the  Keller  and  Reiner  Salon  recently  Carl  Max 
Rebel  again  presented  himself  with  a  numerous  col- 
lection. For  some  years  new  works  of  this  painter 
have  always  been  looked  for  wiih  unusual  interest 


by  some  far-seeing  collectors.  He  at  one  time  gave 
promise  of  a  new  Bocklin,  and  his  stay  in  Italy 
was  considered  a  warrant  for  such  realisitions. 
Since  then  he  has  always  kept  up  his  standard  of 
classical  romanticism  ;  but  his  colouring  seemed 
to  become  rather  monotonous  with  its  green  and 
violet  tints,  and  his  figures  as  well  as  his  landscapes 
appeared  dulled  by  pessimism.  This  year  Rebel 
seems  to  have  grown  freer.  He  is  still  the  aposde 
of  austere  beauty,  the  seer  of  classical  visions  in 
fascinating  solitude,  but  we  feel  a  new  joy  in  life 
stirring  in  some  pictures.  Something  unusual  is 
again  revealed,  but  we  have  still  to  wait  for  a  real 
fulfilment.  A  series  of  female  portraits  is  particularly 
attractive  by  the  selection  of  rare  individualities 
which  though  rendered  in  the  noble  Francia  or 
Bronzino  style  yet  look  like  documents  of  the  Ibsen 
and  Maeterlinck  age.  At  the  same  galleries  Leo 
Samberger,  the  Munich  portraitist,  also  filled  a 
whole  room  with  his  works.  He  gave  his  best  in 
strong  and  serious  types,  especially  in  prominent 
male  characters.  There  was  also  an  exhibition  of 
the     portrait-sculpture     of    Ferdinand    Seeboeck, 

75 


Revic'ci's  and  Notices 


-  KtRAir    ul     sIu.N .>!];. 


:arl  max  rebel 


surprising   on    account  of  its   genuine   and   sym- 
pathetic mirroring  of  life.  J.  J. 


(Owing  to  the  many  other  demands  oti  our  space 
this  month  ive  are  compelled  to  hold  over  our  Art 
School  Notes. — EditorJ 

REVIEWS    AND    NOTICES. 

TTu  Etched  and  Engraved  Work  of  Frank 
Short,  A.R.A.,  R.E.  By  Edward  F.  Straxge. 
(London  :  George  Allen  &  Sons.)  £^\  \s.  net. — 
To  publish  in  volume  form  a  Catalogue  Raisonne 
of  the  works  of  a  living  artist  is  to  honour  him 
indeed,  especially  when  he  has  deserved  this 
tribute  exclusively  by  his  mastery  over  the  art  of 
expression  on  the  copperplate.  Mr.  Short  has  long 
been  known  for  an  "approved  good  master"  of 
the  etcher's  art  and  the  mezzotinter's,  while  indeed 
no  process  of  copperplate  engraving  has  eluded 
his  intimate  knowledge  and  his  triumphant  practice. 
Did  he  not  achieve  success  with  drawings  of 
Turners  which  Ruskin  declared  could  not  be 
done  by  him  or  any  other  ?  Moreover,  Mr.  Short 
has  shown  that  the  process  of  mezzotint  offers  new 
76 


and  exquisite  possibilities  to  the  artist  who  knows 
how  to  handle  it  as  an  interpreter  of  delicate  pic- 
torial vision,  while  all  the  natural  magic  of  the 
simple  line  is  at  the  command  of  his  expressive 
etching  point.  So  Mr.  Short's  plates  have  become 
prized  by  the  artistic  collector,  and  there  was  a 
decided  need  for  this  invaluable  book,  the  compiling 
of  which  must  have  been  a  labour  of  love  for  Mr. 
Strange. 

The  Letters  of  John  Buskin.  1827 — S9.  2  vols. 
Edited  by  E.  T.  Cook  and  Alexander  Wedderburn. 
(London  :  George  Allen.) — Wonderfully  written, 
the  letters  of  John  Ruskin  are  yet,  so  to  speak,  but 
foam-drift  of  his  prose.  A  reputation  might  rest 
on  them,  but  his  reputation  is  such  as  to  be 
unaffected  by  their  addition.  Their  unfailing 
eagerness  of  thought  and  the  originality  in  them 
cannot  fail  to  stimulate  the  reader.  Intense 
responsiveness  to  art  gave  his  utterances  con- 
cerning it  an  authoritativeness  which  no  mere 
theorising  can  ever  sweep  aside.  His  mistakes 
and  those  of  his  disciples  resulted  from  the  con- 
fusion of  issues,  from  confounding  experiences  of 
aesthetic  feeling  with  those  of  reason  and  deducing 


Reviews  and  Notices 


too  rapidly  therefrom.  As  a  critic  Rusl^in's  failure 
seemed  in  apprehending  the  essential  mystery  of  the 
finest  craft,  but  writing  upon  art  in  its  relationship 
to  the  development  of  human  genius,  it  cannot  be 
denied  to  him  that  his  work  is  unapproached  for 
profundity  and  illumination.  In  this  belief  we 
could  ill  afford  to  omit  our  appreciation  of  the 
publication  of  these  letters,  or  of  the  task  completed 
in  them,  as  the  last  volumes  of  the  monumental 
edition  of  Ruskin's  works  began  si.\  years  ago. 

A  History  of  Architectural  Devclopjnenl.  By 
F.  M.  Simpson.  In  three  vols.  Vol.  II.  Medire- 
val.  (London  :  Longman.)  20s.  net. — In  this 
second  volume  of  his  important  work  Prof.  Simp- 
son pursues  the  same  aim  as  that  which  he  kept 
before  him  in  writing  the  first,  noticed  in  these 
pages  about  three  years  ago,  that  aim  being  to 
trace  the  development  of  architecture  through  the 
planning,  construction,  materials,  and  principles  of 
design  of  the  buildings  described,  note  being  taken 
also  of  the  influences  which  helped  to  shape  that 
development.  While  the  first  volume  dealt  with 
the  evolution  and  interrelation  of  the  architecture 
of  the  Archaic  nations  and  of  Greece  and  its  subse- 
quent Byzantine  development,  the  present  volume 


treats  wholly  of  ecclesiastical  architecture  through 
the  centuries  when  Romanesque  and  Gothic  art 
flourished.  The  first  half  of  the  volume  is  occu- 
pied with  such  details  of  churches  as  arches,  arch- 
mouldings  and  labels,  columns,  piers,  capitals,  bases, 
walls,  buttresses,  plinths,  windows,  vaultings,  tow-ers 
and  spires,  mural  decoration,  and  other  ornamental 
adjuncts,  all  discussed  and  illustrated  seriatim, 
much  valuable  technical  information  being  given  ; 
and  the  second  part  is  devoted  to  a  consideration 
of  the  churches  as  integral  structures.  Important 
chapters  are  those  on  "The  Development  of  Church 
Planning"  and  "Gothic  Architecture  in  England 
and  Scotland,"  the  author  commenting  in  connec- 
tion with  the  latter  on  the  increasing  readiness 
shown  by  leading  authorities  to  acknowledge 
the  beauty  of  the  art  of  this  country,  whereas  a 
generation  ago  there  was  a  disposition  to  belittle 
it.  An  interesting  point  emphasized  by  the  author 
in  treating  of  P'rench  Gothic  is  the  change  that 
took  place  when  the  monks  ceased  to  act  as  archi- 
tects— that  is,  when  the  profession  became  secular- 
ized. The  monk-designer's  training  had  saturated 
him  with  traditional  methods  which  he  found 
difficult  to  discard,  and   it   was  to   the  infusion   of 


I'ORTRAIT   OF   FRAU    I.    R. 


(See  Berlin  Studio  Talk) 


liV   CARI.    MAX    RKIIEI 
77 


Reviews  and  Notices 


secular  blood,  as  he  expresses  it,  that  were  due 
the  enormous  strides  made  in  architectural  con- 
struction and  design  in  France  between  1150  and 
1220.  Though  the  churches  dealt  with  by  Prof. 
Simpson  have  been  described  many  times  before, 
there  is  so  much  freshness  and  originality  in  the 
author's  treatment  of  the  subject,  the  result  of 
personal  acquaintance  with  most  of  the  structures 
he  deals  with,  that  the  work  has  every  right  to 
rank  among  the  standard  literature  of  the  subject. 
The  illustrations  to  this  volume  number  more  than 
250,  and  are  with  a  few  trifling  exceptions  quite  new. 

Florentine  Sculptors  of  the  Renaissance.  By 
WiLHELM  Bode.  (London:  Methuen.)  \2S.  6d. 
net — A  very  marked  difference  is  noticeable 
between  the  history  of  painting  and  sculpture  in 
the  great  sesthetic  revival  that  took  place  in  Italy 
in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  for  whereas 
the  former  is  an  unbroken  record  of  progress  in- 
fluenced, but  not  caused,  by  the  new  light  thrown 
on  classic  art  resulting  from  the  discoveries  of 
antique  statues  and  bas-reliefs,  the  course  of  the 
latter  would  probably  but  for  those  discoveries 
have  taken  quite  another  direction.  This  signi- 
ficant fact  is  very  clearly  recognized  by  Dr. 
Bode  in  his  well-known  monograph  on  Floren- 
tine sculptors  of  the  Renaissance,  of  which  a 
new  and  excellent  translation  has  been  made. 
Illustrated  with  a  large  number  of  good  reproduc- 
tions of  official  masterpieces,  the  book  is  the  most 
authoritative  work  on  its  subject  that  has  hitherto 
appeared,  and  combines  with  much  keen  technical 
criticism  a  realization  of  the  personal  idiosyncrasies 
of  the  artists  under  review  such  as  has  been  rarely 
achieved  by  the  author's  fellow-countr}'men  who, 
as  a  general  rule,  lose  sight  of  the  craftsman  in 
their  vivisection  of  his  productions. 

In  Japan.  By  Gaston  Migeo.v.  (London  : 
Heinemann.)  ds. — Among  the  large  number  of 
tourists  who  now  annually  visit  Japan,  there  are 
probably  extremely  few  who  are  so  well  versed  in 
the  history  and  characteristics  of  its  art  as  the 
talented  author  of  this  little  work.  As  Conservator 
of  the  Louvre  Museum,  he  has  had  every  oppor- 
tunity of  studying  many  phases  of  that  art  before 
making  his  pilgrimage  to  the  Far  East.  Intensely 
sympathetic  with  the  work  of  Japan's  great  painters 
and  craftsmen,  his  impressions  of  her  cities,  temples, 
shrines,  theatres,  gardens,  and  museums,  received 
during  a  few  months'  stay  in  that  land  of  delight, 
are  worthy  the  perusal  and  consideration  of  all  who 
are  interested  in  Japanese  art. 

A  Popular  Handbook  to  the  National  Gallery. 
Vol.  I.  Foreign  Schools.     Compiled  by  Edward 


T.  Cook.  7tb  edition.  (London :  Macmillan  & 
Co.)  io.r.  net. — Since  the  early  editions  of 
Mr.  Cook's  Handbook  appeared  a  somewhat 
extensive  re-arrangement  of  the  rooms  at  the 
National  Gallery  has  taken  place,  and  this  has 
necessitated  considerable  revision  on  the  part  of 
the  compiler.  There  have  also  been  changes  in 
attribution  calling  for  further  revision.  Besides 
bringing  the  book  up-to-date  in  these  particulars 
Mr.  Cook  has  introduced  much  additional  matter 
in  his  notes  on  the  pictures,  and  the  opinions  and 
criticisms  of  Ruskin,  which  have  from  the  first  given 
distinction  to  this  Handbook,  have  been  supple- 
mented by  quotations  from  other  writers  of 
authority.  Neatly  bound  in  limp  leather  the 
book,  with  its  800  pages  of  letterpress,  is  not 
inconveniently  large  for  the  pocket. 

Porcelain — Oriental,  Continental  and  British. 
By  R.  L.  HoBSON,  B.A.  (London :  Archibald 
Constable  &  Co.,  Ltd.)  6.?.  net.  In  the  preface 
to  his  book  Mr.  Hobson  says  his  object  has  been 
to  give  in  compact  and  inexpensive  form  all  the 
facts  which  the  collector  really  needs,  and  in  this  he 
has  been  successful.  But  besides  the  collector  the 
volume  should  prove  useful  and  interesting  to  the 
student  and  the  amateur.  Not  the  least  helpful 
feature  in  the  book  are  the  lists  of  marks  which  are 
given  in  the  various  sections,  while  the  illustrations 
form  a  worthy  adjunct  to  the  text. 

Assisi  of  St.  Francis.  By  Mrs.  Robert  Goff. 
Illustrated  by  Colonel  R.  Goff.  With  an  essay  on 
the  Influence  of  the  Franciscan  Legend  on  Italian 
Art  by  J.  Kerr-Lawson.  (London:  Chatto  & 
Windus.)  20s.  net.  —  Occupying  as  it  does  a 
unique  position  in  the  history  of  the  Church  and  of 
the  evolution  of  Christian  ait,  Assisi  has,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  been  again  and  again  pictured 
and  described,  whilst  its  chequered  fortunes  have 
been  related  from  many  different  points  of  view. 
For  all  that  the  collaborators  in  the  new  volume  on 
the  much-discussed  subject  have  produced  a  book 
that  will  forcibly  appeal  alike  to  Protestants  and 
Roman  Catholics — so  true  is  the  insight  displayed 
by  Mrs.  Goff  into  the  personality  and  aims  of  the 
man  who  for  so  long  concentrated  the  attention  of 
Christendom  on  the  httle  hill  city,  and  so  well  has 
Colonel  Goff  in  his  beautiful  drawings,  amongst 
which  perhaps  the  finest  are  Assisi:  the  Rocca 
Maggiore,  Assisi  from  Perugia,  and  the  Duomo  of 
Perugia,  caught  the  very  atmosphere  of  the  scenes 
depicted.  The  story  of  the  Saint's  remarkable 
career  is  told  with  an  eloquence  and  an  enthusiasm 
that,  though  the  episodes  related  are  all  well  known, 
enchain  the  attention  of  the  reader  from   first  to 


Reviews  and  Notices 


last,  and  she  is  equally  happy  in  dealing  with  the 
men  who  endeavoured  to  carry  out  the  work  of 
St.  Francis  after  his  death.  Mr.  Kerr-Lawson's 
able  essay  on  the  Franciscan  Legend  well  defines 
the  singular  charm,  a  reflection  of  that  of  St.  Francis 
himself,  which  emanates  from  the  paintings  and 
frescoes,  several  of  which  are  reproduced,  of 
scenes  from  his  life. 

Le  Second  Livre  des  Monogrammcs,  Marques, 
Cachets  et  ex-Libris.  Composes  par  George  Auriol. 
Preface  d'Anatole  France.  (Paris  :  Henri  Floury). 
8  frcs.,  ed.  de  luxe,  25  frcs. — "  Ce  n'est  pas  peu  de 
chose  que  de  bien  dessiner  une  lettre,"  remarks 
the  distinguished  French  novelist  in  his  appreciative 
preface  to  this  second  collection  of  M.  Auriol's  signs 
and  emblems — the  first  made  its  appearance  some 
seven  years  ago.  The  remark  is  made  apropos  of 
an  alphabet  designed  by  M.  Auriol,  but  applies 
equally  to  the  designs  reproduced  in  these  volumes. 
Most  readers  of  The  Studio  know  something 
about  these  designs,  for  a  whole  group  of  them 
filled  one  of  its  pages  two  or  three  years  ago, 
and  they  do  not  need  to  be  told  that  in  his 
particular  field  M.  Auriol  stands  alone  in  the 
modern  art  world.  The  charm  of  his  devices 
lies  in  their  very  simplicity  :  the  "  home-marks  " 
or  cachets  de  famille,  the  monograms,  the  seals, 
and  even  the  book-plates,  betray  no  sign  of 
toil  in  their  production,  but  seem  to  have  been 
created  with  a  few  fluent  strokes  of  brush  or  pen, 
and  though  throughout  the  500  designs  reproduced 
in  the  volume,  the  impress  of  their  author  is 
apparent,  there  is  no  lack  of  variety. 

WtUiam  Callorv,  R.IV.S.,  J'.Ji.G.S.  An  Auto- 
biography. Edited  by  H.  M.  Cund.\ll.  (London  : 
Adam  &  Charles  Black.)  75.  bd.  net. — This  book  was 
originally  prepared  during  Mr.  Callow's  lifetime 
from  notes  carefully  made  by  Mrs.  Callow,  as  her 
husband  recalled  from  the  diaries  and  memoranda 
written  by  him  from  his  early  days  onwards  the 
episodes  in  his  long  career,  Mr.  Cundall's  task,  he 
tells  us,  having  been  to  assist  the  artist's  widow  in 
putting  these  notes  into  a  chronological  and  readable 
form.  The  book  is  profusely  illustrated  in  colours 
and  black-and-white  by  some  of  the  most  perfect 
examples  of  his  art.  The  "  In  Memoriam  "  which 
prefaces  the  work  gives  a  very  interesting  sketch  of 
the  artist's  career,  which  beginning,  so  to  speak,  at 
the  early  age  of  eleven,  when  he  commenced  to 
gain  his  livelihood  by  practising  the  rudiments  of 
his  art,  may  be  said  to  have  been  consummated 
eighty  years  later  by  his  "  one-man  "  show  at  the 
Leicester  Galleries  in  1907.  The  first  part  of  the 
book  is  full  of  incidents  in  connection  with  his  life 


in  Paris  in  1830  and  the  revolution  of  that  time. 
While  in  Paris  he  taught  the  children  of  King 
Louis  Philippe  and  many  of  the  French  nobility. 
His  place  in  the  history  of  water-colour  art  in 
England  is  an  unmistakable  one.  In  1838  he  was 
elected  an  associate  of  the  Old  Water  Colour 
Society,  and  a  full  chronological  list  is  given  of  his 
pictures  exhibited  at  the  Society's  shows  and  at 
the  Royal  Academy  and  elsewhere.  It  is  im- 
possible to  close  the  book  without  being  affected 
by  the  sentiment  of  a  life  so  prolonged  and  peace- 
fully lived  and  by  the  simple  charm  of  the  nature 
which  becomes  visible  through  its  pages. 

Chats  on  Old  Miniatures.  By  J.  J.  Foster,  F.S.  A. 
(London  :  T.  Fisher  Unwin.)  55.  net. — Amongst 
the  many  experts  who  have  recently  published  books 
on  miniatures,  Mr.  Foster  takes  high  rank  on 
account  of  his  insight  into  the  peculiarities  of 
technique  and  appreciation  of  the  difficulties 
with  which  the  exponents  of  the  beautiful  art  have 
to  contend.  His  work  is  far  more  than  a  mere  popu- 
lar chat  and  gives  in  a  less  expensive  form  pretty  well 
all  the  information  contained  in  his  larger  volume, 
including  descriptions  of  technical  processes  such 
as  cloissonne  and  champlevd  enamelling,  published 
some  years  ago.  It  includes  an  essay  on  the  French 
school,  the  results  of  its  author's  examination  of  the 
miniatures  shown  at  a  recent  exhibition  at  the  Biblio- 
thfeque  Nationale,  Paris. 

In  Mr.  Grant  Richards's  publications  this  season 
are  included  re-issues  of  Mr.  Grant  Allen's  Histori- 
cal Guides  to  Paris  and  Venice,  which  have  enjoyed 
wide  popularity  since  their  first  appearance  some 
ten  years  ago.  Both  volumes  (35.  6d.  net  each)  have 
been  extensively  revised  to  bring  them  up-to-date, 
and  both  are  now  for  the  first  time  illustrated  with 
numerous  reproductions  of  works  of  art. 

A  volume  entitled  Hessische  Landes-Ausstellung 
fiir  freie  und  angewandte  Kunst,  Darmstadt,  1 908, 
published  by  Alex.  Koch,  Darmstadt  (Mks.  20), 
gives  a  comprehensive  pictorial  record  of  an  exhibi- 
tion which  was  of  exceptional  interest  as  reflecting 
the  progress  of  modern  art  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of 
Hesse,  whose  enlightened  ruler  has  done  so  much  to 
help  it  forward.  As  an  account  of  the  exhibition  was 
given  in  these  pages  while  it  was  still  an  actuality,  it 
is  only  necessary  for  us  to  say  that  this  souvenir  is 
entirely  worthy  of  the  occasion. 

Among  the  latest  accessions  to  the  "  Menpes 
Series  of  Great  Masters,"  now  so  widely  known  on 
account  of  its  remarkably  faithful  reproductions  in 
colour  of  masterjjieces  of  painting,  is  Fragonard's 
famous  work.  The  S'wing,  of  which  the  original  is 
now  in  the  Wallace  Collection. 

79 


T 


The  Lay  Figure 


HE  LAV  FIGURE:   OX  THE 
LOVE  OF  ART. 


"  Could  you  tell  me  who  the  people  are 
that  writing  men  are  so  fond  of  describing  as  art 
lovers  ?  "  asked  the  Man  with  the  Red  Tie.  "  Are 
there  really  any  art  lovers — I  mean  who  lo\  e  art  for 
herself  alone  ?  " 

"  Of  course  there  are,"  said  the  Collector. 
"  There  is  a  very  large  number  of  people  who 
have  a  genuine  and  sincere  affection  for  art,  and 
prove  the  depth  of  their  affection  by  generous 
contributions  towards  the  cost  of  her  maintenance. 
What  plainer  evidence  of  their  feelings  could  you 
desire  than  that  ?  " 

"  What,  indeed  ? "  laughed  the  Critic.  "  But, 
tell  me,  are  these  contributions  made  out  of  pure 
disinterestedness,  or  do  these  generous  lovers  look 
for  anything  in  return  for  their  outlay — do  they 
regard  it  as  a  gift  or  an  investment .'  " 

"  There  you  have  the  whole  matter  in  a  single 
sentence ! "  cried  the  Man  with  the  Red  Tie. 
"  That  is  what  I  want  to  know.  Do  these  people 
we  hear  so  much  about  want  to  support  art  because 
she  is  the  object  of  their  deepest  affections,  or 
simply  because  they  hope  and  expect  to  make 
something  out  of  her  ?  Is  love  or  self-interest  the 
actual  inducement  ?  " 

"  What  a  silly  question  to  ask,"  returned  the 
Collector.  "  Of  course  love  of  art  is  the  reason 
for  the  expenditure.  No  man  would  spend  money 
lavishly,  with  no  certain  hope  of  return,  except  for 
an  object  about  which  he  felt  deeply.  If  there 
comes  eventually  a  return  for  his  outlay,  he  looks 
upon  that  as  a  fortunate  proof  of  his  foresight,  but 
not  by  any  means  as  something  which  he  could 
exactly  calculate." 

"  Then  you  would  have  us  believe  that  all  the 
money  you  have  spent  on  acquiring  works  of  art 
has  been  laid  out  simply  to  prove  your  affection," 
said  the  Critic. 

"No,  I  would  not,"  retorted  the  Collector.  "I 
cannot  afford  to  be  extravagant  for  the  sake  of  a 
, sentiment.  I  am  a  business  man,  and  when  I 
spend  money  I  must  see  some  way  of  getting  it 
back.  Yet  I  am  also  an  art  lover,  because  by  my 
investments,  if  you  like  to  use  that  term,  I  show 
a  desire  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  art  and 
to  encourage  her  activity.  I  am  a  discreet  lover, 
not  a  blind  and  foolish  one." 

"  A  discreet  lover,  indeed  !  "  sneered  the  Man 
with  the  Red  Tie,  "  a  lover  who  li\es  on  the  earn- 
ings of  the  object  of  his  affections  and  profits  at 
her  expense !  " 
80 


"  How  do  I  profit  at  her  expense?"  demanded 
the  Collector.  "  If  I  buy  works  of  art  I 
encourage  art — that  is  obvious.  Whether  I  buy 
out  of  mere  admiration  for  her  or  in  a  spirit  of 
frank  business  is  a  matter  which  does  not  affect 
the  main  principle.     1  am  a  buyer,  anyhow." 

"And  being  a  buyer,  you  think  it  does  not 
matter  whether  your  manner  of  dealing  with  art 
dignifies  or  degrades  her,"  commented  the  Critic. 
"  You  have  certainly  no  sentiment." 

"  No,  I  have  to  live,"  replied  the  Collector. 

"  The  retort  is  obvious — I  do  not  see  the 
necessity,"  laughed  the  Critic.  "  But,  seriously,  I 
regard  your  creed  as  absolutely  pernicious.  The 
manner  of  your  buying  does  affect  thfe  principle  of 
art  patronage,  and  it  affects  it  very  definitely.  A 
bad  spirit  in  collecting  taints  the  whole  art  market ;. 
it  cramps  and  restricts  the  development  of  art ;  it 
makes  the  work  of  art  a  mere  article  of  commerce  ; 
and  It  subjects  the  whole  of  art  production  to  those 
arbitrary  laws  of  supply  and  demand  which  control 
commercial  dealing." 

"  Why  should  art  claim  exemption  from  laws 
which  are  universal  ?  Why  should  it  not  be 
subject  to  conditions  which  govern  the  whole 
system  of  economics  ? "  asked  the  Collector. 
"Why  should  art  be  a  law  unto  itself?  " 

"Because  it  is,"  asserted  the  Critic;  "there  is 
no  other  reason.  The  love  of  art  is  an  instinct 
which  is  entirely  independent  of  economics,  a 
passion  which  suffers  no  control  from  expediency 
or  commercial  prudence.  It  is  an  instinct  quite 
sui  generis,  and  one  which  has  its  origin  deep 
down  in  man's  emotional  nature  — an  instinct,  too, 
which  manifests  itself  in  many  subtle  ways  but  not 
necessarily  in  the  acquisition  of  costly  works  of 
art,  for  its  possession  is  independent  of  wealth — an 
instinct,  moreover,  quite  distinct  from  that  which 
animates  and  prompts  the  average  collector  one 
meets  in  the  auction  room  buying  this  that  or  the 
other  thing  which  he  makes  a  hobby  of  collecting. 
The  true  art  lover  is  no  speculator  with  an  eye 
always  on  the  market  returns ;  he  is  not  a  dealer 
bribing  art  to  do  what  pays  best  ;  on  the  contrary, 
he  is  a  man  of  a  delicate  mind  who  worships 
art  because  she  is  pure  and  uncommercial,  and 
because  she  gives  him  pleasure  of  a  refined  and 
wholesome  kind." 

"Then  it  looks  as  if  my  doubts  were  justified, 
and  there  are  no  genuine  art  lovers,"  said  the  Man 
with  the  Red  Tie. 

"  I  don't  go  so  far  as  that,  but  among  collectors 
I  fear  there  are  not  many,"  replied  the  Critic. 

The  Lay  Figure. 


j^Oi 


w 


U'illiaiii    McTaggart,  R.S..-1. 


ILLIAM  McTAGGART_ 
R.S.A.,  PAINTER  OF  SEA 
AND  LAND.  BY  ALEX- 
ANDER    EDDINGTON. 


An  intense  and  passionate  love  of  nature  is 
the  dominant  characteristic  of  the  Celtic  tempera- 
ment. To  the  Anglo-Saxon  certain  aspects  of 
nature  inspire  dread  or  fear.  In  the  old  Celtic 
literature  there  is  no  sense  of  hostility  between 
man  and  Nature  in  her  wildest  or  gloomiest  moods  ; 
thri  Celt  gloried  in  the  great  expanses  of  earth  and 
sea  and  sky,  was  sensitive  to  every  passing  phase, 
easily  stirred  to  emotional  activity  and  responded 
alike  to  the  influences  of  storm  and  sunshine.  He 
loved  Nature  for  herself,  thinking  not  of  what  she 
might  produce  for  him  in  the  way  of  utility.  He 
delighted  in  the  contemplation  of  the  beautiful, 
and  rose  to  the  glories  of  the  sublime. 

It  is  this  pure  innate  love  of  nature  that  is  the 
inspiring  source  of  the  work  of  Mr.  McTaggart. 
It  is  found  in  his  early  pictures,  but  becomes  more 
and  more  evident  with  the  passing  of  the  years  until 
latterly  humanity  takes  its  place  not  as  something 
superior  to  but  part  of  the  nature  he  seeks  to  paint. 
His  career  has  been  a  consistent  artistic  progression 
with   no    looking    backward   or   divergence    into 
wayward  paths.     It  has  been  a  progression  from 
grave   to   gay,   from   a  limited  field  to  a  wide 
horizon,  from  the  definite  and  the  minute  to  the 
freedom  of  mastery  over  the  means   of  expres- 
sion, until  in  these  latter  days  there  is  no  British 
landscape   painter   who   has  a   more   complete 
power  of  presenting  Nature  in  her  richest  and 
most   glorious    effulgence   of    brilliant   sunlight 
than    is    possessed    by    Mr.    McTaggart.       He 
dazzles  by  the  force  of  the  impression  he  pro- 
duces.    Others  excel  him  in  repose,    equal   or 
even  surpass  him  in  the  mystery  and  witchery 
of  certain  aspects   of   nature,    but   no   Scottish 
artist  approaches  him  in    placing  on  canvas  a 
full  and  complete  orchestration  of  colour  or  in 
the  realisation  of  motion,  whether  it  be  in  cloud, 
in  wave,  in  vegetation  or  in  the  figure. 

Born  in  the  parish  of  Campbeltown,  where 
his  father  was  a  farmer,  Mr.  McTaggart  as  a 
boy,  working  entirely  on  his  own  initiative, 
commenced  to  model  from  clay  on  the  farm. 
Apprenticed  at  the  age  of  twelve  to  Dr. 
Buchanan,  who  dispensed  his  own  medicines, 
McTaggart  utilised  his  considerable  spare  time 
in  drawing  crayon  portraits,  and  then  painted 
in  oil,  though  he  had  neither  the  benefit  of 
teaching  nor  example.  Armed  with  an  intro- 
.\I.\II.     No,  196,— Jii.v,  1909. 


duction  to  Sir  (then  Mr.)  Daniel  Macnee,  he  went 
to  Glasgow,  and  after  spending  a  short  time  in 
portrait  painting  in  that  city  he  followed  Mr. 
Macnee's  suggestion  and  removed  to  Edinburgh, 
where  he  entered  the  Trustees  Academy  and 
became  a  pupil  of  Robert  Scott  Lauder.  There 
he  worked  in  association  with  Orchardson,  Pettie, 
Paul  Chalmers  and  Hugh  Cameron,  remaining  for 
seven  years  under  Scott  Lauder's  guiding  influence 
and  also  taking  some  lessons  in  anatomy.  Like 
others  of  his  "  brither  Scots  "  Mr.  McTaggart  made 
excursions  to  Ireland,  not  for  the  study  of  landscape 
but  on  portrait  painting  expeditions  to  provide  the 
wherewithal  to  carry  on  the  winter  studies  in  Edin- 
burgh. 

It  was  in  the  exhibitions  of  the  Hibernian 
Society  in  Dublin  that  Mr.  McTaggart  first  showed 
examples  of  his  work,  not  appearing  as  an  exhibitor 
in  Edinburgh  until  1855  with  portraits  in  water 
colour.  Three  years  afterwards  he  showed  five 
subject  pictures,  and  from  then  onwards  portraiture 
gradually  fell  into  a  subsidiary  position,  though 
never  wholly  disappearing  from  the  range  of  his 
art.  In  186 1,  his  first  landscape,  The  Cornfield, -^sa 
exhibited.  It  is  a  noteworthy  tribute  to  the  quality 
of  Mr.  McTaggart's  work  that  while  still  a  scholar 
he  was  in  1859  elected  an  associate  of  the  Academy 


rORTRAir  OF  WII.I.IAM   mcta<;gart,   r.s. 
IIV   Hf;.NRV   w. 


83 


JVilliam   McTaggart,  R.S.A. 


at  the  same  time  as  J.  C.  Wintour  and  Hugh 
Cameron,  both  of  them  artists  who  afterwards 
achieved  distinction.  During  this  period  Mr.  McTag- 
gart showed  the  pre-Raphaelite  influence  which 
is  very  evident  in  his  Past  and  Present,  painted  the 
year  after  he  gained  associate  rank.  This  influence 
was  not  only  manifest  in  technique,  but  in  theme, 
and  for  some  years  afterwards  there  was  a  marked 
choice  of  serious  subjects  for  his  genre  pictures. 
Even  late  in  the  'sixties  he  continued  to  show  this 
tendency,  though  along  with  it  there  was  develop- 
ment to  a  much  broader  and  freer  style.  His 
diploma  work,  Dora,  which  hangs  in  the  Scottish 
National  Gallery,  has  passages  of  colour  and 
breadth  of  treatment  in  the  landscape  that  indicate 
the  artistic  growth  that  was  soon  to  free  the 
painter  from  all  traditional  and  scholastic  restraint. 
But  the  exhibited  Dora  was  not  a  first  impression. 
It  was  symptomatic  of  the  painter's  mental  attitude 


that  his  first  choice  was  to  illustrate  Dora's  failure^ 
and  so  he  represents  her  after  she  had  sat  with 
the  child  in  the  cornfield  till  the  farmer  had  passed 
unseeing,  and  "  the  sun  fell  and  all  the  land  was 
dark."  The  pathos  and  mystery  of  this  version  of 
Dora  appealed  strongly  to  Paul  Chalmers,  whose 
imaginative  spirit  was  more  akin  to  the  sadder 
cadences  of  Nature  than  her  joyous  moods. 

Other  pictures  that  show  the  serious  side  are 
E?ioch  Arden  and  The  Wreck  of  the  Hesperus,  both 
of  them  works  which  took  a  strong  hold  on  the 
popular  imagination,  though  probably  if  any  picture 
were  to  be  selected  as  that  which  contributed  more 
than  any  other  to  draw  public  attention  to  his 
work  it  would  be  his  Willie  Baird,  inspired  by 
Robert  Buchanan's  poem.  These  works  all  in- 
dicate a  period  of  his  mental  and  artistic  develop- 
ment when  humanity  was  the  dominant  note  with 
its  passion,  tragedy  and  pathos,  a  period   which 


:■.    /^ 


'v.-      'W 


't*-(if^h 


'A   SPRKi    OF    HKATHKR" 
BY    WILLIAM    McTAGGART 


William   McTaggart,  R.S.A. 


was  however  relieved  by  intermittent  flashes  of 
humour  that  found  expression  in  such  subjects  as 
Folloiving  the  Fine  Arts — boys  running  after  an 
Italian  vendor  of  plaster  figures — and  The  Press 
Gang — a  group  of  children,  some  of  whom  are 
catching  others  in  the  sweep  of  their  skipping  rope, 
an  old  Edinburgh  frolic  which  was  known  by  the 
title  the  artist  has  adopted.  The  robust  optimism 
of  later  life  is  shown  in  the  pictures  of  which 
Crofter  emigration  is  the  theme.  In  The  Emi- 
grants— a  group  of  families  leaving  a  lonely 
Hebridean  coast  in  their  fishing- boats  to  board  the 
sailing  ship  that  waits  for  them  in  the  ofifing — we 
have  a  picture  of  the  poverty  and  privation  that  is 
compelling  the  departure ;  the  ditificulties  of  the 
pathway  to  a  brighter  future  are  indicated  in  the 
stormy  sky  and  restless  sea  on  which  the  ship  that 
means  so  much  to  the  voyagers  is  hardly  visible, 
but  over  it  and  partly  obliterating  it  with  its 
radiance  is  a  shaft  of  rainbow  iridescence  that 
lights  up  the  whole  scene  with  its  eternal  ray  of 
hope.  The  foreground  seems  but  a  confused 
setting  of  human  figures,  hardly  discernible  from 


the  details  of  the  rocky  shore  ;  but  this  seeming 
confusion  is  a  studied  arrangement,  it  is  the  means 
whereby  the  artist  wishes  to  direct  attention  not  to 
the  sad  present  but  to  the  hopeful  future.  Another 
theme  which  has  been  engaging  the  artist's  attention 
for  some  years  is  the  mission  of  St.  Columba  to 
Scotland;  and  in  two  large  canvases,  not  yet 
completed,  he  shows  the  arrival  of  this  missioner 
on  the  Western  Coast  and  his  first  preaching  to 
the  Picts  on  the  shores  of  a  Highland  bay. 

In  the  process  of  development  Mr.  McTaggart 
has  pursued  his  own  path  uninfluenced  by  the 
artistic  currents  of  his  own  or  other  countries. 
He  once  spent  a  holiday  on  the  Mediterranean, 
and  on  other  occasions  visited  the  galleries  of 
Paris,  Dresden,  Prague,  Vienna,  Antwerp,  the 
Hague  and  Amsterdam,  but  these  excursions  were 
merely  tourist  expeditions  undertaken  in  the 
company  of  friends  without  any  art  motive.  Nor 
did  he  ever  associate  much  with  other  artists  in  his 
own  country,  as  for  example  did  Frazer  and  Bough 
in  Cidzow  Forest.  All  that  he  has  accomplished 
has  been  the  result  of  personal  effort.      And  as 


-.^^te- 


'•THE    FISHERS    LANDING" 
86 


BY   WILLIAM    MCTAGGART 


OFF   TO    TIIF    FISHING " 
BY    WILLIAM    McTAGGART 


M^illiam   McTaggart,  R.S.A. 


already  stated  his  progress  has  been  consistent. 
No  period  can  be  assigned  for  a  new  departure, 
even  if  one  takes  only  exhibited  work  as  the 
criterion.  The  evolution  has  been  gradual,  and 
though  the  artist  has  now  passed  the  three-score 
years  and  ten,  which  generally  mean  arrestment 
and  limitation  of  the  power  to  express  ideas,  there 
is  today  no  evidence  of  lack  of  originality  in 
conception  or  enfeeblement  of  technique.  Indeed 
his  power  seems  still  on  the  increase.  Only  this 
spring  I  saw  a  seascape  which  had  just  left  the  easel 
that,  in  the  quality  of  its  colour,  ihe  rendering  of 
light  and  atmosphere,  and  the  realisation  of  the 
dash  and  sparkle  of  breaking  waves,  has  not  been 
excelled  by  his  earlier  work.  Seldom,  if  ever,  does 
he  repeat  himself,  though  he  has  painted  so  much 
that,  as  he  facetiously  remarked  to  me,  his  greatest 
difficulty  now  was  to  find  a  new  title  for  a  picture. 

For  about  twenty  years  Mr.  McTaggart  had  his 
studio  in  Charlotte  Square,  and  since  then  he  has 
resided  at  Broomieknowe,  within  reach  of  the 
city,  but  away  from  its  diversions  and  harassments. 
Here  he  has  constructed  a  spacious  studio  with 
semicircular  glass  roof,  as  near  an  approach  to 
open-air  conditions  as  can  be  obtained.  An  im- 
portant picture  will  often  be  years  in  the  making, 
and  in  these  cases  he  always  dates  so  as  to  indi- 


cate the  year  in  which  it  was  commenced  and 
that  in  which  i:  finally  left  the  easel.  Many  of  his 
landscapes  have  been  painted  from  the  garden  of 
his  house,  from  which  one  obtains  a  view  of  quietly 
diversified  landscape  rising  in  gentle  undulations 
towards  the  Moorfoot  Hills,  to  which  he  constructs 
a  foreground  as  in  Harvest  at  Broomieknowe, 
reproduced  in  colour.  Born  within  sound  of  the 
waves,  and  in  early  life  much  on  the  water,  Mr. 
McTaggart  has  always  felt  the  magnetism  of  its 
attraction,  whether  under  the  gray  skies  of  Car- 
noustie or  Port  Seton,  or  under  the  rich  warm  light 
of  a  summer  day  at  Machrihanish  on  the  peninsula 
of  Kintyre,  his  native  district,  to  which  he  is 
a  regular  summer  visitor.  On  few  occasions  has 
he  sent  his  work  to  Burlington  House,  and  during 
the  last  dozen  years  his  pictures  have  only  at  rare 
intervals  been  seen  on  the  walls  of  the  Royal 
Scottish  Academy.  To  public  appreciation  or 
criticism  he  is  remarkably  indifferent,  an  indiffer- 
ence which  has  no  basis  in  hostility,  but  rather  in 
a  whole-hearted  devotion  to  his  work  for  its  own 
sake. 

The  outstanding  feature  of  Mr.  McTaggart's 
work  is  his  power  of  expressing  light,  colour  and 
movement.  He  excels  in  the  rendering  of  the 
sunshine   of  the   full   day  and   in   wide,  open-air 


'CONSIDER  THE   LILIES 


BY   WILLIAM    McT.V.GART 


William   McTaggarl,  R.S.A. 


"  MIDSUMMER    DAY 


tV    WILLIA-M    M^IAGGAKT 


•'I 


^££^ 


"  PORT-AN-KIGH  — WKl.tO.MK    TO    THE    HEKKI> 


...     Ull.l.lA.M    .'.Ul  AL.v.AkT 
89 


William  McTaggart,  R.S.A. 


effects.  There  is  never  a  suggestion  in  his  mature 
work  that  it  is  other  than  a  picture  completed  on 
the  spot,  except  in  his  supersensitive  method  of 
dating.     It   has  no  taint  of  the  studio.     Nature's 


fulness  and  freedom  of 
symphonic  beauty  are 
expressed  with  rare  under- 
standing and  fine  sym- 
pathy. There  is  a  con- 
vincing certainty  in  the 
quality  of  the  hght  and 
the  way  in  which  it  is 
affected  by  different  at- 
mospheric conditions  and 
the  objects  from  which  it 
is  reflected.  He  is  not  a 
stylist.  Order  and  sym- 
metry occupy  a  subordi- 
nate place  in  his  mind, 
and  thus  we  seldom  have 
him  approaching  that 
unity  of  reposeful  beauty 
that  distinguishes  work  by 
Mathew  Maris  or  Corot. 
On  the  other  hand,  his 
colour  effects  are  orches- 
tral in  their  variety,  richness  and  fulness  of  tone. 
In  his  composition  chiaroscuro  plays  a  small  part. 
It  is  thus  impossible  to  translate  him  into  black- 
and-white  without  grievous  loss.     He  composes  in 


BY    WIM.IAM    MCTAGGAKT 


"WACRIHANISH   BAY". 
90 


BY   WILLIA.M    McTAGGART 


^ 


"  Chosen  Pic  tines  "  at  the  Grafton  Ga/tery 


colour.  Figures  in  his  landscape  are  notes  in  the 
colour  scheme  and  are  frequently  introduced  for 
no  other  purpose.  In  his  finest  and  most  impres- 
sive work  they  lack  definiteness  of  form,  but  it  is 
rare  to  see  a  figure  that  is  out  of  relation  to  its 
surroundings.  They  blend  with  and  form  an 
integral  part  of  the  landscape.  In  many  cases  one 
receives  but  a  suggestion  of  their  presence  They 
are  merely  human  casuals.  A  great  lover  of 
McTaggart's  work,  who  is  a  well-known  Scottish 
art  connoisseur,  was  expatiating  one  day  on  the 
beauties  of  a  McTaggart  picture  to  a  friend  of  mine, 
and  pausing  in  his  remarks,  he  stepped  nearer  to  the 
canvas  and,  looking  critically  at  one  part, 
he  said,  "  I  used  to  have  a  wee  lassie  here, 
but  I've  lost  her  1 "  This  observation 
characterises  in  a  sentence  the  elusiveness 
of  these  child  figures.  They  have  often 
to  be  searched  for,  they  do  not  obtrude. 
And  yet  sometimes  a  foreground  will  be 
seen  to  be  full  of  them  peeping  from  behind 
some  boulder  or  tree  stem,  and  frolic- 
some as  elves  in  the  sheer  joy  of  living. 

How  realistically,  too,  does  Mr.  McTag- 
gart convey  the  sense  of  motion,  whether 
it  be  that  of  the  clouds  scudding  across 
the  sky,  the  fishing-boat  dancing  on  the 
sunlit  waves,  trees  bending  to  the  blast, 
the  storm-tossed  billows  of  an  angry  ocean, 
the  rippling  arpeggios  on  the  shore,  or 
the  merry  gambols  of  children  at  play. 
In  Coitiider  the  Lilies  how  beautifully  the 
rhythmic  motion  of  the  dancing  children 
is  expressed.  One  even  feels  that  the 
lilies  sway  their  graceful  stems  in  sym- 
pathy. In  such  circumstances  to  attempt 
precise  definition  would  be  to  portray 
the  false  and  produce  the  petrified  results 
of  a  snapshot  camera.  It  is  not  on  such 
an  artificial  basis  that  Mr.  McTaggart  has 
worked.  Nature  with  him  is  ever-living, 
untrammelled,  free.  In  his  desire  to  be 
true  to  this  great  conception  of  nature  it 
must  be  admitted  that  sometimes  in  later 
years  Mr.  McTaggart  has  paid  too  little 
regard  to  form.  But  to  no  artist  has  the 
power  been  given  to  express  himself 
fully  in  all  directions,  and  where  Mr. 
McTaggart  has  failed  it  has  been  in  that 
which  was  of  least  importance  to  his  art. 
Truly  may  it  be  said  that  his  motto  is 
"  Apprenons  \  subordonner  les  petits 
int^rets  aux  grands." 

A.  Eddington. 


c 


HOSEN  PICTURES"  AT  THE 
GRAFTON    GALLERY. 


If  we  had  been  wishing  for  an  exhi- 
bition that  would  have  given  us  just  now  the  utmost 
satisfaction,  it  would  have  been  of  the  character  of 
the  "  Chosen  Pictures ''  recently  brought  together 
at  the  Grafton  Gallery,  and  our  wish  would  not  only 
have  coincided  with  its  gratification,  but  with  the 
peculiar  moment  for  such  an  exhibition.  For 
there  is  a  tendency  now  for  the  various  movements 
to  draw  together,  and  a  burying  of  hatchets  seems 
to  be  in  progress  on  every  hand.      During  the  last 


I'ORTRAn    or    MRS.    HOWARD 


BY    FRANCIS    HOWARD 


93 


''Chosen  Pictures^'  at  tJie  Grafton  Gallery 


twenty  years,  or  even  a  much  shorter  period,  there 
have  arisen  separate  groups  of  painters,  with  little 
apparently  in  common,  but  who  are  now  found  to 
have  arrived  at  much  about  the  same  point.  And 
it  is  at  that  point  that  the  forecasts  of  the  future 
must  be  made.  These  groups  have  existed  in- 
dependently of  each  other,  although  inspired  by 
kindred  aspirations,  and  in  looking  round  this 
exhibition  we  were  more  conscious  of  the  nature 
of  these  aspirations  than  of  the  differences  in  the 
expression  of  them.  We  were  also  conscious  of 
the  promise  which  the  exhibition  gave,  that  this 
moment  in  the  development  of  painting  in  this 
country  will,  when  looked 
back  upon  in  times  to 
come,  be  recognised  as 
one  of  a  temper  and  energy 
peculiarly  its  own. 

Among  the  separate 
groupings  of  the  past 
under  which  strongly  indi- 
vidual aims  have  pros- 
pered, are  those  asso- 
ciated with  the  names  of 
Messrs.  Charles  Ricketts 
and  C.  H.  Shannon ; 
Messrs.  W.  Nicholson  and 
James  Pryde;  Messrs.  W. 
Orpen  and  Augustus 
John,  and  the  earlier 
"  International "  cluster. 
To  have  these  aims  shown 
together  in  retrospect  was 
an  entirely  praiseworthy 
idea.  We  could  see  a 
little  of  the  direction  in 
which  things  have  been 
travelling,  and  that  where 
we  sometimes  thought 
confusion  reigned,  the 
general  tendency  was  in 
the  one  direction — away 
from  superficial  realism 
or  literary  symbolism,  to- 
wards work  of  pure  feel- 
ing, carrying  with  it,  as  an 
expression  of  that  feeling, 
fluency  of  composition 
and  the  rhythm  of  imagi- 
native decoration,  or,  on 
the  other  hand,  a  striving 
for  a  closer  intimacy  with 
Nature,  a  desire  for  her 
inspiration  in  as  undiluted 
94 


a  draught  as  possible — and  in  as  direct  a  way  as 
possible  in  the  case  of  "  interpretative  "  art — we  do 
not  say  "  imitative,"  for  that  word  is  abandoned 
as  meaning  scarcely  anything  which  could  not  be 
put  out  of  countenance  by  the  camera. 

One  was  struck  by  the  intimate  note  in  so  many 
of  the  landscape  paintings,  as  if  the  impressionist's 
first  intoxication  with  the  brightness  of  the  morning 
and  the  sunset  had  given  place  to  the  secrets  of  less 
sensational  hours.  And  as  methods  have  adjusted 
themselves  to  this  refinement,  as  in  Mr.  Mark  Fisher's 
paintings,  popularity  is  surrendered ;  no  appeal  is 
made  to  a  public  which  has  not  yet,  and   perhaps 


'THE   MORRIS 


l;V    WILLIAM    NICHOLSON 

[By  permission  of  the  Stafford  Gallery) 


(By  permission  of  Messrs. 
Thos.  A^iew  &•  So)i) 


THE    FARM" 

BY   E.   A.   WALTON,    R.S.A. 


Chosen  Pictures  "  at  the  Grafton  Gallery 


never  will,  pass  the  invisible  barrier  which  divides 
them  from  all  that  is  not  obvious.  And  so  all 
these  painters  have  had  to  make  their  own  public 
and  their  own  appreciators  :  but  all  latter-day  criti- 
cism has  been  in  their  favour,  as  it  never  was  in 
favour  of  revolutionists  before.  Their  intellectual 
and  self-conscious  attitude  towards  their  own  aims 
could  not  fail  to  enlist  the  support  of  writers  who 
understand  that  attitude  better  than  any  other. 

But  this  self-consciousness  has  not  been  without 
its  deleterious  influence.  There  is  not  always  pre- 
sent the  art  which  conceals  art.  One  of  the  most 
admirable  pictures  in  the  gallery  is  Mr.  Lambert's 
The  Shop  :  but  the  particular  view  of  the  studio, 
with  its  grouping  of  the  figures  in  the  canvas,  is 
all  a  very  consciously  arranged  pictorial  device. 
Such  deliberation  of  composition  is  always  in 
keeping  with  the  nature  of  purely  decorative  paint- 
ing ;  but  in  this  work  the  painting  of  the  faces,  of 
the  actions,  and  of  the  clothes  of  the  figures  is 


intensely  realistic  in  its  suggestion,  and  that  the 
character  of  the  composition  may  be  identified 
with  such  essentially  spontaneous  handling,  it 
also  should  be  without  evidence  of  too  much 
deliberation.  The  handling  presupposes  that  the 
view  is  frankly  an  impression,  and  the  naivete  and 
freshness  of  this  impression  are  only  spoiled  by  the 
formality  of  the  composition  —  for  it  is  formal 
although  it  is  not  conventional. 

A  charming  portrait  is  Mr.  Francis  Howard's 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  Francis  Howard,  in  what  is  per- 
haps the  best  modern  tradition,  or  the  best  that 
modern  art  has  as  yet  substituted  for  a  tradition. 
The  convention  which  it  subscribes  to  and  which 
^\'histler  developed  and  followed  more  elusively 
and  meaningly  than  anyone  else,  is  one  to  which 
some  of  the  best  portrait  painters  of  the  day  have 
contributed,  giving  it  a  stability  which  Whistler 
with  his  ghostly  methods  was  incapable  of  and  did 
not  care  for.     It  is  that  of  the  figure  turning  into 


' REFUGEES ' 
96 


(By  permission  of  Messrs.   Win.  Marfhant  i-  Co.) 


BY    WILLIAM    ORPEN,    R.H.A. 


THE    SURFRISI'." 

1!V    WII.I.IAM    SIRAXC;, 


A.R.A. 


''Chosen  Pictures''  at  the  Graft  on  Gallery 


or  walking  down  the  room,  and  always  seen  as  far 
in  the  room  as  within  the  frame,  never  standing  as 
if  close  to  a  window-pane  against  the  picture  glass, 
or  making  those  absurd  attempts  to  leave  the 
frame  behind  it,  with  which  latter-day  Academic 
portraiture  has  familiarised  us. 

But  perhaps  it  was  not  in  portraiture  that  the 
excellence  and  significance  of  this  exhibition  were 
to  be  found,  but  in  the  most  intimate  of  all  arts, 
such  as  Mr.  Pryde's,  and  Mr.  Rickett's,  and  Mr. 
Shannon's ;  for  here  we  have  what  seems  to 
promise  the  greatest  things  for  the  future  of 
imaginative  painting — that  return  to  the  conception 
of  it  possessed  by  the  early  Italian  masters.  The 
visions  of  thought  and  imagination  are  fugitive 
and  changeable,  and  the  brush  which  follows  the 
fancy,  the  imagination,  must  be  as  free  to  obey  it 
— to  obey  the  shapes  in  which  things  come  to  the 
mind — as  it  is  trained  to  obey  the  shapes  that 
present  themselves  in  nature.  And  it  is  in  their 
apparent  perception  of  this  fundamental  principle  of 


imaginative  art  that  we  have  a  brilliant  school  of 
imaginative  and  fanciful  painters,  whose  works  live, 
because  in  them  afterthoughts  are  not  allowed  to 
slay  the  parent  fancy  by  the  substitution  of  a 
trivial  agreement  of  fact  for  essential  agreement 
between  conception  as  it  leaves  the  mind  and  as  it 
finds  its  way  to  canvas. 

The  prefatory  note  in  the  catalogue  of  the 
exhibition  explained  the  failure  of  the  exhibition 
to  be  quite  representative  ;  but  this  failure  is  not  to 
be  regretted  if  it  provides  the  excuse  for  the  exhibi- 
tion to  be  supplemented  at  a  later  date  by  another 
of  the  same  order,  including,  if  possible,  the  works 
of  Mr.  ^^'ilson  Steer,  Mr.  George  Henry,  and  others, 
who  belong  distinctly  to  the  time  that  is  covered. 

Except  for  the  purposes  of  the  remarks  which 
the  exhibition  has  inspired,  it  is  not  our  intention  to 
discriminate  among  the  individual  works  gathered 
together,  of  which  the  majority  have  been  seen 
before,  many  of  them  having  already  been  repro- 
duced in  our  pages. 


BY    MARK    FISHER 


'DIABOLO" 
BY    HARRINGTON    MANN 


'^\ 


V 


THE    MAX    IN    THE    BLACK    SH^^lT 
BY    CHARLES    SHANNON 


Architcctiiral  Gardening. — /  V. 


The  process  of  exclusion  was  well  applied,  with 
exceptions  such  as  we  have  instanced.  It  would 
have  been  so  easy  to  imperil  the  exceptional 
standard.  Perfection  in  the  management  of  such 
a  show,  like  perfection  in  the  arts  themselves, 
would  appear  to  be  recognised  by  what  is  omitted 
as  much  as  by  what  is  retained.  Outstanding 
names  of  artists  of  whose  work  selected  represen- 
tative examples  were  shown  will  convey  to  readers 
of  The  Studio  the  range  of  the  exhibition.  They 
included  Messrs.  A.  D.  Peppercorn,  C.  J.  Holmes, 
Stirling  Lee,  M.  Greiffenhagen,  A.  John,  J.  Lavery, 
F.  Cayley   Robinson,  B.   Priestman,  A.  Jamieson, 


IN     IHK    KINGS    OkCHAkl) 


Muirhead  Bone,  A.  Ludovici,  Max  Beerbohm,  F. 
Derwent  Wood,  and  those  from  whose  works  we 
have  selected  our  illustrations. 

Some  painters  were  very  fully  represented.    Thus, 
Mr.  W.  Strang,  Mr.  Charles  Shannon,  Mr.  Ricketts, 
Mr.  W.  W.  Russell,  Mr.  W.  Nicholson,  and  Mr. 
George  Sauter  enjoyed  plenty  of  wall-space,  and  it 
was  in  the  opportunity  of  seeing  their  work,  not 
in  fragments  but  grouped  in  this  way,  and  of  thus 
studying  the  art  of  contemporaries   side    by  side 
that  one  was  able  to  form  some  adequate  concep- 
tion   of  the  strength,  as   well    as    the  underlying 
unity,   of  aims  asserting  themselves  so  variously. 
With  the    same   amount 
of  wall  extended  to  other 
eminent  painters,  and  an 
effort  made  by  artists  and 
management  to  fill  it  to 
the    best    advantage,    a 
•  repetition   of  the  exhibi- 
tion is  sure  of  welcome. 
For  it  corrects  a  fault  of 
the    modern     exhibition 
system,   in    which   works 
appear  only  to  disappear, 
to    be    replaced    by   the 
work  of  the  same  painters 
in    other    moods,    under 
other  influences,  and  so 
we   are    kept    from    any 
certain  knowledge  of  the 
real  history   of  the  pro- 
gress of  the   individual, 
and  of  our  time. 

T.  M.  W. 

ARCHITEC- 
TURAL 
GARDEN- 
ING. —  VI. 
W ITH  ILLUSTRA- 
TIONS AFTER 
DESIGNS  BY  C. 
E.  MALLOWS, 
F.R.I. B.A.,  AND  F. 
L.  GRIGGS. 

If  what  has  previously 
been  written  in  recent 
numbers  of  The  Studio 
by  way  of  explanatory 
notes  or  comments  on 
hv  ti.MtNi.  J.  sui.i.ivAN  the  illustrations  for  this 

lOI 


Architectural  Gardening. —  /  V. 


series  of  articles,  and  shown  by  the  drawings 
themselves,  has  not  made  clear  the  importance  of 
the  pictorial  element,  and  of  unity,  in  house  and 
garden  design,  at  least  two  of  the  principal  objects 
we  have  had  in  view  through  the  publication  of 
these  drawings  have  failed  to  accomplish  their 
purpose.  By  "  pictorial  element "  is  meant  the 
studied  arrangement  of  pictures  both  within  and 
without  the  house,  not  only  as  concerns  a  com- 
position as  a  whole,  but  also  the  details  of  its 
various  parts.  T  his  element  in  modern  domestic 
work  is,  in  fact,  one  of  the  real  tests  and  measures 
of  its  merit,  and  claims  to  be  considered  as  archi- 
tecture in  the  right  sense  of  that  much  abused 
word ;  and  a  test  to  be  applied  just  as  severely 
as  those  other  better- known  ones  relating  to 
practical  planning,  construction,  and  sanitation. 
It  is  a  curious  and  instructive  comment  on  the 
popular  attitude  towards  architecture  that  those 
qualities  which  are  concerned  with  sesthetic  prin- 
ciples and  are  recognised 
to  some  extent  in  painting 
and  sculpture,  are  as  a 
rule  either  considered  of 
little  value  or  altogether 
ignored  in  architecture. 
Yet  the  building  of  a  house 
and  the  making  of  a  gar- 
den, if  they  were  rightly 
considered,  would  be 
treated  as  far  more  import- 
ant matters,  other  things 
being  equal,  than  either 
the  painting  of  a  picture 
or  the  shaping  of  a  statue. 
It  is  so  little  understood 
that  architecture  is  the 
mother  art,  and  therefore 
the  most  important  of 
them  all.  What  is  done  in 
building  usually  remains, 
a  permanent  credit  or  dis- 
credit to  its  author.  If  the 
painting  or  the  sculpture 
offends  it  can  be  destroyed 
with  comparative  facility, 
and  perhaps  enjoyment, 
but  bad  building  (and  how 
many  miles  are  there  of  it 
in  our  own  land?)  is  not 
so  easily  disposed  of;  it  is 
a  constant  source  of  trouble 
and  offence,  not  only  to 
those  immediatelv    con- 


cerned with  it,  but  to  the  now  ever-widening  circle 
of  the  general  public  that  finds  genuine  pleasure 
in  artistic  things. 

Another  element  in  garden  design  which  these 
notes  have  sought  to  emphasize  is  that  "  final 
refuge  of  the  complex  ''  termed  simplicity.  There 
is  no  more  important  aesthetic  quality  to  be  con- 
sidered than  that,  and  yet  it  is  so  seldom  found  in 
modern  work  that  its  presence  may  be  regarded  as 
a  hall-mark  of  rare  distinction. 

It  is  impossible  to  overrate  the  value  of  sim- 
plicity in  garden  work  when  it  can  be  coupled  with 
dignity  and  repose.  The  very  purpose  of  a  garden 
is  to  afford  rest  and  relief  to  the  mind  and  eye 
as  well  as  body,  and  this  cannot  be  accomplished 
if  the  eye  is  wearied  and  the  mind  troubled  by  a 
bewildering  plan  and  a  complexity  of  purposeless 
detail.  An  excellent  and  striking  illustration  of 
the  want  of  recognition  of  this  backbone  in  design 
is  often  found  in  the  planting  of  groves  or  avenues 


SMALL   HOUSE    WITH    LARGE  GARDEN    {see  plan  OH  p.    I05) 

DESIGNED   AND   DRAWN   BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS 


A   RIVKRSIDE   MOUSK.     DKSIGXKD  AND 
DRAWN     BY    C.    K.    MALLOWS,    F.R.I. B.A. 


Architectural  Gardening. — /  Y. 


1*^: 


^:.-^,is-:^,i 


A   RIVERSIDE   HOUSE 


DESIGNED    AND    DRAWN    BV    C.    E.     MALLOWS,    K.R.I.B.A. 


of  trees.  An  avenue  of  native  trees,  such  as  beech 
or  oak  or  elm,  can  scarcely  be  surpassed  for  fine 
and  dignified  effect,  just  that  effect  of  reposeful 
simplicity  so  much  to  be  desired ;  but  this  is 
destroyed  at  once  by  the  inclusion  of  other  trees  in 
the  same  design,  such  as  mixed  evergreens  of  the 
pine  species.     This  is  not  to  say  that  an  avenue  of 


pines  cannot  be  almost  as  good  (when  a  common- 
sense  regard  is  paid  to  the  locality,  for  they  do  not 
look  well  in  all  neighbourhoods  and -in  some  are 
altogether  out  of  place)  provided  they  are  all  of  the 
same  kind  and  size,  but  the  indiscriminate  planting 
of  varieties,  with  their  different  shapes  and  colours, 
must  necessarily  result  in  a  hard  and  discordant 


A   COUNTRY    HOUSE 
104 


DESIGNED   AND    DRAWN    BV   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.R.I. B.  A. 


Arcliitictural  Gardening. —  / '/. 


A    HOUSE    BY   A   STREAM  DESIGNED   AND    DRAWN    BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.R.LB.  A. 


sequence,  triviality  and 
discordance,  replacing 
the  simple  and  quiet 
effects  of  ordered  beauty 
so  characteristic  of  the 
old  work,  and  which  are 
the  natural. result  of  re- 
strained design. 

This  same  restless- 
ness, incoherence  and 
conflict  of  intention  are 
written  all  over  our 
streets  and  roads  and 
lanes  in  building  no  less 
than  in  garden  design, 
and  comes  from  a  very 
simple  and  primitive 
cause  —  the  want  of 
sound  principle  and 
knowledge  of  the  first 
laws  that  should  govern 


effect.  At  Wymondley  Priory,  in  Hert- 
fordshire, is  a  very  ancient  quadrangle 
of  box,  a  sort  of  extra  cloister,  planted 
by  the  monks,  of  a  charm  beyond 
description,  although  the  whole  effect 
is  now  suffering  from  age  and  former 
periods  of  neglect.  At  Pinsbury  near 
Sapperton,  in  Gloucestershire,  is  a  long 
alley  of  yew  of  such  density  that  a 
heavy  rain  scarcely  penetrates  it,  and 
there  are  also  the  better- known  ex- 
amples at  Melbourne,  in  Derbyshire, 
and  the  great  hornbeam  hedge  in  the 
gardens  of  Levens  Hall,  Westmorland. 
The  chief  beauty  of  effect  in  all  these 
places  is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  trees  are  all  of  one  kind. 

This  it  might  reasonably  be  assumed 
would  have  been  self-evident  without 
examples  of  failure  or  success  to  teach 
gardeners.  Yet  the  lessons  to  be  learnt 
from  the  old  gardens,  which  all  agree 
in  praising,  in  the  making  of  the  new, 
seem  to  be  ignored  altogether  in  most 
cases,  or  if  they  are  remembered,  the 
desire  to  profit  by  the  lessons  the  old 
work  teaches,  is  invariably  damaged 
by  another  desire  to  improve  upon 
them,  and  so  restlessness  creeps  into 
what  ought  to  be  "abodes  of  peace" 
and  repose,  bringing  with  it,  as  a  natural 


I'LAN   OF    HOUSE   AND  GARDEN 

DESIGNED   BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.R.  I.B.A. 
{See  perspective  view  on  page  102) 

105 


Architectural  Gardeninz- — t  I- 


the  production  of  all  fine  art.  The  fantastic  pro- 
cess through  which  modern  building  was  and,  for 
the  greater  part,  still  is  produced,  would  be  a 
subject  for  mirth  if  the  results  were  not  so  serious. 
Our  architecture  of  to  -  day  is  a  hotch  -  potch 
gathered  from  all  sources  and  put  together — it 
can  hardly  be  called  designed — in  an  indiscrim- 
inate and  unreasoning  way.  At  one  time  Belgium 
has  been  searched  for  "inspirations,"  at  another 
Holland,  another  Spain,  then  Italy,  Greece  and 
Japan,  and  now  with  the  entente  cordiaU  France 
comes  to  our  rescue,  and  we  are  told  to  speak  a 
kind  of  broken  French  (in  some  excellent  London 
examples  the  pure  French  of  Paris)  in  our  streets 
and  country  houses.  This  is  almost  as  sensible 
a  proceeding  as  if  it  were  proposed,  as  part  of 
our  future  national  education,  that  French  should 
replace  the  mother-tongue. 

The  foundation  of  all  sound  principles  in  art 
is,  after  all,  nothing  but  that  provided  by  reason 
and  common  sense.  Failing  all  other  knowledge, 
house  and  garden  design  will,  at  least,  never  be 
offensive  if  these  two  qualities  form  the  basis  of 
the  superstructure  and  it  expresses  the  purpose  it 


is  intended  to  ser\-e  in  simple  and  natural  terms. 
The  designs  here  illustrated  show  some  endeavours 
to  keep  on  that  sound  basis. 

The  little  sketch  on  page  102  of  the  exterior 
of  a  small  house  surrounded  by  a  compara- 
tively large  garden  shows,  together  with  the  plan 
on  page  105,  an  attempt  to  design  a  house  on 
the  most  compact  and  economical  lines  possible 
for  about  the  sum  of  ;^75o,  exclusive  of  course  of 
the  garden.  The  plan  sufficiently  explains  the 
general  disposition  of  the  rooms,  and  the  perspec- 
tive view  the  external  appearance.  The  roof 
covering  is  proposed  of  reed  thatching  with  ordi- 
nary cheap  bricks  for  the  walling  thickly  white- 
washed. 

The  view  on  page  103  sufficiently  explains  the 
character  of  the  external  design  of  this  house. 
In  plan  it  has  all  the  principal  rooms  around  three 
sides  of  a  central  cloister  court,  the  level  of  which 
is  about  4  feet  above  the  top  step  of  the  long  flight 
from  the  riverside  and  about  9  feet  below  the 
general  level  of  the  principal  floor  where  the 
entertaining  rooms  are  placed.  The  site  itself 
falls  rapidly   to  the   river,   so   that    the   entrance, 


iiiBpii;i  tm 


PLAN    OF    SEASIDE   HOUSE   AND   GARDEN    AT   UAPPISBURGH 
106 


DESIGNED   BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.R.I. B.A. 


A   SMALL   HOUSE   AND   FLOWER   GARDEN 

dp:signed  and  drawn  by  F.  L.  GRIGGS 


Arcliitecttiral  Garden iiis[. — /  '/. 


^^^^^^fei^^^s^g^^^g^^^^^g&^^^^^a^^^^^ 


A   BOWLING   ALLEY 


which  is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  house  to  the 
cloister  court,  is  about  at  the  same  level  as  the 
principal  floors.  A  covered  walk  encloses  the  garth, 
and  is  connected  on  the  south  side  by  a  small 
staircase  with  the  pergola  shown  in  the  drawing 
between  the  east  and  west  wings.  The  aim  in 
this  plan  has  been  to  obtain  the  greatest  possible 
amount  of  privacy  without  sacrificing  too  much 
the  principal  advantages  of  a  riverside  house. 

The  small  cloister  court  with  its  covered  walks, 
and  the  garth  with  its  pa\-ed  ways  and  central 
fountain  would,  being  exposed  to  the  south  on  its 
long  side,  have  to  the  full  the  benefit  of  sunlight 
and  air.  The  little  round-headed  doorway  shown 
in  the  view  would  connect  this  court  by  means  of 
the  stepped  way,  through  a  wild  garden,  with  the 
riverside. 

The  materials  for  the  walls  and  roofs  would  be 
the  local  hand-made  bricks  and  tiles — all  the 
walling  is  proposed  of  brick,  some  variation  in 
colour  being  obtained  by  the  use  of  Daneshill 
bricks  in  the  quoins,  chimney  stacks  and  pergola. 
io8 


An  idea  for  another 
riverside  house  is  indi- 
cated on  page  104,  and 
assumes  a  locality  where 
reed  thatching  is  the 
natural  roof  covering 
such  as  that  to  bs  found 
in  parts  of  the  Eastern 
Counties.  For  the  rest 
the  building  would  be  of 
brick,  common  hard  well- 
burnt  local  bricks,  thickly 
whitewashed.  The  house 
plan  contains  a  central 
hall,  a  living-room  with 
a  small  sitting-room  or 
parlour  opening  from  one 
end,  and  a  large  work- 
room or  studio  from  the 
other  end,  but  at  a  higher 
level,  as  the  sketch  shows. 
There  is  also  a  small 
dining-room  to  be  used 
for  that  purpose  only, 
and  eight  bedrooms  on 
the  first  floor  with  four 
attics  over.  The  water 
shown  in  the  sketch  is 
suggested  as  an  exten- 
sion to  a  backwater,  and 
joined  to  the  latter  by  a 
small  garden  given  up  to 
water-plants.  All  the  effect  of  garden  would  be 
obtained  on  this  side  of  the  house.  There  would 
be  a  paddock  and  orchard  on  either  side  to  the 
east  and  west. 

Entirely  simple  means  are  relied  upon  in  the 
second  design  on  page  104,  both  for  pictorial 
and  practical  results.  The  plan  is  arranged  in 
order  to  provide  a  large  square  hall  in  the  centre 
of  the  house,  to  which  the  round-headed  door- 
way, shown  in  the  sketch,  leads  from  the  garden 
side.  To  the  right  and  left  of  the  hall  are  the 
drawing  and  dining-rooms,  each  with  a  large 
bay  window  at  its  narrow  end.  These  principal 
windows  look  to  the  west  and  east  respec- 
tively. The  kitchen  oflSces  are  on  the  east 
side  of  the  entrance  court,  and  there  are  seven 
bedrooms  over.  The  whole  design  has  been 
carefully  arranged  within  a  long  and  narrow  rect- 
angle with  an  unbroken  ridge  line,  in  order  to 
obtain  the  maximum  amount  of  accommodation 
at  the  minimum  cost. 

The  same  desire,  applied  to  a  somewhat  smaller 


DESIGNED  AND   DRAW'N    BY    F.    L.    GRIGGS 


It 'est  Conn^'all  crs  d  Skctc/iiiii^  Ground 


house,  is  illustrated  by  the  sketch  on  page  105 — 
which  shows  a  portion  of  the  south  front.  Here 
all  the  materials  are  of  the  plainest  description 
and  treated  in  the  traditional  manner  of  the 
district.  Colour,  texture  and  form  are  the  only 
factors  to  be  relied  on  in  work  of  this  nature  for 
natural  effects.  The  small  stream  form.s  a  fence 
between  the  garden  and  house. 

The  plan  of  the  house  at  Happisburgh,  on  page 
106,  was  illustrated  by  a  pencil  view  in  our  March 
number,  and  a  description  of  the  proposed  altera- 
tions was  given  then.  The  property  consisted  of 
two  extremely  dilapidated,  and  not  particularly 
interesting,  labourers'  cottages,  with  a  cow  hovel, 
old  sheds  and  a  large  barn.  Nearly  all  these 
buildings  have  been  retained  and  brought  into  the 
service  of  the  new  house.  It  is  situated  at  the 
end  of  the  land  reserved  for  the  new  golf  links  at 
Happisburgh,  on  the  Norfolk  Coast,  about  midway 
between  Cromer  and  Great  Yarmouth. 

The  illustration  of  a  small  house  and  flower 
garden,  on  page  107,  is  another  view  of  the  house 
which  was  shown  on  page  272  of  the  May  number. 
Reference  was  made  there  to  the  materials  of 
which  the  house  is  to  be  constructed ;  and  a  plan 
will  be  given  in  a  future  number.  The  quality 
aimed  at  here  is  spaciousness  as  well  as  compactness. 
In  a  small  house  and  a  very  limited  garden,  it  is 
not  well  to  try  to  do  too  much  with  the  area  to  be 
disposed  of  in  each.  The  house,  although  small, 
has  at  least  one  large  room,  and  the  garden  by 
extreme  simplicity  ought 
not  to  appear  so  circum- 
scribed as  it  really  is.  A 
similar  effect  of  breadth 
and  simplicity  has  been 
sought  in  the  design  for 
the  Bowling  Alley  on  page 
108.  The  same  inten- 
tion, as  to  size  and  cost, 
has  been  aimed  at  as 
described  for  the  other 
designs,  and  this  has  kept 
a  useful  restraint  on  the 
general  treatment.  The 
materials  would  be  rough- 
cast, with  dressings  of  red 
bricks,  and  a  roof  of  red 
tiles.  The  lawn  should 
show  that  a  better  effect 
can  be  obtained  in  a 
formal  way  than  if  the 
so-called  landscape  man- 
ner were  adopted. 


w 


EST  CORNWALL  AS  A 
SKETCHING  GROUND.  BY 
NORMAN    GARSTIN. 


The  "  Ends  of  the  Earth  "  !  What  combination 
of  words  fills  us  with  a  more  delicious  sense  of 
vague  desire  ?  One  would  stand  on  the  brink 
looking  over  the  frontiers  of  space,  gazing  into  the 
unknowable.  It  is  the  suggestion  of  illimitable- 
ness  conveyed  by  the  limit  that  fires  our  fancy, 
what  is  distant  grows  vast  through  some  trick  of 
the  imagination.  The  Irish  have  a  saying  that 
"Cows  in  Connaught  have  long  horns,"  Con- 
naught  being  presumably  distant.  John  o'  Groats 
possesses  a  distinction  unattained  by  many  a  more 
important  John  simply  because  his  home  is  the 
Ultima  Thule  linked  in  indissoluble  association 
with  the  Land's  End.  To  those  who  live  in 
crowded  centres  the  very  thought  of  capes  and 
headlands  that  thrust  themselves  out  into  lonely 
seas  comes  with  a  sense  of  relief  from  the  jostle 
and  jumble  of  the  intricate  scheme  of  city  life. 
In  these  days  of  universal  exploration,  when  the 
pursuit  of  solitude  seems  in  jeopardy  of  being 
annihilated  by  the  very  facilities  offered  for  its 
attainment,  the  remoteness  of  this  corner  of  the 
kingdom  from  the  great  centres  of  population  has  in 
large  measure  saved  it  from  the  vulgarisation  which 
has  befallen  places  more  accessible.  While  still 
out  of  range  of  the  crowd,  the  luxurious  travel- 
ling facilities  provided  nowadays   by  the   railway 


BLUE    SEA    AND    GOLDEN     CLIFFS— FORTH      OWARRA,     LAND'S     END'     (WATF.R- 

COLOOR).      by  S.   J.    LAMORNA    BIRCH 

(By  permission  of  the  Fine  Art  Society) 

109 


JVesi  Conn 


mil  as  a  Sketching  Ground 


company   have   popularised   U  among   people   of 
moderate  means.  . 

West  Cornwall,  or  locally  West  Penwith,  is 
certainly  not  a  country  that  can  cUim  to  be 
unknown.  It  has  Leen  the  studio  of  mnumerable 
artists  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  has 
drawn  to  itself  distinguished  writers  and  poets  not 
a  few,  some  to  pass  and  some  to  stay. 

Novels  and  tales  have  been  woven  out  of  the 
homespun  of  the  Cornish  fisher's  life,  and  countless 
pictures  have  been  painted  of  him  and  his  sur- 
roundings, painted  too  with  all  the  resources  of 
modern  art.     Impressionists  have  attacked  .    from 
the  point  of  view  of  light,  the  grey  school  have 
seen   it  under  a   dull  sky,  the  story-tellers    have 
grouped  their  models,  and  it  would  really  seem  as 
if  the  last  word  must  have  been  said  long  ago  ;  but 
there  is  no  last  word-at  least,  not  as  long  as  human 
personality  gocs  to  the  making  of  each  work  of  art^ 
Each  hand  shakes  the  kaleidoscope   afresh    and 
each  eye  sees  in  nature  what  it  sets  out  to  find. 

The  station  of  St.  Erth  seems  to  be  at  the 
parting  of  the  ways.  On  the  right  hand,  travelhng 
west  There  stretches  a  lagoon  fed  from  the  waters 


of  the  Irish  Channel.     Hayle  is  set  on  Us  eastern 
fringe,  and  on  the  west  is  the  village  of  Le  an t 
^vhose  towans,  overlooking  the  great  curve  of  St. 
Ives  Bay,  call  aloud  with  the  allurements  of  their 
Rolf  links.      All   the   three   miles    of  coast   round 
whose  sinuosities  the  train  ghdes  are  full  of  beauty 
to  anyone  who  cares  for  the  free  wholesome  sea 
breaking  in  its  many  moods  on  sand  and  rock. 
The  little  grey  town  of  St.  Ives  it  seems  superfluous 
to  describe ;  hundreds  of  brushes  have  shown  its 
rocky  peninsula,  its  fleets  of  brown-sailed  fish.ng- 
lagcers,  its  tortuous  streets,  and  the  amphibious 
life  upon  its  busy  sands.     A  whole  generation  of 
artists  have  wrought  at  it,  and  if  it  were  possible  to 
exhaust  that  duplex   combination,   the  variety  of 
nature's  moods  and  the  inventiveness  of  man,  then 
St  Ives  would  be  a  threadbare  theme.     St.  Erth 
is  as  I  say,  at  the  parting  of  the  ways,  having  the 
landlocked  lagoon  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left  a  countr)'  of  quite  another  character,  but  full 
of  possibilities  for  the  landscape  painter.     Here  is 
a  countrj'  of  inland  farms  and  villages,   of  inoor- 
land   and  marshland   and  of  old   mine    workmgs 
whose   debris  is  being  slowly  reassumed   and   re- 


/-N* 


,.^" 


■ACROSS  THE  BAY,   FALMOITH  "  ^^' ^^ll-^-^l-Z^y,,,  „f  „,,  Fine  Art  Society^ 


BY    S.  J.    LAMORNA   BIKCH 


m  S 


ITesf  Conni'all  as  a  Skcfchiug  Ground 


111-,    nil.]..     Ki  iNhWiiKl  IIV        OVAlLK-cul. 

BY   S. 

[By  pennission  of  t lie  Fine  Art  Society) 


clothed   by  nature.       Like    slumbering   volcanoes 
these  mines  periodically  come   back  into  life  and 
activity  in  response  to  some  mysterious  promptings 
from   Tokenhouse    Yard,    and    then    i  elapse   into 
quiescence  in  sympathy  with  decreasing  dividends. 
The  marshlands  lie  in  the   hollow  of  the  land 
from  whose  high  lip  one  looks  over  the  broad  bay 
of  St.  Michael's  Mount.      St.  Michael  has  a  pro- 
prietary interest,  it  seems,  in  all  lofty  and  picturesque 
piles  of  rock  and  masonry,  and  one  feels  the  dig- 
nity of  his  charge.     The 
Mount  lines  the   eastern 
shore   hard    by   the    little 
town     of     Marazion,    or 
Machel   Jew.     It    insists, 
perhaps   a  little    too    ob- 
viously,  upon    its    pictur- 
esqueness.      The    Mount 
is    one  of  those    beauties 
that  love  to   be   seen  in 
shop    windows,    but     the 
artist    and    the  judicious 
lover  have  this  in  common : 
that  they  like  to  see  the 
effect  of  their  own  wooing  ; 
their  egotism  desires  that 
the  fruition  of  their  hopes 
should   come    only    after 
some  assiduities,  and  not 
drop  into   their   arms   or 
canvases  without  any  coy- 
ness.    Such   beauties  are 
common    property,    they  ■-.^inki-.n  ki-.ei      ton.  sketch) 


have  no  secrets,  no  "qual- 
iles  cachees." 

At   the   other  end  of 
the  white  curve  of  beach 
stands    Penzance,    rising 
from   the    harbour   in  a 
gentle  slant.    Artists  are 
like  rats — they  seek  water, 
and   very  much    for  the 
same  reason,  because  they 
both  manage  to  pick  up 
a  living  more  easily  about 
the  purlieus  of  harbours 
and  wharves  or  by  streams 
than  in  dry  places.    From 
the  harbour  of  Penzance 
the  grey  town  rises  most 
effectively;    the   square 
tower  of  St.  Mary's  floats 
in    the     basin     amongst 
Norwegian    iceships  and 
wriggles   amongst  the   steam    trawlers    with    their 
many  coloured  funnels.     The  dome  of  the  market 
place,  too,  reflects  itself  in  the  tide,  which,  how- 
ever, leaves  the  harbour  dry  for  a  good  part  of 
each    day.      The    little    town   has   some   individ- 
uality of  character  left,  in  spite   of  the    modern 
streets  that  spread  themselves  here  and  there  with 
a   depressing   uniformity   of  design.      There   still 
remain  small  backwaters  where  the  flavour  of  older 
days  yet  lingers.     It  is  a  busy  little  town,  and  on 


J.    LAMORNA    BIRCH 


BY  JUUUS   OLSSON 


IVest  Coniii'all  as  a  SkctcJiiug  Ground 


market  days  is  the  centre  of  an  agricultural  district 
only  bounded  by  the  sea. 

From  Penzance  to  Newlyn  is  but  a  mile  :  this, 
again,  is  one  of  those  places  that  have  been  so  much 
described  and  so  much  painted  that  it  seems  as  if 
they  must  be  too  familiar  to  everyone,  and  that  the 
familiarity  must  have  bred,  anyhow,  a  weariness. 
But  the  Newlyn  of  today  and  that  of  the  first  artist 
settlers  twenty-five  years  ago  are  two  quite  different 
places.  When  Mr.  Stanhope  Forbes  painted  his 
fish  sale  there  was  no  harbour ;  to-day  there  is  a 
spacious  one  which,  large  as  it  is,  is  crowded  with 
fishing  boats,  steamers,  sailing  vessels  and  craft  of 
all  descriptions.  All  this  has  brought  a  life  and 
animation  that  no  one  would  have  dreamt  of  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago.  These  men  in  sabots 
and  berets  are  French  crabbers,  Bretons  who 
supply  les  petites  soupers  pansiens  with  delicate 
langouste  caught  outside  our  three-mile  limit. 
These  large  men  with  blue  eyes  and  fair  beards 
are  Nor4vegians,  come  down  from  the  North  with 
ice   to   pack    the    fish    in.       Yonder    black-hulled 


steamer  just  leaving  the  harbour  is  bound  for 
Genoa  with  pickled  pilchards  to  help  devout 
Italians  through  Lent.  Here  is  a  circle  round  a 
man  with  a  hand-bell  and  high  wading-boots ;  he 
is  selling  a  "lot"  of  fish.  Carts  are  being  loaded 
up  to  catch  the  "Perishable"  train.  All  is 
activity  and  bustle  :  but  here  and  there  are  little 
knots  of  imperturbable  fishermen,  hands  in  trouser- 
pockets,  pipes  in  mouths,  who  make  brief  quarter- 
deck turns.  Slow  of  speech  are  these  men,  grave, 
and  with  eyes  that  seek  the  horizon. 

Above  all  this  life  and  movement  rises  the 
village,  gray  and  for  the  most  part  of  a  respectable 
age  :  solid  granite  cottages  that  climb  the  hill  in 
irregular  streets,  or  lanes  cobbled  and  resounding 
to  the  footsteps  of  the  heavy- booted  fishermen  who 
lurch  up  and  down  to  and  from  their  luggers  that 
lie  in  marshalled  lines,  each  mast  having  a  gull 
standing  like  an  heraldic  emblem  on  the  summit. 
Women  group  themselves  at  doorsteps  gossiping, 
holding  babies  or  chiding  children  with  shrill 
vehemence  and  petting  them  with  equally  strange 


"MOONRISE,    ST.    IVES 

114 


BY  JULIUS   OLSSON 


JFesf  Coruicall  as  a  Sketching  Ground 


'  MACKEREL   SEASON,    ST.    IVES  " 


BY    RUDOLF    HELLWAG 


epithets.  "  Come  ye  here,  Thomas  Henry,  my 
beauty,  my  worm,  come  ye  here,  I  do  tell  ye.  Lave 
'im  alone,  Elizabeth  Ann,  I'll  break  your  back 
for  'ee." 

In  amongst  these  simple  primordial  folk  who 
get  their  living  by  catching  sea  creatures,  there 
lurks  that  ultra-sophisticated  being,  the  artist,  who 
gets  his  by  catching  the  catcher,  immeshing  his 
character  in  lines  more  or  less  cunningly  set. 
Their  studios,  old  cottages  or  sail  lofts  fitted  wiih 
big  windows,  come  upon  one  here  and  there,  as 
well  as  the  newer  erections  of  more  pretentious 
style. 

Following  the  winding  cliff  southward  one  soon 
comes  to  Mousehole,  a  little  fisher  village  as 
primitive  as  its  name  might  seem  to  suggest. 
Smaller  than  Newlyn  now,  it  was  once  of  rather 
more  importance.  Above  the  gray  granite  village 
of  clustered  and  huddled  cottages  and  the  small, 
closely-packed  harbour  rises  the  hill  to  Paul,  the 
Parish  Church.  Old  Richard  Carew,  of  Antonie, 
tells  how,  one  summer  morning  —  "The  three- 
and-twentieth  of  July,  1595,  soon  after  the  sun 
was  risen  and  had  cleared  a  fogge,  which  before 
kept  the  sea  out  of  sight,  4  gallies  of  the  enemy 
(Spaine)  presented  themselves  upon  the  coast  over 


against  Mousehole,  and  there  in  a  faire  Bay  landed 
about  two  hundred  men,  pikes  and  shot,  who 
foorthwith  sent  their  forlorne  hope,  consisting  of 
their  basest  people,  unto  the  straggled  houses  of 
the  countrie,  about  halfe  a  mi'e  compasse  or  more, 
by  whom  were  burned,  not  only  the  houses  they 
went  by,  but  also  the  Parish  Church  of  Paul,  the 
force  of  the  fire  being  such  as  it  utterly  ruined  all 
the  great  stonie  pillars  thereof ;  others  of  them  in 
that  time  burned  that  fisher  towne  Mowgehole ; 
the  rest  marched  as  a  gard  for  defence  of  those 
firers."  Here  we  get  a  glimpse  into  the  past,  the 
summer  day,  the  "  faire  Bay,"  the  armed  Spaniards, 
with  shot  and  pike,  the  sun  gleaming  on  their 
morions  and  gorgets,  streaming  up  amongst  the 
scattered  houses  with  smoking  brands,  the  frighted 
villagers,  men,  women  and  children,  seeing  from 
afar  the  flames  and  blue  smoke  that  represented 
all  they  possessed.  Sir  Francis  Godolphin  played 
the  man  that  day,  but  in  the  end  the  galleys  got 
away,  having  taken  all  the  revenge  they  could  for 
the  mishaps  of  their  greit  Armada  seven  years 
before. 

At  Newlyn  and  Penzance  the  land  is  creased  by 
wooded  coombes  that  run  between  the  steep  hill 
sides.      Here  on  the  south  slopss,  and  sheltered 

115 


ITesf  Coni7calI  as  a  Skeff/ii/icr  Ground 


from  the 
vegetables, 


great  quantities,  for  ihe 
spring  is  caught  in  the 
labyrinths  of  these  gar- 
dens long  before  the 
uplands  have  ihaken  ofi 
their  winter  sleep.  If 
one  stands  on  the  high 
ground  over  Penzance  and 
looks  westward  it  will  be 
seen  that  towards  the 
north  the  land  is  piled  up 
into  tall  and  barren  carnts. 
Stony  for  the  most  part, 
these  hills  have  in  the 
spring  a  royal  mantle  of 
purple  and  gold  in  gorse 
and  heather.  Southward 
the  land  is  an  undulating 
table  with  here  and  there 
a  shallow  valley,  but  the 
uplands  are  treeless  grass 
and  fallow  lands  over 
wind,  are  gardens  of  flowers  and  early  which  white  gulls  drop  down  the  wind  with  wailing 
Narcissi   and   brocoli   are   grown   in      cries  as  they  circle  round  some  brown  field  that 


A    BOATS   CREW,    NEWLYN   HARBOUR 


BY    HAKOI.D    HAK\  EY 


(By  permission  of  Messrs.  Dowdeswells) 


"the  eternal  surge" 
ii6 


'OLF    HELLWAG 


IFcst  Ci  rz/'iL'tr//  trs  a  S/ccfc/iiitu  Ground 


(By  permission  0/  jilessrs.  Dowdeswel/s) 

the  farmer  is  carving  with  slow,  straining  horses. 
Possibly  he  ploughs  amongst  great  granite  boulders 
that  his  forefathers  set  up  some  time  in  the  dim 
past,  it  may  be  to  worship,  or,  as  some  maintain. 


as  enduring  calendars 
10  mark  with  ihtir  point- 
ing fingers  the  seasons 
for  planting  as  the  yearly 
process'on  of  the  heavens 
slowly  bends  some  con- 
stellation to  the  opposite 
horizon. 

The  square  -  towered 
churches  that  dot  the  land 
and  here  and  there  a 
roadside  Celtic  Cross  are 
almost  the  only  links  that 
bind  to-day  with  the  age 
that  set  up  the  stone 
circles  and  dolmens; 
which  goes  to  show  how 
much  more  enduring 
thought  is  than  the 
material  adjuncts  of  life. 
The  farmhouses  seem  to 
have  almost  no  antiquity  ; 
fur  the  most  part  they  are 
hideous  in  their  villa  like  modernity,  absurdly  out 
of  place  on  this  primitive  unchanging  peninsula. 
One  would  like  to  see  some  traces  of  the  lives  led 
through  all  the  long  ages  that  followed  the  men 


BY  HAROLD  HARVEY 


"  MOUNTS  BAY  ' 


■;  Ml -TIN 


I'Fest  Coynivall  as  a  Sketching  Ground 


"  NEW  bridge" 

who  left  us  the  British  villages 
dwellings,  those  wonderful  surv 
mysterious  past.  But,  after 
all,  it  is  life  that  kills  life, 
each  succeeding  genera- 
tion obliterating  its  pre- 
decessor, while  in  lonely 
deserts  Nineveh  and 
Palmyra  still  remain. 

There  are  several  little 
coves  and  bajs  on  the 
South  coast  that  harbour 
a  small  cluster  of  fisher- 
folk.  Crabbers  for  the 
most  part,  they  also  make 
an  occasional  haul  with 
mullet  or  some  such  oce  in 
dainty.  Lamorna,  Pen- 
berth,  Forth  Gwarra  and 
Sennen :  these  coves  are 
usually  the  ends  of  valleys 
which  close  in  some 
pleasant,  murmuring 
streamlet  that  comes  re- 
joicing down  between  the 
steep  hills  to  the  sea. 

Sennen  Cove,  hard  by 
ii8 


BY   NORM  AX    GARSTIN 

and  underground 
ivals  from  out  the 


the  Land's  End,  is  the  largest  of  these 
fishing  villages,  and  here,  too,  artists  have 
set  up  their  studios  amongst  the  fishermen's 
cottages.  The  sea  raves  and  riots  amongst 
the  reefs  and  rocks  that  are  strewn  about 
the  pathless  ways  of  the  adventurous  fisher. 
The  "Armed  Knight"  and  the  "Irish 
Lady  "  and  many  another  jagged  mass  of 
granite,  against  which  the  sea  frets  and 
moans,  all  have  tales  to  tell  of  wreck  and 
disaster.  Half  our  coasting  commerce  is 
constantly  skirting  this  dangerous  corner, 
and  long  trails  of  smoke  mark  the  passage 
of  tramp  and  liner  as  they  wallow  and  roll 
round  Cape  Cornwall  and  the  Land's 
End.  Away  on  the  horizon  are  the  gray 
ghosts  of  what  was  once  (legend  tells  us) 
the  land  of  Lyonesse,  but  is  today  the 
group  of  Scilly  Islands,  where  fish  and 
flowers  also  form  the  harvest  of  the  inhabi- 
tants. 

Beneath  the  rim  of  the  Atlantic  the  sun 
quenches  its  light,  and  the  flashing  beacons 
of  the  Trinity  Brethren  light  up  with  their 
millions  of  candle-power  these  perilous 
waters.  The  "Bishop,"  away  to  the  west 
of  the  Scillonian  Archipelago,  whirls  his 
ominous  beam,  Pendeen  warns  the  steersman 
on    southward-bearing     craft,    the     "  Longships " 


'A   .MOONLIT   HARBOUR    (5T.    IVES)" 


BY    HILDA    FEARON 


Sculpt m-c  by  Mrs.   ronnoh 


"baby"  (bronze) 


BY    BF.SSIE    rOTTER    VONNOH 


marks  the  Land's  End,  and  the  "Wolf"  flares 
from  his  lonely  tower  to  the  south.  The  fishermen 
push  out  in  their  small  craft,  launching  themselves 
on  their  fateful  calling ;  soon  their  riding  lights 
will  twinkle  on  the  darkling  waters  and  the  world 
ashore  settle  down  to  sleep,  save  that  half  a  mile 
down  underground  and  extending  a  mile  and  a 
quarter  beneath  this  terrible  sea,  other  lights  are 
glimmering  in  shafts  and  galleries  where  men  pick 
and  hew  ihe  very  foundations  of  the  deep  to  gather 
a  living  for  wives  and  children  in  the  upper  air. 

X.  G. 


s 


OME     SCULPTURE 
VOXXOH. 


BV      MRS. 


There  is  a  decidedly  personal  note  in 
the  work  which  is  being  done  by  Mrs.  Bessie 
Potter  Vonnoh,  the  American  sculptor.  She  looks 
at  her  art  with  a  certain  clearness  of  conviction 
and  frankness  of  intention,  which  can  be  welcomed 
as  expressive  of  her  sincerity  as  a  worker,  and  as 
revealing  her  belief  in  important  fundamental  prin- 
ciples upon  which  all  the  details  of  her  practice  are 
founded.  She  works,  too,  it  can  be  seen,  under  the 
influence  of  a  sentiment  which  is  characteristically 
dainty,  which  has  delicacy  without  weakness  and 
tenderness  without  sentimentality. 


But  one  of  the  greatest  inerits  of  her  production 
is  its  essential  femininity — its  freedom,  that  is  to 
say,  from  that  affectation  of  the  masculine  manner 
which  spoils  so  much  of  the  work  for  which  women 
artists  are  responsible.  Many  women,  indeed, 
seem  to  be  under  the  misapprehension  that  to 
allow  their  feminine  outlook  to  become  perceptible 
in  their  art  is  to  stamp  themselves  as  lacking  in 
aesthetic  understanding,  and  to  admit  a  kind  of 
artistic  inferiority.  They  do  not  try  to  develop 
the  characteristically  feminine  side  of  their  inspira- 
tion, but  seek  to  put  fonvard  their  ideas  in  what 
they  imagine  would  be  the  man's  way.  Mrs. 
\'onnoh  fortunately  does  not  commit  this  mistake. 
Her  sculpture  has  genuine  feeling,  and  it  has,  too, 
just  the  degree  of  technical  power  needed  to  make 
this  feeling  properly  persuasive.  Its  vigour  and 
certainty  of  handling  are  unquestionable,  but  it 
has  none  of  that  demonstrative  robustness  which 
would  have  resulted  from  an  attempt  to  convey  an 
impression  of  masculine  audacity  ;  rather  is  it  con- 
vincing in  its  gentle  restraint,  its  reticence  and 
simplicity,  and  above  all,  its  charm  of  womanly 
sympathy. 

That  the  artist  has  looked  closely  at  the  Tanagra 
terra-cottas  is  plainly  suggested  in  most  of  the 
statuettes  illustrated — in    The    Youii^   Mof/ur,  for 


BY    BESSIE    I'OTTER   VONNOH 
121 


Sculpt  lire  by  Mrs.   J^ounoh 


'  GIRL   DANCING  " 


BY   BESSIE   POTTER   VONNOH 


instance,  the  group  Enthroned,  the  Sketch,  and 
most  of  all,  perhaps,  in  the  Cinderella — but 
reference  to  classic  precedent  has  not  made 
her  unsensitive  to  modern  life  suggestions.  Her 
work  is  agreeably  alive,  and  has  a  pleasant 
spontaneity  which  shows  that  it  owes  quite  as 
much  to  impressions  of  the  moment  as  to  study 
of  antique  tradition. 

No  doubt,  the  personal  quality  of  her  achieve- 
ment comes  to  some  e.xtent  from  the  manner  of 
her  training.  The  only  art  education  she  has 
received  was  during  a  period  of  three  years' 
study  at  the  Chicago  Art  Institute  ;  beyond  that 
she  must  be  accounted  as  self-taught,  for  she 
has  worked  in  no  other  school  at  home  or 
abroad,  though  she  has  added  to  her  experi- 
ences and  enlarged  her  outlook  by  foreign  travel. 
But  on  the  comparatively  slight  foundation  of 
three  years'  schooling  in  art  she  has  built  up  a 
sufficiently  complete  executive  system,  and  she 
has  by  the  exercise  of  her  own  intelligence  found 
out  how  she  can  best  apply  her  capacities.  That 
she  has  not  wasted  her  energies  is  seen  by  the 
record  of  her  successes — a  bronze  medal  was 
awarded  to  her  at  the  Paris  Exhibition  in  1900, 
when  she  was  not  more  than  twenty-eight  years 
I  22 


old,  and  four  years  later  she  received  a  gold 
medal  at  the  St.  Louis  Exhibition ;  and  ex- 
amples of  her  work  have  been  acquired  for  the 
Metropolitan  Art  Museum  at  New  York  and 
for  many  other  similar  institutions.  She  is,  too, 
a  member  of  the  American  National  Sculnture 
Society  and  of  the  National  Academy  of 
Design.  Her  position  in  the  art  world  has 
been  well  earned  by  sincere  effort  and  by 
thoughtful  regard  for  correct  aesthetic  principles  ; 
and  she  deserves  the  recognition  she  has  re- 
ceived because  she  has  been  consistent  in  her 
striving  after  individuality  of  the  right  type. 


"A   SKETCH 


BY  BESSIE    POTTER    VONNOH 


ENTHRONED" 

BY    BESSIE    POTTER   VONXOH 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architcciiirc 


R 


ECENT  DESIGNS  IX  DOMESTIC 
ARCHITECTURE. 


"  Dormers,"  Bovingdon,  Herts,  of 
which  the  drawingreproduced  on  this  page  shows  the 
entrance  front,  is  a  house  now  nearing  completion 
upon  a  charming  site  some  ten  acres  in  extent, 
about  2\  miles  from  Boxmoor.  The  external  walls 
are  of  14-in.  brickwork  roughly  rendered  with 
cement  stucco  and  whitened  ;  the  plinth,  chimney- 
stacks  and  dressings,  as  well  as  the  walls  of  the 
forecourt,  being  in  red  brick  of  varied  tints  ;  while 
the  roofs  are  covered  with  hand-made  sand-faced 
tiles.  The  accommodation  consists  on  the  ground 
floor  of  hall,  spacious  dining  and  drawing  rooms  (the 
longest  dimensions  in  both  cases  being  23  feet) 
all  opening  on  to  the  loggia,  a  morning-room, 
servants'  sitting-room  and  the  usual  offices.  On 
the  first  floor  there  are  .seven  bed  and  dressing 
rooms,  bathrooms,  etc.  ;  and  on  the  top  floor, 
in  addition  to  a  large  billiard  or  play  room  affording 
beautiful  views  over  the  surrounding  country  on 
all  sides,  there  are  two  bedrooms,  a  bathroom, 
boxroom,  etc.  An  entrance  lodge  is  also  being 
constructed  in  connection  with  the  house.  Mr. 
Walter  E.  Hewitt,  A.R.I. B.A.,  of  London,  is  the 
architect. 

Our  next  illustrations  have  special  interest  for 


architects  who  are  called  upon  to  make  extensive 
additions  to  an  existing  building  of  an  unattractive 
type.  In  the  case  of  "  Marrowells,"  at  Walton-on- 
Thames,  Mr.  Winter  Rose  had  to  incorporate  in 
his  scheme  a  villa  which  originated  in  one  of  the 
most  unfortunate  periods  of  domestic  architecture 
in  this  country  (it  was  built  about  i860),  and  it 
was  desirable  to  build  in  as  much  as  possible  of 
this  structure  while  altering  the  proportions  of  the 
still  remaining  features.  The  problem  of  planning 
which  confronted  him  was,  therefore,  by  no  means 
an  easy  one.  By  adopting  an  angular  treatment  of 
the  plan  he  was  able  to  give  the  best  rooms  an 
outlook  on  the  new  garden,  which  is  being  laid  out 
on  architectural  lines,  and  the  aspect  being  south- 
west, a  full  share  of  the  sun  was  secured  for  them. 
The  new  work,  indicated  in  the  plan  on  p.  127  by 
solid  black  lines,  is  designed  to  be  executed  in 
solid  oak  framing  and  local  brick  nogging,  whilst 
the  roof  is  covered  with  old  and  new  mingled  local 
tiles.  The  wmdows  are  metal  casements,  filled 
with  leaded  lights.  The  stables  are  approached 
through  an  archway  under  the  chauffeur's  quarters 
(shown  in  the  first  of  the  two  illustrations  on  the 
next  page),  which  are  grouped  around  the  courtyard 
at  the  rear  of  the  house.  The  other  view  we  give 
is  of  the  garden  front.  Both  illustrations  are  from 
drawings  by  the  architect. 


WALTER   E.    IIEW'ITT,    ARCHITECT 


Recent  Desims  in  Domestic  Architecture 


"  MARROWELLS.      WALTOX-ON-THAMES  :    STABLES 


A.    WINTER    ROSE.    ARCHITECT 


The  cottage  shown  opposite  was  designed  by  Dartmoor  and  the  contiguous  Cornish  moors,  and 
Mr  G.  Berkeley  Wills,  for  an  elevated  site  near  intended  for  use  chiefly  as  a  summer  residence,  the 
Brent    Tor.    commanding    e.xtensive    views     over      requirements  of  golfers    being  kept   especially    in 


'  M.ARROWELLS,"   WALTON-OX-THAMES  :    GARDEN    FRONT 
126 


A,    WINTER    ROSE.    ARCHITECT 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architecture 


MARROWELLS,      VVALTON-ON-THAMES 


view.  The  materials  proposed  to  be  used  in  con- 
struction are  local  stone  with  granite  dressings  and 
stone  slated  roof :  the  exterior  woodwork  being 
painted  white.     The  plan  has  been  made  as  com- 


pact as  possible, 
five  bedrooms  being 
provided  on  the  first 
floor.  A  feature  of 
the  plan  is  the  ver- 
andah overlooking 
an  extensive  tract 
of  country. 

The  house  illus- 
trated on  page  128 
is  one  which  has 
been  erected  at 
Mapperley  Park,  on 
the  outskirts  of 
Nottingham,  from 
the  designs  of  the 
late  Mr.  Harlow 
Butters.  It  occu- 
pies a  fine  site  with 
an  extensive  out- 
look embracing  the 
city  and  the  country 
beyond.  E.xternally 
the  walls  are  rough- 
casted and  lime 
whitened,  the  plinth  and  chimney  caps  being 
constructed  of  2-inch  hand  -  made  bricks  from 
Loughborough.  From  the  same  place  came  the 
hand  -  made    sand-faced    tiles    used  for   the    roof. 


■GROUND- 
•fZOCR 

Firni- 


PROrOSED   COTTAGE    ON    DARTMOOR,    DEVO.N" 


•nnFmooR'BEVoif- 


■FIRST- 
•'LOOR- 

•PLfllt- 


G.    BERKELEY    WILIS,    ARCHITECT 
127 


Sfitdio-  Talk 


HOUSE    AT    MAPPERLEY    PARK,    NOTTINGHAM 


B.    HARLOW   BUTTERS,    ARCHITECT 


The  whole  of  the  external  woodwork  is  in  oak, 
that  used  for  the  posts  and  beams  forming  the 
porch  and  verandah  being  old  wood  supplied  by 
the  owner.  Oak  has  also  been  employed  internally 
for  panelling  the  hall  and  lounge,  while  the  other 
reception  rooms  and  Jhe  principal  bedrooms  have 
been  treated  in  white  wood.  The  small  inset  plan 
reproduced  with  the  perspective  sketch  shows  the 
accommodation  on  the  ground  floor.  On  the 
floor  above  there  are  six  bedrooms,  linen  closets, 
a  boxroom  and  bathroom. 

STUDIO-TALK 
(From  Our  Own  Correspondents.) 

LONDON. — Mr.  Clausen's  recent  exhibition 
at  the  Leicester  Galleries,  to  which  we 
briefly  referred  in  advance  when  repro- 
ducing some  characteristic  works  included 
therein,  represented  his  prolonged  contest 
and  many  triumphs  in  a  form  of  art  where  no 
perfect  achievement  comes  easily  or  by  receipt, 
where  the  difficulties  are  new  ones  on  every  occa- 
sion, and  new  to  art  as  well  as  to  the  painter. 
The  problem  of  sunlight  is  more  difficult  in  a 
climate  like  our  own  than  in  southern  countries, 
138 


and  the  comparative  greyness  of  the  brightest  day 
in  England  baffles  the  luminists.  There  are 
moments  when  even  Mr.  Clausen,  with  his  passion 
for  light,  Js  almost  betrayed  and  his  art  in  danger 
of  losing  the  qualities  of  intimate  knowledge,  the 
sincere  realism,  that  restrains  —but  this  on  the 
rarest  occasions,  and  his  exhibition  was  a  series  of 
extraordinary  triumphs  at  just  those  points  where 
so  many  of  his  contemporaries  compromise  or 
evade  the  only  logical  but  greatly  difficult  issues 
of  their  encounter  with  bright  light.  Under  no 
circumstances  does  the  grasp  of  form  of  so  sensitive 
a  draughtsman  as  Mr.  Clausen  become  obscured. 
With  outline  melting  everywhere,  the  form  remains 
within  the  effect,  shapely,  definite  and  quite  matter- 
of-fact.  Things  prosaic  in  themselves  are  lyrically 
treated,  but  not  without  license.  In  the  case  of 
such  a  painter  nothing  could  be  more  welcome  to 
the  student  of  modern  painting  than  such  a  collec- 
tion of  his  works  as  that  brought  together,  for  only 
thus  could  an  estimate  be  taken  of  his  achieve- 
ments and  the  diversity  of  his  talents  meet  with 
full  appreciation.  

Simultaneously  with  the  exhibition  of  Mr. 
Clausen's  paintings  Mr.  Francis  James  exhibited  a 
collection    of    his   flower-pieces   at    the    Leicester 


Studio-Talk 


Galleries.  If  the  artist  has  a  rival  in  painting  them 
in  water-colours  it  will  only  be  among  those  to 
whom  he  has  communicated  his  own  point  of 
view.  In  this  show  his  art  was  at  its  happiest, 
and  in  such  things  as  A  Studio  Note  at  its  very 
highest,  the  slight  suggestive  treatment  compress- 
ing no  end  of  knowledge  of  flowers  and  of  art. 
Of  Brabazon  slightly  but  very  welcomely  remi- 
niscent, such  studies  were  yet  peculiarly  the  ex- 
pression of  the  artist's  own  attitude  towards 
nature.  

From  an  exhibition  at  the  Dore  Galleries  of 
some  forty  sketches  of  Victoria,  British  Columbia, 
by  Mrs.  Beanlands  (nk  Sophie  T.  Pemberton), 
we  reproduce  one  which  fully  evidences  her 
genuine  feeling  as  a  landscape  painter.  Mrs. 
Beanlands  is  the  wife  of  Canon  Beanlands,  of 
Victoria,  B.C.  As  a  figure  and  portrait  painter 
she  studied  under  Mr.  Cope  at  South  Kensington, 
at  the  Westminster  School  of  Art,  and  at  Julien's 
in  Paris,  where  she  won  a  gold  medal  for  por- 
traiture in  the  atelier  of  MM.  J.  P.  Laurens  and 
Benjamin  Constant,  as  well  as  the  Smith-Julien 
prize.  But  as  a  landscape  artist  she  is  entirely 
self-taught,  and  has  developed  her  own  style  as  a 
student  of  nature  upon  the  Pacific  Coast,  a  region 
of    brilliant     sunshine   and    pellucid    atmosphere. 


Mrs.  Beanlands  has  been  a  frequent  exhibitor  in 
past  years  at  the  Royal  Academy  and  the  Paris 
Salon.  

The  Fine  Art  Society  were  showing  last  month, 
in  addition  to  a  notable  collection  of  Japanese 
prints,  a  group  of  paintings  in  oil  and  water- 
colours  entitled  In  the  Land  of  the  Latins,  by 
Onorato  Carlandi,  characterised  by  the  breadth 
and  freedom  of  treatment  which  we  remarked  in  a 
previous  exhibition  of  his  at  this  gallery.  In  a 
later  issue  we  hope  to  reproduce  some  examples  of 
Sgr.  Carlandi's  pictures. 


Messrs.  Wallis  &  Son  of  the  French  Gallery  are 
to  be  congratulated  on  the  fine  selection  from  the 
works  of  Josef  Israels,  Matthew  Maris,  Henri 
Harpignies,  and  L4on  Lhermitte,  of  which  their 
last  exhibition  was  composed.  It  is  not  always  at 
its  best  that  the  school  to  which  these  painters 
belong  is  represented  in  public  exhibitions.  The 
Young  Cook,  by  M.  Maris ;  La  Nourrice,  by 
Lhermitte,  and  A  Farm  at  Mont  Fere,  by  the  same 
artist,  come  back  to  our  mind  as  amongst  the 
treasures  of  the  show,  and  such  a  work  as  A  View 
on  the  Oise  stamped  itself  on  the  memory  as 
representing  Harpignies,  the  great  master  of  still- 
ness and  untroubled  scenes. 


MACAULAY    PLAINS,    BRITISH   COLUMBIA 


BY    MRS.    S.    T.    BKANLA.S'US 
129 


studio-  Talk 


At  the  Carfax  Gallery  the  Hon.  Neville  Lytton 
and  Mr.  Charles  Louis  Geoffroy  held  an  exhibition 
together.  There  is  some  similarity  in  their  aims — 
the  cultivation  of  the  traditional.  They  are  both 
very  content  with  scholarship  for  its  own  sake,  and 
Mr.  Lytton  adds  a  sense  of  romance.  As  a 
draughtsman  in  water-colours  of  landscapes  Mr. 
Geoffroy's  talent  takes  an  extremely  high  place, 
but  in  them  again  it  is  nature  always  viewed 
through  old  conventions. 


Messrs.    Dowdeswell's    Galleries    were    very    in- 
teresting last  month  in  the  exhibition  of  the  art 
of  Jan  Steen  (1626-1679),  with  its  Hogarth  like 
command   of    dramatic   grouping   and    impulsive 
acceptance  of  every  phase  of  life  for  subjects.     In 
such  single  panels  as  the  one  of  his  wife  with  a 
mandoline,  there  is,  perhaps,  most  opportunity  to 
study  the  beautiful  and  intimate  qualities  at  the 
expense   of    which    some   of  his   larger   can\ases 
attained  their  cordial  readiness  to  embrace  the 
difficulties  of  complicated  moving  scenes.     At 
the    same    galleries    Miss     Eleanor    Fortescue 
Brickdale's    drawings,    inspired   by    Browning's 
poems,  exhibited  all  the   characteristics  of  her 
painting  to  advantage.     They  showed  in  many 
fine  passages  of    work   advancement   even    on 
previous   success,   and   an    imagination   always 
responsive  to  poetical  influence.     This  respon- 
siveness was  refreshing,  since  the  poetic  title  is 
still  adhered  to   in   some  quarters  only  as  an 
adventitious  interest  to  the  actual  painting. 


Mr.  Arthur  Studd's  exhibition  at  the  Alpine 
Club  last  month  was  of  especial  interest.  Mr. 
Studd  is  in  love  with  Venice,  and  it  is  to  her 
ser\'ice  that  the  chief  part  of  his  talent  has 
been  devoted.  He  has  cared  little,  however, 
for  the  many-coloured  splendour  in  which  a 
multitude  of  her  lovers  has  delighted  to  deck 
her.  Instead  of  the  numberless  gems  of  every 
hue,  he  has  chosen  the  opal  alone  as  the  sym- 
bol of  her  beauty,  and  has  taken  pleasure  rather 
in  evoking  through  a  veil  of  misty  greys  and 
blues  a  subtler  variety  of  shifting  tints.  He  has 
painted  her  as  she  has  appeared  to  him,  quite 
simply  in  a  mantle  of  vapour  and  with  her 
girdle  of  the  sea,  and  has  sought  in  each 
picture  to  give  a  kind  of  lyrical  expression  to 
the  mood  induced  by  what  he  has  seen  and 
felt.  Next  to  Venice,  he  has  been  particularly 
attracted  by  the  queen  of  Spanish  cities,  Seville. 
In  the  formation  of  his  style  Mr.  Studd  has 
come  largely  under  the  influence  of  Whistler, 
130 


with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  friendship.  It 
is  evident,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  has  learned 
much  at  first  hand  from  some  of  the  original 
sources  of  inspiration  to  which  the  phase  of  art 
represented  by  his  master  is  itself  indebted.  His 
paintings  are  always  agreeable  in  tone  and  pleasing 
in  design,  and  they  are  at  the  same  time  clearly 
the  work  of  a  refined  culture  and  a  loving  hand. 


At  the  Ryder  Gallery  last  month  Mr.  Stewart 
Dick  exhibited  a  collection  of  water-colours  and 
paintings,  principally  of  Spanish  scenes.  Mr.  Dick  is 
much  more  successful  with  the  medium  of  water- 
colour,  which  he  handles  with  greater  firmness  and 
decision  than  is  apparent  in  his  oils,  and  in  addition 
his  water-colours  reveal  a  finer  harmony  of  colour. 
The  qualities  we  refer  to  were  seen  to  advantage 
in  such  subjects  among  others  as  Vieiv  from  the 
Bridge  of  Toledo,  Madrid ;  Church  of  San  Antonio, 
Madrid :  and  Trees  in  Knole  Park,  Sevenoaks. 


"THE    RED   BRICK    HOUSE* 


BY    ARTHUR    STUDD 


studio-  Talk 


'THE  GREAT  WHITE  DOME"  (By  permission  of  His  Honour  Judge  Sanders]  BY  ARTHUR  STUDl) 


THE    FRUIT-SELLER 


HY    ARTHUR   STUDI) 


13' 


studio-  Talk 


The  reredos  illustrated  on  this  page  has  been 
made  to  the  design  of  Mr.  Frank  L.  Pearson,  and 
its  execution  entrusted  to  Mr.  Starkie  Gardner. 
It  is  of  repousse  bronze,  known  as  "gilding" 
metal,  relieved  by  a  jewelled  and  enamelled 
border  and  spandrels  of  filigree,  and  measures 
about  7  feet  by  S  feet.  The  whole  has  been  gilt  by 
the  mercur}'  process  and  finished  to  a  dull  hand 
polish.  There  is  no  modelled  or  applied  work  in 
the  embossing,  nor  any  casting  whatever  in  the 
reredos.  The  central  panel  is  recessed  and  beaten 
in  high  relief,  the  figure  of  our  Lord  being  almost 
disengaged  from  the  background,  out  of  which  it 
was  hammered.  Over  the  panel  is  a  projecting 
domed  canopy,  and  below  a  projecting  tabernacle 
or  ciborium — the  framing  of  this  central  plaque 
being  completed  by  the  four  archangels  also  under 
canopies.  On  either  side  on  a  nearer  plane  are 
scenes  of  the  Passion  in  bas  relief  under  arcades, 
the  spandrels  filled  in  with  filigree  and  jewels. 
Rough  models  of  the  figures  were  produced  by 
Mr.  Nathaniel  Hitch  to  guide  the  embossers,  to 


whom,  as  to  the  rest  of  the  workers,  considerable 
freedom  was  allowed.  The  arcaded  base  projects 
a  few  inches,  and  the  whole  is  recessed  within 
a  frame,  the  splayed  member  consisting  of  a  rich 
filigree  border  with  cloisonne  enamels  and  jewels. 
These  are  mostly  semi-precious  rock  crystal  with 
its  amethystine  and  topaz  varieties,  emeralds, 
sapphires,  garnets,  lapis,  pearls  and  occasional 
translucent  enamels.  The  backing  is  oak  covered 
with  old  crimson  velvet  brocade,  and  the  supports 
are  of  forged  and  gilded  iron.  It  stands  in  a 
subdued  light,  the  central  object  in  a  crypt  of  rich 
marble  and  mosaic  work. 


Charles  Conder  found  in  the  shape  of  the  fan 
both  a  basis  for  design  and  a  much  needed  limit 
ready  set  to  his  faculty  for  exhaustless  improvi- 
sation. In  the  fan  which  we  reproduce,  as  with 
the  Japanese,  the  decoration  is  subordinate  to  the 
character  of  the  object  decorated.  This  is  a 
virtue  not  to  be  discovered  always  in  later  work. 
From  some  examples  of  his  art  it  is  to  be  presumed 


REREDOS 

132 


EXECUTED   BY  J.    STARKIE   GARDINER    FROM   A   DESIGN    BY   FR.^NK   L.    PEARSON 


.< 


/  / 


^ 


Studio-Talk 


that  he  only  retained  the  fan  shape 
for  the  reasons  we  have  indicated, 
and  as  an  excuse  for  the  silk 
surface  upon  which  he  preferred 
to  work.  But  the  fan  is  only  an 
incident  in  the  story  of  his  paint- 
ing, and  to  refer  to  him,  as  one 
writer  did  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
as  the  master  of  the  fan,  is  some- 
what to  obscure  the  nature  of  his 
genius  as  a  painter,  which  was 
great  enough  in  itself  to  be  alto- 
gether independent  of  the  ends  to 
which  he  adapted  it. 


"SPRING:"     PANEL    IN    BEATEN 
HY    MARION    H.    WILSON 


GLASGOW.  —  Miss  Marion 
Wilson,  one  of  the  many 
alumni  of  the  Glasgow 
School  of  Art  to  develop 
marked  individuality,  works  in  such 
metal  mediums  as  brass,  copper,  steel 
and  block  tin ;  selecting  her  subjects 
from  the  full  figure,  cherubs'  heads, 
ships  in  full  sail,  the  peacock,  the  night 
owl,  and  the  decorative  rose ;  with 
these  and  other  motifs  she  embellishes 
screens,  overmantels,  hanging  and  table 
clocks,  jardinieres,  mirror  frames,  vases, 
plaques,  sconces,  door  furniture,  electric 
bell  pushes,  switch  plates,  and  other 
adjuncts  employed  in  the  decoration  of 
the  house.  In  every  case  the  designing 
and  craftsmanship  are  alike  distin- 
136 


■  THE  FAIRY  SHIP  :       PANEL  IN  BEATEN  BRASS         BY  MARION  H.  WILSON 


guished,  and  the  method  adopted  by  the  artist, 
of  throwing  the  deeper  parts  of  the  work  into 
shadow  by  smoking  the  whole  metal  surface  in 
the  flame  of  a  candle,  thereafter  polishing  the 
raised  parts,  enhances  the  effect  materially.  In 
such  work  as  that  now  illustrated,  the  detail  is 
all  executed  with  assiduous  care,  and  particularly 
in  the  steel -panels  and  those  in  "antique  brass," 
the  contrast  of  almost  black-and-white  resulting 
from  the  process  described,  is  most  striking. 
Like  many  other  modern  artists  Miss  Wilson  is 
not  limited  to  one  department  of  art  ;  she  paints 


TWO    I'ANELb    IN    ELATEN    BRASS 


BY   .MARION    II.    WILSON 


studio-  Talk 


and  models  ;  and  her  pictures  and  casts  arc  to  be 
seen  from  time  to  time  at  many  of  the  local 
exhibitions.  

The  art  of  embroidering  is  extensively  practised 
here,  and  no  one  brings  greater  charm  of 
execution  to  it  than  Verona  T.  \V.  Smith.  Her 
design  is  always  striking,  but  its  chief  merit  lies  in 
the  skill  with  which  the  colours  are  blended,  the 
foundation  and  pattern  forming  a  harmony  at  once 
complete  and  pleasing.  This  is  a  strong  point 
with  artists  of  the  Glasgow  School,  as  frequenters 
of  exhibitions  know  ;  in  applied  art  it  is  particu- 
larly marked.     Miss  Smith  does  not  confine   her 


CUSHION    E.MBROIDERED 
ON    GREY   LINEN 


DESIGNED  AND  EXECUTED 
BY   VER0N.-\    T.    W.    SMITH 


attention  to  needle-work  ;  enamelling  has  great 
attractions  for  her,  and  she  has  drawn  many  fine 
examples  from  the  kiln. 


In  the  ever-widening  circle  of  artistic  workers  in 
Glasgow,  Miss  Ue  C.  Lewthwaite  Dewar  takes  a 
deservedly  high  position ;  her  work  showing 
imaginative  charm  and  executive  ability.  She  is  a 
native  of  Ceylon  and  her  portfolio  contains  a  strik- 
ing series  of  sketches  of  that  sunny  island  ;  her 
studio  is  rich  in  water-colour  and  illuminated  draw- 
ings, beaten  metal  work,  enamelling,  engraving, 
dainty  work  in  jewellery — for  which  the  fingers 
of  a  woman  seem  specially  fashioned,  and  book 
illustration,  to  which  Miss  Dewar  brings  a  wide 
culture  and  a  full  devotion  that  ensures  alike 
interest  and  success.  The  triptych  here  illus- 
trated is  a  striking  example  of  the  artist's  method  ; 
the  simple  directness  in  the  design   of  (Glasgow's 


CUSHION    EMBROIDERED 
ON   GKEEN    SILK 


DESIGNED  AND  EXECUTED 
BY   VERONA  T.    W.    SMITH 


coat- of  -  arms,  in  which   the    incident  connected 
with  Saint  Mungo  is  too  often  hopelessly  involved. 


CASE  ENCLOSING  CHAMl'LEvt  ENAMEL  TRIPTYCH. 
DESIGNED  AND  EXECUTED  IN  BEATEN  STEEL 
WITH   COPPER   BANDS   AND   MOONSTONES 

BY    MISS   DE  C.    LBWTHWAITE   DEWAR 


137 


Studio-Talk 


,is  in  keeping  with 
the  restraint  that 
characterises  the 
outside  of  the 
casket,  ^\'ithin, 
the  rich  cham- 
pleve  enamel 
with  sumptuous 
lustre,  is  in  strik- 
ing contrast, 
typical  of  the- 
varving  moods  of 
the  artist.  The 
small  casket  in 
silveroid  on  this 
page,  set  with 
lumps  of  enamel 
as  jewels  held  in 
position  by  per- 
forated straps  of  copper,  represents  a  successful 
experiment  in  enamelling.  J.  T. 

PARIS. — At  the  Salon  des  Artistes  Fran^ais 
this  year,  the  work  of  M.  Vila  y  Prades, 
a  young  Spanish  artist  of  considerable 
talent  and  a  robust  style,  attracted  notice. 
His  previous  contributions  already  made  us  ac- 
quainted with  his  undoubted  gifts,  and  notably 
his  large  triptych  called  Le  dernier  Ami, 
a  mournful  page  from  Breton  life.  It  has 
not,  however,   been  this  side  of  his  art  that  has 


announced  his  "arrival."  Of  Spanish  descent  he 
finds  in  the  subjects  of  his  own  country  the  best 
expression  of  his  art.  This  fact  he  has  brilliantly 
attested  this  year  in  his  large  work  Le  Depart,  an 
episode  from  the  races  at  Valencia  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  of  which  further  description  is  ren- 
dered unnecessary  by  the  reproduction  which 
accompanies  these  notes.  It  is  the  work  of  a 
brilliant    colourist,    who   has    broadly   and  boldly 


TIMEPIECE     IN     BEATEN    BRASS 
liY    MARION    H.    WILSON 


CASKET    IN    METAL    AND    ENAMEL 

BY   MISS   DE  C.    LEWTHWAITE    UEWAR 


"  LE    LAIN  ■ 


distributed  his  light  and  shade,  and  who  has  here 
succeeded  in  giving   us  those   extraordinary   con- 
trasts which  constitute  the  secret  of  the  Spanish 
school  of  painting.     M.  ^'ila  y  Prades  is  a  disciple 
of  Sorolla  y  Bastida,  and  one  can  with  truth  assert 
that  the  pupil  is  worthy  of  the  master.     Like  him, 
Vila  is  an  excellent  painter 
of  seascapes,  and  his  pal- 
ette renders  the  loveliest 
cerulean     and     glaucous 
tones   of   the   Mediterra- 
nean.   I  will  only  cite  his 
painting  Dans  Feait  here- 
with   reproduced,    which 
shows  us  a  woman  wad- 
ing through  the  breakers. 
The  picture  Le  Bain    is 
on    account  of  its   light 
equally  excellent.    Up  till 
now  Vila   y  Prades   has 
been     little     known     in 
France.    He  had  a  trium- 
phant    exhibition    at 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  I  trust 
it  will  not  be  long  before 
we  see  an  ensemble  of  his 
works  either  in  Paris  or 
BY  I.  VILA  V  PRADES  in    London    which    shall 


Stndio-Talk 


'I.E   DEPART 


BY   J.    VILA    V    PRAUES 


be   crowned   with    the 
indubitably  deserres. 


success    which    his    talent 


'  .^n  exhibition  of  paint- 
ings by  Claude  Monet  is 
always  an  important  event 
in  Paris,  and  furthermore 
it  is  the  case  with  this  great 
artist,  as  with  Rodin,  that 
no  matter  what  pictures  he 
exhibits,  no  matter  what 
criticisms  may  be  levelled 
against  him,  one  finds  ever 
in  his  work  new  evidence 
of  a  strong  and  noble  per- 
sonality and  of  great  con- 
scientiousness. M.  Claude 
Monet  showed  recently  in 
the  Durand-Ruel  galleries 
forty-eight  paintings,  the 
fruits  of  his  work  during 
the  last  five  years,  to  which 
he  has  given  the  general 
title  of  Les  AWmphcas,  pays- 
age  d'eau,  each  depicting  at 
different  seasons  of  the  year 
and  differertt  hours  of  the 


day  the  diverse  aspects  of  a  little  lily  pond  in  the 
artist's  garden  at  V^theuil.  In  this  series  Monet 
has  returned  to  a   method,  already  followed  with 


' DANS    L  EAU 


l,\   J.    VILA    V    TRADES 


Studio-Talk 


"  LES   XYMPHEAS  :    PAYSAGE   D'tAU  ' 


{By  permission  of  MM.  Durand-Ruel) 


BY    CLAUDE    MON'ET 


much  success  in  his  paintings  of  cathedrals  and 
other  subjects,  in  which  his  great  talents  as  a 
colourist  are  triumphantly  displayed. 


The  ^vorks  on  exhibition  formed  a  very  beautiful 
enstmble,  and  will  certamly  rank  as  one  of  the  most 
notable  artistic  achievements  of  recent  years.  One 
could  not  have  imagined  it  possible  to  depict,  as 
the  artist  has  done  with  so  much  grandeur,  these 
few  square  yards  of  water,  in  which  the  sky  is 
reflected — now  restless  and  stormy,  now  calm  and 
still.  Only  a  painter  of  Claude  Monet's  refined 
and  delicate  vision  could  have  succeeded  in 
capturing  our  attention  and  fascinating  us  by  a 
repetition  forty-eight  times  of  the  same  theme  ;  in 
fact,  the  lines  and  drawing  remain  always  the 
same,  although  the  colouring  and  lighting  vary 
every  time.  I  am  convinced,  however,  that  these 
pictures  will  gain  immeasurably  by  being  seen 
140 


apart  from  one  another,  and  that  to  appreciate 
them  at  their  full  value  we  must  wait  until  they 
appear  separately  in  the  various  galleries  and 
private  collections.  H.  F. 

VIENNA. — Some  seven  years  ago  a  youth 
begged  admittance  as  a  student  at  the 
Imperial  Arts  and  Crafts  School  here. 
He  was  poor  and  unknown,  his  German 
was  so  scanty  that  he  could  not  make  himself 
understood,  but  the  drawings  he  showed  spoke  so 
eloquently  that  Baron  Myrbach,  the  then  director, 
at  once  accepted  him  as  a  pupil  in  his  own  special 
class.  This  youth  was  Tomislav  Krizman.  He 
had  run  away  from  his  home  in  a  tiny  place  in 
Croatia,  resolved  to  undergo  all  hardships  rather 
than  enter  the  commercial  life  for  which  he  had 
been  trained.  His  parents  had  no  sympathy  with 
art,  but  in   the  boy  the  artistic   impulse  was  all- 


141 


Studio-Talk 


powerful.  Before  he  came  to  Vienna  he  had 
never  had  a  lesson  in  drawing,  but  at  a  very  early 
age  his  talent  showed  itself.  He  used  to  sell  his 
drawings,  and  carefully  hoarded  his  small  gains  in 
preparation  for  his  flight.  In  Vienna  he  had  to 
keep  himself  going  by  designing  placards,  never, 
however,  losing  sight  of  his  larger  aims.  He  has 
already  begun  to  reap  the  rewards  of  his  persever- 
ance. With  the  proceeds  of  two  exhibitions,  held 
in  his  own  studio,  he  has  been  able  to  go  to  Paris, 
where  he  is  now  studying  and  experimenting,  in 
the  hope  of  finding  some  new  methods  in  graphic 
art.  His  prints  have  also  been  acquired  for  the 
Albertina  and  other  collections.  An  etched  por- 
trait he  exhibited  at  the  Kiinstlerhaus  attracted 
the  notice  of  the  Emperor,  who  gave  him  a 
commission  to  go  to  Bosnia  and  make  a  series  of 
drawings. 

Krizman  is  a  wood  engraver  and  an  etcher,  and 
has  distinguished  himself  both  in  portraiture  and 
landscape.  For  portraits  he  prefers  large  plates, 
which,  after  etching  in  the  usual  manner,  he 
finishes  with  touches  of  the  dry  point,  so  as  to 
obtain  that  softness  which  he  considers  essential 


in  such  cases.-  But  it  is  perhaps  in  his  scenes 
from  Dalmatia,  Herzegovina,  and  Bosnia  that  his 
individuality  of  perception  and  method  is  best 
displayed.  These  form  the  subject  of  numerous 
wood  engravings  and  etchings,  and  have  been 
rendered  with  much  poetic  feeling.  The  pro- 
cedure he  pursues  in  his  coloured  etchings  is  inter- 
esting. These  are  much  smaller  than  his  portrait 
plates  ;  they  are  drawn  with  the  needle,  but  the 
etching  is  deliberately  allowed  to  go  deeper  than 
usual  in  order  that  greater  softness  and  gradation 
of  tone  may  be  achieved.  For  the  colour  impres- 
sion, obtained  from  the  same  plate,  he  uses  oil 
colours,  which  he  works  in  with  his  fingers,  mixing 
them  in  this  way  as  he  goes  along.  By  this 
means  he  obtains  the  fine  colour  and  atmospheric 
effects  and  the  soft  tones  by  which  these  etchings 
are  characterised  ;  and  it  should  be  added  that  he 
never  dots  or  lines  his  plates  or  avails  himself  of 
any  kindred  device  often  resorted  to  for  guidance. 
Krizman  does  his  own  printing,  which  requires 
much  delicacy  of  manipulation. 


The  Spring  Exhibitions  of  the  Hagenbund  have 
always    a   fresh    exhilarating    feeling   about   them 


'TRAVNIK,    HOSNIa"    (COLOURED   ETCHING; 
142 


^W-id^ 


Studio-Talk 


BEGOVA   STREET,    SARAJEVO"    (WOOD-CU  I  ) 


l)Y    TOMISLAV    KRIZMAN 


about  Graf's  vivid  colour- 
ing, which  has  given  rise 
to  some  criticism,  few 
will  be  found  to  cavil 
with  his  delightful  land- 
scapes, chiefly  of  Southern 
Tyrol ;  many  of  these  are 
nothing  more  than  simple 
chalk  drawings,  but  all 
alike  are  full  of  genuine 
artistic  feeling.  August 
Roth,  Hugo  Baar,  Alex- 
ander Goltz,  and  Gustav 
Bamberger  are  other 
painters  who  contribute 
beautiful  landscapes  from 
various  parts  of  the 
Empire.  Josa  Uprka's 
scenes  of  village  life  in 
Moravia  should  also  be 
named,  for  they  bear  the 
impress  of  an  artist  who 
has  spent  his  life  among 
the  people.  Nor  must  I 
omit  to  mention   in   this 


which  makes  them  fully 
in  keeping  with  the  time 
of  year,  and  the  present 
one  is  no  exception. 
All  the  rooms  save  two 
(which  were  assigned  to 
Josef  Urban)  were  en- 
trusted to  Oskar  Laske  for 
arrangement,  and  he  has 
again  given  proof  of  his 
good  taste  and  judgment 
in  the  management  of  in- 
teriors. The  exhibition 
contains  an  admirablL- 
selection  of  works,  num- 
bering just  over  two 
hundred  Of  particular 
interest  are  the  contri- 
butions of  Ludwig  Fer- 
dinand Graf,  chiefly 
pastels,  especially  notable 
being  his  portrait  of 
Madame  Laurent,  who 
is  wearing  a  diaphanous 
over -dress  of  orange, 
beneath  which  is  visible 
a  gown  of  rose  colour. 
Whatever    may    be    said 


rOR  TRAIT    OK    MADA^M•;    LAURENT    (I'ASI'EL) 


IIV    I.tnWIC.    l-ERniNANI)    r.RAK 

MS 


Stiidio-Talk 


INTERIOR   HAGENBUND   SPRING   EXHIBITION  ARRANGED    BY   ARCHITECT   OSKAR    LASKE 

SCULPTURE   GROUP   BY  JOSEF    HEU 


INTERIOR   HAGENBUND   SPRING   EXHIBITION  ARRANGED    BY   ARCHITECT  JOSEF   URBAN 

WINDOW   BY   H.    VON    UZIEMBLO.      EQUESTRIAN    WOOD   STATUE   BY    F.    BARWIG 


146 


studio-  Talk 


colours,  book  ornaments, 
besides  a  few  works  in 
oil,  and  I  hope  to  say 
more  about  him  on 
another  occasion.  I  must 
also  name  some  excellent 
drawings  by  Prof.  Meh- 
offer,  of  Cracow,  whence 
also  come  some  good 
sketches  for  stained  glass 
windows  by  Kasimir 
Sichulski,  and  a  painted 
window  by  Henryk  von 
Uziemblo. 


tii.\         ^i_  <J  Ll' U  K  L  L>    lHALKs; 


iiV     l.l  1>U  li,     1  .     l.kAK 


The  sculpture,  though 
not  numerically  strong, 
is  good  in  quality ; 
Josef  Heu's  fountain 
group,  Fruhlingser7uachen, 
in  Untersberger  marble 
(see  p.  146),  and  his  bust 
of  Frail  Graf,  being 
among  the  chief  items,  in 
which     should     also     be 


brief  notice  such  capital  landscapes  as  those 
by  Professor  Hegenbarth,  Walter  Hampel, 
Ferdinand  Uorsch,  A.  Gross,  and  the  two 
Prague  artists,  Josef  UUmann  and  Alois 
Kalwoda.  

Of  the  portrait  and  figure  subjects,  besides 
those  by  Graf  above  named,  there  are  some 
good  examples  by  Leo  Delitz,  A.  O.  Alex- 
ander (whose  Disharmonie,  a  group  of  nude 
female  figures  enveloped  in  mist,  is  remark- 
able for  its  daring  interpretation  of  light). 
Prof.  T.  Axentowicz  (who  shows  some  fine 
pastel  portraits),  August  Roth,  A.  D.  Goltz, 
G.  J.  Buchner,  Ludwig  Vacatko,  and  others. 
The  Czech  artist,  Ottokar  Nejedly,  achieves 
a  noteworthy  success  in  his  Fest/ag,  a  view 
of  the  ancient  city  of  Prague  en  file,  with  the 
Hradschin  in  the  distance  ;  and  Vaclav  Mai)', 
another  Czech  painter,  in  a  scene  from  the 
Bohmenvald,  showing  a  religious  procession 
in  progress,  is  no  less  successful. 


Graphic  art  is  well  represented  on  this 
occasion  by  Richard  Lux,  Franz  Simon  and 
Rudolf  Junk.  The  last  named  is  an  artist 
of  much  originality  and  variety  ;  he  exhibits 
coloured  etchings  and  wood-engravings,  water- 


INTERIOR   HACENBUND   SPRING   EXHIBITION,    VIENNA 

ARRANGED   BY  JOSEF   URBAN 
CARVEn   WOOD    FIGl'RES    BY    FRANZ   BARWIG 


studio-  Talk 


is  still  to  be  utilized  for  exhibitions, 
and  its  galleries  lend  themselves  admir- 
ably to  this  purpose,  as  was  apparent 
on  that  occasion.  The  Exhibition  of 
the  "  Societe "  was  not  large,  but  it 
was  characteristic.  About  50  artists 
exhibited,  and  there  were  some  170 
works  hung  in  the  very  best  light  and 
seen  to  the  best  advantage.  Painting 
predominated,  the  sculpture  being 
exceedingly  sparse,  though  of  value 
and  well  placed. 


BY   .v.    REHFOUS 


It  may  be  said  that  in  these  taste- 
fully arranged  Galleries,  the  works  of 
three  groups  of  Swiss  artists  were  on 
view  :  those  of  M.  F.  Hodler  and 
the  Hodlerians  ;  those  of  a  strongly 
individual  and  mature  group,  and  those 
of  our  young  and  promising  painters. 
As  to  the  first,  M.  Hodler  himself 
contributed  three  pictures  ;  the  prin- 
cipal of  vast  dimensions,  in  which  the 
artist  gives  us  a  repetition  of  his  well- 
known  figures.  Here  once  more,  it 
would  seem,  he  seeks  to  give  expres- 
sion to  that  theory  of  parallelism  on 
which    so    much    of    his    painting    is 


included  Karl  Stemolak's  Halbjigur.  Franz 
Bar\vig's  wood  -  sculpture  is  well  known  to 
readers  of  The  Studio,  and  on  this  occasion  a 
large  and  interesting  group  of  his  figures  adds 
greatly  to  the  attractions  of  the  show.  In  these 
he  has  revivified  the  types  of  past  centuries — 
merchants  and  burgomasters  and  their  wives, 
tradesmen,  peasants,  huntsmen,  and  so  forth  ; 
his  equestrian  figure  of  Rudolf  von  Habsburg 
being  an  especially  fine  bit  of  work.  I  must 
also  name  here  some  clever  wood  intarsia  pic- 
tures by  Count  Herbert  Schafifgotsch,  who  has 
for  some  years  been  executing  this  kind  of 
work,  and  has  now  attained  a  wonderful  facility 
in  blending  his  various  woods  to  form  pictorial 
compositions.  A.  S.  L. 

GENEVA.  —  The  recent  Exhibition, 
organised  at  the  Rath  Museum  in 
Geneva,  by  the  Societe  des  Pein- 
tres,  Sculpteurs  et  Architectes 
Suisses,  was  of  a  highly  interesting  and  indi- 
vidual character.  The  Rath  Museum  —  the 
artistic  wealth  of  which  is  being  removed  to 
the  splendid  new  Historical  and  Art  Museum, 
soon  to  be  opened  in  another  part  of  the  city — 


,i,ypiui. 


'  FEMME   B.\T1ANT   LE   BEURRe" 


BY   ED.    VALLET 


studio-  Talk 


"  PAYSAGE   X  SAVlfeZE  " 

based.  To  my  thinking,  in  spite  of  certain  merits, 
this  work  indicates  no  further  progress  in  the 
artist's  development.  M.  Hodler's  best  work  is, 
without  doubt,  to  be  seen  in  his  frescoes,  such 
as  those  which  adorn  the  National  Museum  at 
Zurich,  and  those  he  has  just  executed  for  the 
University  of  Jena.  In  such  achievements  as 
these,  the  artist's  extra- 
ordinary vigour  of 
draughtsmanship  and  that 
archaic  sentiment  as  of 
the  old  Swiss  painters,  so 
strong  in  him,  find  their 
native  expression  ;  but 
not  in  such  work  as  the 
vast  and  nameless  canvas 
which  he  contributed  on 
this  occasion.  Unfortu- 
nately M.  Hodler  has, 
among  some  of  our  young 
painters,  imitators  who 
lack  his  peculiar  gifts. 
They  would  do  better  to 
endeavour  to  give  expres- 
sion to  their  own  artistic 
faith,  as  is  the  case  with 
M.  Hermes,  who,  though 
one  of  M.  Hodler's  di.s- 
ciples,  has  a  distinct  vision 
of  his  own,  evident  in  his 
well  -  executed  drawings 
and  portraits. 


Of  the  contributions  of 
the  members  of  the  second 
group,  one  cannot  speak 
too  highly.  They  were  the 
works  of  artists  who  have 
no  special  theory  to  pro- 
claim, who  are  devoted  to 
their  metier  for  its  own 
sake,  and  many  of  whom 
have  attained  the  plenitude 
of  their  power,  while  all  of 
them  have  that  passion 
for  nature  so  strong  in  the 
race  from  Rousseau  down- 
wards. These  artists  con- 
stitute in  themselves  a 
modern  Swiss  school  of 
landscapists  whose  works 
are  an  honour  to  the 
country  and  deserve  to  be 
more  widely  known  than 
they  are.  Amongst  them 
may  be  mentioned   MM.  A.    Rehfous,  L.  Dunki, 

D.  Estoppey,  H.  Coutau,  G.  de  Beaumont,  E. 
Silvestre,  E.  Ravel,  G.  Crosnier,  H.  de  Saussure, 
O.  Vautier,  G.  Guibentif,  E.  Vallet,  A.  Cacheux, 

E.  Franzoni,  G.  Maunoir,  A.  Trachsel,  and  others. 
Their  contributions  have  the  charm  and  value  of 
work  done,  not  with  a  view  to  an  e.\hibition,  but 


BY   A.   SILVESTRE 


-.    rAIINKE 
149 


studio-  Talk 


in  the  untrammelled  and  frank  delight  of  the  exercise 
of  their  art  face  to  face  with  nature.  They  deal 
for  the  most  part  with  Swiss  landscape  and  life, 
not  in  the  higher  Alpine  regions,  but  by  the  lake 
side  or  in  the  canton  of  Valais,  which  has  of  late 
evidently  had  a  special  attraction  for  our  artists. 
Noteworthy  amongst  these  were  the  Brume  ei  Soleil 
and  Lac  de  Moral,  by  M.  Estoppey  ;  the  Paysage  a 
Savieze  and  L'hiver  a  Savihe  by  M.  Silvestre  ;  La 
route  de  Saiilon,  Interieur  en  Valais  and  La 
Sarva  ( Va.'ais),  by  M.  Rehfous  ;  Les  Femtnes  de 
Savieze,  by  M.  Vautier;  Les  Rives  dii  Lac  and 
Portrait  de  Mile.  M.  G.,  by  M.  H.  de  Saussure ; 
Ztf  Printemps  est  proche  and  Femme  battarit  k 
beurre,  by  M.  Vallet ;  Genlve,  crifusctile  and  Chant 
de  printemps,  by  M.  Rheiner,  and  M.  Forestier's 
contributions  of  still  life.  Mention  also  deserses 
to  be  made  of  the  splendid  enamels  of  MM. 
Dumont  and  Demole. 


this  exhibition  gave  a  very  clear  idea  of  certain 
tendencies  in  modern  Swiss  art  to  which  I  have 
already  alluded,  and  afforded  the  opportunity,  not 
always  to  be  had  at  exhibitions,  of  seeing  the 
artist  at  work,  not  with  an  eye  to  the  public,  but 
with  an  eye  to  his  metier.  R.   Mobbs. 

BE  RUN. -The  death  of  Professor  Alfred 
Messel  this  spring  has  bereft  Germany 
of  one  of  its  best  architects.  Berlin 
especially  has  to  lament  this  heavy 
loss,  as  it  was  Messel  who  seemed  destined  to 
lead  architecture  into  the  way  of  distinguished 
simplicity  and  harmonious  monumentality.  Fortu- 
nately a  number  of  public  and  private  buildings, 
especially  the  great  Wertheim  warehouse  (p.  152), 
will  long  remain  to  impress  on  the  minds  of 
Berlin   architects   the   lessons   he    taught.      When 


The  exhibits  of  the  artists  of 
the  third  group  speak  well  for 
the  future.  Full  of  promise  is 
work  of  such  distinction  as 
M.  Duvoisin's  Vue  d'Ltalie,  not 
to  mentionhis  treatment  of  still 
life  and  of  portraiture.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  M.  S. 
Pahnke,  whose  L'autre  misere 
is  admirable  alike  from  the 
point  of  view  of  composition 
and  the  purity  of  its  drawing. 
Amongst  our  young  painters, 
the  works  of  MM.  Jacobi, 
E.  L.  Baud,  A.  Blanchet, 
J.  Helld,  G.  Kohler,  G.  Tur- 
rettini,  G.  Matthey,  E.  Morrard, 
M.  Sarkissoff,  and  last,  but  not 
least  E.  Hornung,  revealed  a 
sincerity  of  purpose,  an  audac- 
ity of  research  and  an  indivi- 
dual talent,  rich  in  possibilities. 


Though  the  sculpture  occu 
pied  a  comparatively  small 
place,  it  was  of  noteworthy 
quality,  specially  the  two  busts 
contributed  by  that  powerful 
Swiss  sculptor,  M.  Vibert,  and 
a  remarkable  Beethoven,  by 
M.  Hubacher.  To  these  may 
be  added  a  vigorous  Etude  de 
taureau  in  bronze,  by  M. 
Sarkissoff.      Taken  altogether, 

15° 


VILLA    DOTTI,    GKLNEW.^LD,    .NEAR    BERLl.N 


A.    -MESSEL,    ARCHHECT 


studio-  Talk 


■■  VILI.A    UKAUN,"    liKUNEWAL.li,    NEAR    liERLlN 


Al.l  KKD    Mh.SSEL,    ARCHITECT 


studio-  Talk 


early  in  his  career  he  came  hither  from  Darmstadt, 
where  he  was  born  some  56  years  ago,  and  where 
the  new  National  Museum  testifies  to  his  genius, 
he  found  Berlin  a  far  different  city  to  what  it  is 
now.  Then  it  was  scarcely  more  than  a  provincial 
capital,  but  he  lived  to  see  it  become  a  huge  "Welt- 
stadt."  He  helped  to  bring  about  a  considerable 
improvement  in  the  architectural  amenities  of  the 
city,  though  far  from  as  much  as  he  would  have 
wished.  When  he  started  practice  here  the  type 
of  architecture  which  found  general  favour  could 
not  but  repel  a  man  of  his  artistic  sensitiveness. 
Fantastic,  meaningless  decoration  was  considered 
indispensable ;  the  virtues  of  simplicity  were 
ignored,  and  rarely  was  any  thought  paid  to  the 
need  of  congruity  between  the  general  design  and 
plan  of  a  building  and  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  destined.  Messel,  who,  though  not  to  be 
classed  as  one  of  the  "Moderns,"  deserves  to  rank 
as  their  noblest  leader,  did  his  best  to  introduce 
more  rational  principles.  He  was  the  founder  of 
the  modern  typical  "  Warenhaus-Stil,"  but  the 
splendid  corner  annexe  to  the  "  Haus  Wertheim  " 
(see  illustration  below),  dating  from  1905,  betrays 
cravings  for  something  far  beyond  mere  practica- 


bility— the  longing  of  the  master-architect  for  real 
beauty.  In  Messel's  art  Gothicism,  Renaissance 
and  Barock  have  undergone  an  ennobling  re-birth. 
He  died  in  the  middle  of  his  work  for  the  new 
Berlin  museums.         

Some  of  the  best  examples  of  Prof.  Messel's 
designs  in  domestic  architecture  are  to  be  found  in 
the  West  End  of  Berlin  and  in  the  villa-colony  at 
Grunewald,  about  half-an-hour's  journey  from  the 
centre.  The  general  aim  which  the  founders  of 
this  colony  had  in  view  was  to  build  houses  with 
a  reposeful,  artistic  environment  for  the  man  of  busi- 
ness. Two  of  the  houses  in  this  colony  which  Prof. 
Messel  designed  are  illustrated,  the  one  a  large  house 
with  a  lodge  (also  illustrated),the  other  a  small  com- 
pact villa,  comparatively  inexpensive  in  construction. 

.T-J- 

PITTSBURG,  Pennsylvania. — Two  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  works  were  included 
in  the  catalogue  of  the  annual  exhibition 
of  the  Carnegie  Institute,  and  of  these 
more  than  half  were  sent  from  abroad.  Of  all 
the  nations  Great  Britain  was  probably  most 
largely  represented,  though  the  French,  including 


ANNEXE  TO    'HALS    ULRIHEIM,"   BERLIN 


ALFRED   MESSEL,    ARCHITECT 


"  I'LAZA   DE   VALENCIA" 


liY    lOAcjbMM   SOROLLA   Y    BASTIDA 


Americans  residing  in  Paris,  made  also  generous 
contribution. 

Of  the  seven  awards,  four  went  to  British 
painters  ;  a  medal  of  the  second  class,  with  a  prize 
of  $i,ooo,  being  given  to  Mr.  George  Sauter,  for 
The  Bridal  Morning,  and  honourable  mentions 
being  accorded  to  Mr.  Arnesby  Brown  for  The 
Gate  ;  to  Mr.  Stanhope  A.  Forbes  for  the  Village 
Industry,  and  to  Mr.  E.  A.  Hornel  for  one  of  his 
inimitable  paintings  of  children  in  a  flowery  field, 
entitled  Amusement.  The  medal  of  the  first  class 
went  to  Mr.  E.  C.  Tarbell,  of  Boston,  for  a 
masterly  little  interior.  Girl  Crocheting \  and  the 
medal  of  the  third  class  to  Mr.  Bruce  Crane,  of 
New  York,  for  an  impressive  transcription  of  a 
bare  hillside  in  November. 


A  special  feature  of  this  exhibition  was  a  group 
of  paintings  by  Mr.  Alfred  East,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  international  jury.  By  invitation 
of  the  Director  of  the  Department  of  Fine  Arts  of 
the  Carnegie  Institute,  Mr.  John  W.  Beatty,  twenty- 
five  of  his  landscapes  were  shown ;  one  entire 
gallery  being  allotted  to  them.     The  majority  of 


these  had  previously  been  exhibited  in  England 
and  on  the  Continent,  but  two  were  very  recent 
works,  made,  in  fact,  after  Mr.  East  arrived 
in  Pittsburg.  The  American  landscape  painter, 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Ranger,  likewise,  by  special  in- 
vitation, contributed  a  large  group.  Some 
excellent  landscapes  were  also  included  in  the 
main  section    of  the  exhibition. 

In  portraits,  numerically,  the  exhibition  was  not 
especially  strong,  but  the  few  which  were  shown  were 
of  peculiar  interest.  In  the  first  large  gallery  were 
to  be  seen  a  clear-cut  portrait  by  Miss  Cecilia 
Beaux,  of  a  Mother  and  Son,  sculpturesque  in  its 
strong  modelling  and  frank  demarcation  of 
planes  ;  Gari  Melchers'  portrait  of  ex-President 
Roosevelt  in  riding  costume,  a  work  just  failing 
to  attain  greatness ;  and  John  W.  Alexander's 
masterly  portrait  of  Miss  Helen  Beatty,  painted 
in  an  e.xceedingly  decorative  and  characteristic 
manner.  In  the  adjoining  gallery  an  excellent 
portrait  of  Mrs.  A.  W.  Drake,  by  Irving  Wiles, 
was  to  be  specially  remarked,  and  in  one  of  the 
smaller  room.s,  excellent  work  of  this  kind  by 
Louise  Belts  and  Ellen  G.  Emmet  was  noted. 

'53 


studio-  Talk 


•  SLUMBERING   WATERS 


The  transcription  of  sunlight  seemed  to  have 
absorbed  much  attention,  and  in  many  instances 
was  cleverly  accomplished.  Of  these,  Miss  Lillian 
Genth's  chaste  nudes  deser^■e  special  mention,  as 
does  also  Senor  Sorolla's  delightful  little  Spanish 
beach  scene.  Of  the  figure  paintings  much  might 
be  said,  but  in  addition  to  those  winning  honours, 
reference  can  only  be 
made  to  Childe  Hassam's 
Spring  Morning,  impres- 
sionistic in  treatment ;  to 
Gari  Melcher's  Mornitig 
Room,  a  frank,  realistic 
statement  none  the  less 
lovely ;  and  to  Charles  W. 
Hawthorne's  toneful  and 
sympathetic  rendering  of  a 
Mother  and  Child.     L.  M. 


TORONTO.— Al- 
though a  young 
country^  devoid 
of  any  art  tradi- 
tions and  without  many 
wealthy  patrons,  Canada 
is  making  rapid  headway 
in  painting  and  sculpture. 
A  few  years  ago  pictures 
were  an  unknown  quan- 
tity, and  whilst  works  of 
a  merely  decorative  char- 

154 


acter  were  to  be  found 
in  some  houses,  there  was 
no  serious  thought  of  art 
in  its  higher  sense,  and 
but  little  interest  was 
taken  in  furthering  the 
aim  and  scope  of  the 
artist  to  produce  any- 
thing more  than  the  mere 
work  of  colouring  a  land- 
scape or  producing  a  like- 
ness in  portraiture.  All 
this  has  been  changed, 
and  in  a  marvellously 
short  space  of  time  there 
has  been  created  a  taste 
for  the  best  that  art  can 
produce.  Many  private 
collections  have  been 
made,  and  a  desire  to 
possess  the  best  works  of 
the  greatest  men  has 
actuated  many  of  the 
wealthier  class  here,  in  Montreal  and  other  large 
centres.  Perhaps  in  no  other  country  can  be  found 
finer  examples  of  the  Barbizon  painters  or  of  the 
nineteenth-century  Dutchmen  than  will  be  seen  by 
a  visit  to  a  dozen  fine  private  galleries  in  Canada. 
Magnificent  paintings  by  Israels,  Mauve,  the 
Maris   brothers,  Weissenbruch   and  others  of  the 


BY  J.    ARCHIBALD   BROWNE 


"QUAI    DES   GRANDS    AUGISTINS,    PARIS:   WINTER 


BY  J.    W.    MORRICE 


studio-  Talk 


"  BOY    FEEDING    PIGS 


(Cof>yi-ight  thoto  by  N.  E.  Montross) 

modem  Dutch  school,  and  splendid  works  by 
Corot  and  his  fellow  artists,  as  well  as  worthy 
examples  of  the  works  of  Reynolds  and  the  other 
great  English  portrait  painters  may  be  seen,  where 
once  were  bare  w^alls  or  indifferent  decorations. 
The  spirit,  being  once  awakened,  seems  to  have 
accomplished  magical  results.  Not  content  with 
foreign  pictures,  the  collectors  turned  to  the  native 
field,  and  by  their  sup- 
port and  discrimination 
have  given  a  great  im- 
petus to  our  own  artists. 
Finding  that  the  public 
taste  and  appreciation  are 
being  educated  and  devel- 
oped, Canadian  artists 
realize  that  it  is  no  longer 
of  any  avail  to  go  on 
painting  inanimate  soul- 
less work.  They,  too,  feel 
that  they  must  strive  after 
higher  aims  and  e.xecu- 
tion  than  satisfied  the 
people  of  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ago,  and  the 
result  is  a  restless  but 
thoughtful  effort  is  now 
being  made  to  raise  Cana- 
dian art  from  its  [last 
formal  and  lifeless  con- 
dition to  the  plane  of 
vitality. 


As  one  of  the  chief  con- 
sequences of  this  change 
in  both  the  public  patrons 
and  the  professional  artist, 
the  creation  of  The  Cana- 
dian Art  Club  was  inevit- 
able. It  came  into 
existence  in  the  necessary 
course  of  events.  It 
depends  on  ten  or  twelve 
aggressive  spirits  who 
have  cut  themselves  adrift 
from  local  prejudices  and 
opinions,  and  who  feel 
that  there  is  more  in  art 
than  blind  obedience  to 
rules  and  regulations. 
These  men  have  recently 
given  their  second  annual 
exhibition,  and  it  has  been 
a  revelation  to  the  public 
and  a  matter  of  great 
pleasure  and  pride  to  Canadian  collectors  and 
connoisseurs  to  see  what  can  be  done  when  the 
artist  is  untrammelled  and  free  to  do  his  own 
bidding.  There  is  no  unity  of  colour  or  treatment, 
for  each  man  has  struggled  to  give  expression  to 
his  individual  thought  and  observation.  There  is 
not  the  slightest  evidence  of  the  conventional,  and 
it  would  be  difficult  to  trace  the  influence  of  any 


BY    HOR  \TIO    W.M.KER 


"PLOI'GHING — THE   FIRST   GLEAM 


BY    HORATIO   WALKER. 


{Copyright  photo  by  Montross) 


'55 


iS6 


Sfiidio-  Talk 


"  I'KOWLING    rAMlIER"    (liUU.NZl.) 


BY   A.    PHIMISTER   PROCTOR 


school  or  academic  canon 
in  any  of  the  productions. 
They  are  spontaneous, 
vital,  personal.  Differing 
widely  as  they  do  in 
colour,  technique,  and 
treatment,  the  pictures 
appeal  to  the  eye,  not  as 
isolated  examples  of  diff- 
erent methods,  but  as  a 
whole,  the  underlying  con- 
necting bond  being  vigour 
and  a  high  degree  of  indi- 
vidual excellence. 

Without  going  over  the 
numbers  in  detail,  it  may 
be  remarked  individually 
that  Mr.  Curtis  William- 
son, in  his  life  figure 
Vaudeville  Girl,  struck  a 
high  note  in  painting. 
Mr.  Homer  Watson,  whose 
vigorous  landscapes  are 
well  known  in  England 
and  elsewhere,  and  who 
is  the  President  of  the 
Club,  reached  far  ahead 
of  anything  he  had  for- 
merly done.  His  Nut 
Gatherers  in  the  Forest 
impressed  one  with  the 
charms  of  a  Rousseau. 
Differing  from  the  French- 
man widely  as  it  does  in 
technique,  it  has  the  same 
mark  of  genius,  and  some 
day  will  be  thought  a  fit 
companion  to  hang  beside 
the  great  master.     To  the 


1 


'INDIAN    WAKRIOR"   (bRO.N'ZE) 


BY   A.    I'HIMISTER    PROCTOR 


studio-  Talk 


The  work  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Morrice,  formerly  of 
Montreal,  but  now  working  in  Paris,  is  marked  by 
all  that  delicacy  of  colour-value  and  exquisite 
tonality  which  distinguish  the  man  who  feels  and 
paints  subjectively.  Some  landscapes  by  Mr.  E. 
Morris  and  some  beautiful  and  skilfully  painted 
winter  scenes  by  Mr.  M.  Cullen  were  notaDle 
contributions  to  the  exhibition,  in  which  also 
Mr.  Brownell,  another  excellent  painter,  was  well 
represented.  Mr.  Russell,  a  young  Canadian  now 
in  Paris,  exhibited  two  or  three  figure  pieces  show- 
ing remarkable  skill  in  drawing  and  colour.  The 
bronzes  by  Mr.  A.  Phimister  Proctor,  of  New 
York,  also  added  very  much  to  the  interest 
and  value  of  the  exhibition. 


SHIELD   IN   BEATEN   SILVER 

DtSIGNED  AND   EXECUTED   BY   DENIS   SANTRY 


There  were  other  meritorious  works  among  the 
eighty  exhibited,  but  without  going  over  them  in 
detail,  it  \vill  suffice  to  say  that  art  has  gained 
much  by  this  aggressive  and  determined  effort  on 
the  part  of  the  club  to  give  to  the  world  some 
original  and  individual  views  of  its  members,  and 
to  express  themselves  as  the  inner  promptings  of 
research  and  feeling  dictate. 

E.  F.  B.   Johnston. 


writer,  it  has  finer  qualities  in  the  way 
of  colour,  tone  and  sentiment  than 
any  like  subject  heretofore  painted  in 
Canada.  Mr.  Horatio  Walker,  a  native- 
born  Canadian  now  settled  in  New- 
York,  was  represented  by  a  large  oil 
called  Ploughing — The  First  Gleam — a 
wonderfully  dramatic  picture  and  a 
noted  example  of  Mr.  Walker's  po\ver. 
It  calls  to  mind  some  of  those  psycho- 
logical renderings  of  Josef  Israels,  in 
which  the  strong  and  vital  elements  of 
nature  and  man  are  subordinated  to 
and  dominated  by  the  artist's  genius. 
Mr.  J.  A.  Brown  revels  in  the  land 
of  dreams  and  the  poetry  of  nature. 
A  tender  harmony  dominates  his  pic- 
tures, Slumbering  Waters  and  A  Mid- 
summer Night.  Mr.  W.  E.  Atkinson  is 
another  exponent  of  nature  through  the 
eye  of  sympathy  and  peace.  There  is 
in  his  Evening  Willows  a  feeling  of 
quiet  communion,  a  very  sympathetic 
touch,  and  a  simplicity  and  breadth  of 
treatment  which  always  influence  the 
aim  and  expression  of  this  highly  appre- 
ciated artist. 


THE    RT.    HON.    SIR    HENRY    DE   VILLIERS,    K.C.M.G. 

BY  J.    M.    S0LOMO.N 


Art   School  Notes 


"SLEEPING    BASUTO"    (BRONZE)  BY    A.    VAN    WOUW 


c 


APE  TOWN.— The  shield  illustrated  on 
page  158  was  designed  and  executed 
by  Mr.  Denis  Santry  of  this  city  as  a 
trophy  to  be  competed  for  annually 
by  the  public  schools  of  a  group  of  districts  in 
Cape  Colony.  It  is  of  beaten  silver,  mounted  on 
oiled  teak.  The  floral  decoration  is  based  on  the 
most  typical  flower  of  South  Africa,  the  Protea, 
or  "Sugar  Bush,"  and  the  design  at  the  top  of 
the  shield  is  derived  from  the  beautiful  old 
Colonial  Dutch  architecture,  which  the  late  Cecil 
Rhodes  always  strove  to  preserve  and  encourage. 
Above  the  shield  is  a  boss  bearing  the  arms  of 
Cape  Colony  in  enamel.  The  height  of  the  shield 
is  42  inches  over  all.  Until  he  took  to  craft-work 
Mr.  Santry  was  an  architect. 


The  portrait  of  Sir  Henry  de  Villiers,  K.C.M.G., 
President  of  the  South  African  National  Con- 
vention, is  from  a  wood  engraving  executed  by 
Mr.  J.  M.  Solomon,  and  is  one  of  a  series  he  has 
been  doing  of  leading  members  of  the  Convention, 
from  whom  he  has  received  personal  sittings, 
including  e.x-President  Steyn,  General  Botha, 
Sir  Percy  Fitzpatrick,  Mr.  Merriman,  Generals 
De  Wet  and  De  la  Rey.  Mr.  Solomon  is  an  architect 
by  profession. 

PRETORIA.— Mr.    Antony     van     Wouw, 
whose     bronze     figure    of    a     Sleeping 
Basuto  is  here  illustrated,  was  born  in 
Holland    in     1862,    and    received    his 
trainir.g  at  the  Art  Academy,   Rotterdam.     After 


holding  a  leading  position  in  a  well-known 
Dutch  architect's  office,  he  emigrated  to  the 
Transvaal  in  1890,  and,  in  addition  to  architec- 
tural work,  made  a  speciality  of  Kaffir  busts. 
In  1895  he  became  professor  of  drawing,  and  in 
the  same  year  obtained  a  commission  for  the 
monument  to  President  Kruger,  which  was  about 
to  be  erected  here  when  the  war  broke  out. 
This  commission  occupied  him  three  years,  which 
he  spent  in  Europe.  Since  the  war  he  has 
executed  several  notable  works,  architectural  and 
otherwise;  but  latterly  he  has  devoted  himself 
almost  exclusively  to  typically  South  African 
bronze  statuettes.  F.  V.  Engelenburg. 

ART   SCHOOL   NOTES. 

LONDON.— The  delegates  from  the 
London  students'  sketching  clubs  who 
met  to  choose  the  subjects  for  the 
Gilbert-Garret  Competition  of  the 
coming  autumn  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  their 
selections.  Except  in  sculpture  they  cover  the 
widest  possible  range,  and  in  the  figure,  animal, 
landscape  and  design  sections  no  student  will 
have  any  right  to  complain  that  the  chosen  sub- 
jects are  unsuited  to  his  particular  scope  of  treat- 
ment. The  subjects  in  these  sections  are,  for 
figure,  Labour  ;  landscape,  A  Cloudy  Day  ;  design, 
A  Poster  for  a  Pageant ;  and  animal.  The  End  of 
the  Day.  In  sculpture  the  subject  Samson  and 
Delilah  is  one  with  which  few  competitors  can 
find  fault,  and  it  ought  to  inspire  some  spirited 
and  picturesque  models.  The  delegates  by  whom 
the  subjects  were  chosen  included  representatives 
of  the  Royal  Academy,  South  Kensington  (Royal 
College  of  Art),  Lambeth,  Westminster,  Calderon 
Animal  School,  St.  Martins,  Gilbert-Garret,  Birk- 
beck,  Heatherley's,  Grosvenor,  S.  W.  Polytechnic, 
and  Clapham.  In  addition  to  these  it  is  probable 
that  many  other  London  students'  sketching  clubs 
will  take  part  in  this  always  interesting  competition 
and  endeavour  to  wrest  from  South  Kensington 
the  award  of  honour  gained  in  1908.  It  is  a  pity 
that  the  award  of  honour — the  championship  of 
the  sketching  clubs — does  not  carry  with  it  some 
sort  of  challenge  shield  or  other  tangible  memorial 
that  could  be  held  for  the  year  by  the  victorious 
school.  Long  ago,  when  the  competition  was  in 
its  infancy,  one  of  its  originators  (Mr.  A.  W.  Mason, 
of  the  Birkbeck  School)  proposed  that  a  silver 
palette  should  be  provided  and  held  as  a  trophy 
by  the  winners  of  the  award  of  honour ;  but  this 
suggestion,  unfortunately,  was  never  carried  out. 

159 


Art  School  Notes 


Madame  Louisa  Starr  Canziani,  who  died 
recently  in  London,  was  the  first  woman  student 
of  the  Royal  Academy  who  succeeded  in  carrying 
ofT  the  gold  medal  for  historical  painting.  That 
was  in  December,  1867,  nearly  forty-two  years  ago, 
and  it  is  curious  that  despite  the  vastly  increased 
opportunities  for  training  that  women  artists  have 
since  enjoyed  only  one  of  them,  and  that  one  a 
contemporary  of  Madame  Canziani,  has  equalled 
her  achievement.  The  fact  that  no  woman  has 
won  the  medal  since  the  victory  of  Miss  Jessie 
Macgregor  in  187 1  ought  to  call  forth  special 
efforts  from  the  clever  girl  students  at  Burlington 
House  who  are  now  making  preliminary  studies 
for  the  pictures  of  Dives  and  Lazarus  that  will  be 
submitted  for  the  competition  of  December. 
Madame  Canziani,  who  was  of  American  parent- 
age, was  a  young  girl  when  she  won  the  gold 
medal  with  an  illustration  of  the  subject,  David 
with  the  Head  of  Goliath,  brought  before  Saul,  and 
to  her  friends  she  often  told  the  story  of  the 
difficulty  she  experienced  in  finding  a  model  for 
Goliath.  She  found  him  at  last  in  a  local  milk- 
man who  was  blessed  with  an  exceptionally  shaggy 
head,  and  except  for  a  habit  of  falling  asleep  at 
inopportune  moments  the  milkman  served  admir- 
ably as  the  impersonator  of  the  giant  of  Oath. 


When  Madame  Canziani  joined  the  Academy 
Schools,  Miss  Herford,  who  had  first  gained  for 
women  the  right  of  admission,  was  still  a  student. 
The  story  of  the  way  in  which  this  lady  opened 
the  doors  of  the  schools  to  members  of  her  .sex 
has  been  frequently  but  not  quite  accurately  told. 
The  well-known  fact  that  she  was  admitted  on  the 
strength  of  a  drawing  signed  with  initials  only, 
which  the  Council  took  to  be  those  of  a  male 
competitor,  doubtless  led  to  the  common  accep- 
tance of  the  theory  that  accident  thus  forced  the 
hand  of  the  Academy  and  obliged  that  institution, 
against  its  will,  to  admit  women  students.  This, 
however,  is  far  from  the  truth.  There  is,  indeed, 
a  strong  suspicion  that  Miss  Herford's  action  was 
connived  at  by  the  authorities,  and  the  following 
quotation  from  the  Report  to  the  Academicians  in 
1 86 1  (now  probably  made  public  for  the  first  time) 
proves  that  the  Academy  welcomed  rather  than 
resisted  the  admission  of  women. 


beyond  a  congratulatory  recognition  of  the  circum- 
stance." Miss  Herford  was  not  long  alone,  for  the 
Report  of  the  following  year  announces  that  the 
number  of  women  students  had  been  increased  to 
four.  The  1863  Report  shows  that  there  were  ten 
in  that  year,  and  that  for  the  first  time  "  a  female 
student's  drawings  being  satisfactory  she  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  painting  school  to  work  from  the 
living  draped  model."  The  next  year  showed  a 
further  increase  of  women  students,  who  now 
numbered  thirteen,  and  this  was  as  many  as  the 
Academy  schools,  then  at  Trafalgar  Square,  were 
able  to  accommodate.  So,  although  applications 
for  admission  were  numerous,  the  doors  were  shut, 
and  the  thirteen  pioneers  received  no  reinforce 
ments  until  the  removal  to  Burlington  House  two 
or  three  years  later  provided  ample  room  for  both 
male  and  female  students.  ' 

Mr.  A.  S.  Cope,  A.R.A.,  will  act  as  Visitor  in 
the  School  of  Drawing  at  the  Royal  Academy 
until  the  end  of  the  summer  term.  The  Visitor 
in  the  School  of  Painting  is  Mr.  Charles  Sims, 
A.R.A.  :  in  the  School  of  Sculpture,  Mr.  H.  A. 
Pegram,  A.R.A.  ;  and  in  the  School  of  Archi- 
tecture, Mr.  John  Belcher,  R.A. 


Commenting  on  Miss  Herford's  success  the 
Report  says  :  "  The  admission  of  a  female  student 
who  had  successfully  gone  through  the  required 
probationary  studies,  being  at  present  an  excep- 
tional case,  does  not  appear  to  call  for  any  remark 
160 


Li  the  John  Hassall  Poster  Competition,  held 
at  the  New  Art  School,  Logan  Place,  Earls  Court, 
most  of  the  designs  submitted  showed  a  lack 
of  that  particular  kind  of  knowledge  that  can 
only  be  obtained  by  special  training.  It  is  not 
enough  for  the  would-be  poster  artist  to  be  able 
to  draw  and  colour,  even  when  these  qualities 
are  combined  with  some  feeling  for  design.  Some 
of  the  rejected  works  in  the  recent  competition 
were  well  enough  drawn,  not  inharmonious  in 
colour,  and  occasionally  good  in  idea,  but  they 
were  the  work  of  students  who  were  unable  to 
concentrate  and  make  the  best  use  of  their  quali- 
ties because  they  had  little  or  none  of  the  practical 
knowledge  that  an  accomplished  poster  designer 
might  impart  to  them  in  a  few  lessons.  The 
ideal  poster  is  attractive  alike  on  the  artistic  and 
on  the  commercial  side,  striking  and  harmonious 
in  pattern,  and  calculated  to  advertise  the  particular 
thing  to  which  it  is  intended  that  attention  should 
be  drawn.  But  the  student  who  essays  poster 
designing  usually  neglects  the  commercial  side — 
upon  which,  after  all,  the  whole  thing  depends — 
and  in  his  effort  to  make  something  strikingly 
artistic  is  apt  to  over-elaborate  his  design  and  to 
lose  the  simplicity  that  is  one  of  the  first  essentials 
of  a  picture  for  the  hoardings.     Nor  can  he  with- 


Reviews  and  Notices 


out  special  training  appreciate  the  importance  of 
selecting  colours  that  are  not  difficult  or  expensive 
to  reproduce  and  that  will  not  fade  quickly  in  the 
sunlight  to  which  the  poster  will  probably  be 
exposed.  

More  than  a  hundred  designs  were  submitted  to 
the  judges,  Mr.  Cecil  Aldin,  Mr.  F.  W.  Gibson  and 
Mr.  Charles  Holme.  They  came  from  all  parts  of 
the  kingdom,  and  in  subject  covered  the  entire 
field  of  advertisement,  including  even  the  Suffra- 
gette agitation.  After  a  careful  examination  the 
first  prize  was  awarded  by  the  judges  to  a  bold  and 
strong  design  advertising  Allsopp's  beer.  This 
design,  by  Mr.  S.  Bagdatopulos,  of  Ealing,  showed 
a  red-faced  seventeenth-century  toper,  black  robed 
and  with  mandoline  on  his  arm,  leaning  back  with 
an  expression  of  intense  appreciation  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  tankard  he  has  just  drained.  The 
design  by  Mr.  J.  \\  Lias,  of  Newton  Abbott, 
which  gained  the  second  prize,  was  clever  both  in 
idea  and  execution.  It  was  for  Colman's  Mustard, 
the  pungency  of  which  was  amusingly  suggested 
by  the  figure  of  an  old  man  frying  his  dinner,  by 
its  heat  alone,  on  a  tin  of  mustard.  The  poster 
for  Skipper  Sardines,  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Boden,  of  Lin- 
coln, with  its  wooden  pier  and  black-sailed  boats 
on  the  high  horizon,  was  in  some  ways  admirable  ; 
but  the  orange  toned  sky  was  unfortunate  in  colour 
and  out  of  harmony  with  the  blue  sea  beneath  it. 
To  Mr.  Boden  was  given  the  third  prize ;  and 
honourable  mentions  were  gained  by  Miss  G.  Hall 
for  a  clever  design  advertising  Suchard's  Chocolate  ; 
by  Mr.  F.  ter  Gast  for  a  "  Faust "  poster ;  and  by 
Miss  B.  Severn,  Miss  W.  Roberts,  Mr.  E.  Hastain, 
and  Mr.  S.  Rogers.  At  the  New  Art  School, 
where  the  poster  competition  was  held,  the  teach- 
ing staff  has  just  been  strengthened  by  the 
addition  of  Mr.  Richard  Jack,  the  well-known 
portrait  painter.  Mr.  Jack  will  take  charge  of 
the  life  classes,  where  a  great  advance  on  the 
good  standard  of  drawing  already  achieved  is  con- 
fidently expected.         

Last  month,  at  Mr.  Faulkner's  gallery  in  Baker 
Street,  the  Calderon  Art  Society  held  its  first 
exhibition.  The  Calderon  Art  Society  is  com- 
posed exclusively  of  past  and  present  students  of 
the  School  of  Animal  Painting,  and  studies  of 
animal  life  therefore  predominated  in  the  exhi- 
bition. Landscapes  too  were  plentiful,  and  it 
was  interesting  to  see  among  them  a  charming 
little  painting  by  Sir  Ernest  Waterlow,  R.A.,  who 
is  a  past  student  in  so  far  that  he  has  worked 


with  the  class  several  times  in  the  summer  open- 
air  sessions,  held  in  the  country.  The  prominent 
artists  who  have  worked  with  the  class  also  include 
Mr.  Vereker  M.  Hamilton,  who  showed  at  the 
exhibition  some  vigorous,  sunny  studies  of  Ken- 
sington Gardens,  and  Miss  Mildred  Butler, 
A.R.W.S.,  who  was  represented  by  a  characteristic 
water  colour,  Shades  of  Evening.  Miss  Jessie  Hall, 
another  past  student  whose  work  is  frequently 
seen  in  London  exhibitions,  showed  a  poetic  little 
drawing  of  sheep  in  a  fold,  Otu  Summer  Nigkl ; 
and  Mr.  Edwin  Noble,  R.B.A.,  was  at  his  best 
in  The  Goat  Herd.  Miss  Kate  A.  Smith,  a  student 
who  has  been  trained  entirely  at  the  School  of 
Animal  Painting,  exhibited  a  picture  of  sleeping 
dogs.  Tired  Out,  that  was  full  of  promise ;  and 
Miss  C.  M.  Sprott,  in  her  oil  study  of  a  horse, 
The  Half-clipped  Bay,  showed  an  appreciation  of 
tone  and  a  painter-like  quality  that  should  lead 
her  to  greater  achievement  later  on.  Of  several 
landscapes  by  Miss  Grace  L.  M.  Elliott,  the  best 
was  one  of  a  willow-bordered  river ;  and  close  to 
it  hung  a  sympathetic  painting  of  horses  in  a 
meadow  at  twilight,  with  the  moon  rising  above 
the  horizon,  by  Mrs.  Guillemard.  Countess 
Helena  Gleichen  in  Thistles  had  an  interesting 
painting  of  a  stretch  of  open  country  with  a  rough, 
weedy  foreground ;  and  other  noticeable  works  in 
colour  were  by  Miss  M.  H.  Congdon  White,  Miss 
Agnes  M.  Goodall,  Miss  E.  Blacklock,  Miss 
Caroline  St.  C.  Graham,  Miss  M.  Gilmore  Mcllroy, 
Mr.  R.  C.  Weatherby,  Miss  M.  Hollams,  and 
Mr.  Frank  Stonelake.  A  special  word  of  praise 
is  due  to  the  clever  sketch  portraits  by  Mrs.  H. 
B.  Weiner.  Miss  Olive  Branson,  Miss  M.  E. 
Hamilton,  Mr.  Cecil  Beeching,  and  Miss  Kate 
A.  Smith  showed  commendable  drawings  in 
black-and-white,  and  Miss  Mary  A.  Swan  an  ably 
modelled  bronze  of  a  greyhound.  The  President 
of  the  Society,  Mr.  \V.  Frank  Calderon,  contri- 
buted to  the  exhibition  some  admirable  studies  of 
animals,  both  modelled  and  painted,  as  well  as 
his  picture.  How  Four  Queens  Found  Sir  Lancelot 
Sleeping.  W.  T.  W. 

REVIEWS    AND    NOTICES. 

Hampshire.  Painted  by  Wilfrid  Ball,  R.E., 
described  by  Rev.  Telford  Varley,  M.A.  (London: 
A.  &  C.  Black.),  2o.f.  net.  — Hampshire  is  a  county 
so  full  of  interest,  whether  in  respect  to  its  historical 
connections  or  the  great  variety  and  beauty  of  its 
landscape,  as  to  make  it  a  subject  equally  attractive 
to  the  scholar  and  the  artist.     Both  the  literary  and 

i6i 


Reviews  mid  Notices 


artistic  contributions  to  this  recent  addition  to  the 
well-known  series  of  colour  books  issued  by 
Messrs.  Black  deser\e  the  highest  encomium.  Mr. 
Ball's  work  is  individualistic,  yet  always  delightful 
in  its  simplicity  and  modesty.  The  charm  of  an 
old  English  village,  with  its  thatched  or  red-tiled 
cottages  and  its  ancient  church,  is  by  no  artist 
more  happily  expressed  than  by  this  painter.  No- 
where in  England  are  there  more  subjects  worthy 
of  his  pencil  than  in  Hampshire,  and  it  is  needless 
to  say  that  he  has  taken  as  full  an  advantage  as  the 
natural  limitations  of  a  single  volume  permitted 
him  in  presenting  a  worthy  record  of  a  delightful 
theme. 

Fatitin-Latour,  sa  vie  et  ses  amities.  Lettres 
in^dites  et  souvenirs  personnels  par  Adolphe  Jullien. 
(Paris:  Lucien  Laveur.)  '2-1  frs. — M.  Adolphe 
Jullien,  one  of  the  leading  Paris  critics,  who  has 
done  much  for  the  fame  of  Wagner  and  Berlioz, 
was,  during  thirty  years,  the  intimate  friend  of 
Fantin-Latour,  with  whom  he  also  corresponded 
a  good  deal.  He  has  now  brought  together,  in  a 
charmingly  illustrated  volume,  all  his  reminiscences 
of  the  great  painter.  Never  have  we  been  able  to 
enter  so  deeply  into  the  art  of  this  fascinating 
artist,  one  of  the  greatest  and  truest  of  the  French 
school  of  the  nineteenth  century.  It  is  most 
interesting  to  find  in  M.  Jullien's  book,  Fantin's 
views  on  art,  and  not  only  on  his  art,  but  also  on 
music  and  literature,  and  to  realise  how  exquisite 
the  friendship  of  the  master  was. 

Pewter  Marks  and  Old  Fewler  Ware.  By 
Christopher  A.  Markham,  F.S.A.  (London : 
Reeves  &  Turner.)  zij'.  — Mr.  Markham,  who  is 
well  known  as  the  author  of  various  books  on 
plate  and  as  editor  of  Chaffers'  "  Hall  Marks," 
has  bestowed  an  enormous  amount  of  trouble  in 
getting  together  a  mass  of  information  which  all 
collectors  of  old  pewter  will  find  of  utmost  value. 
While  disclaiming  any  intention  of  going  deeply 
into  the  history  and  other  aspects  of  pewter  work, 
which  have  been  fully  dealt  with  by  other  writers, 
he  gives  in  the  preliminary  sections  a  brief 
historical  survey  of  the  craft,  followed  by  descrip- 
tive accounts  of  domestic  and  ecclesiastical  pewter, 
together  with  some  useful  notes  on  the  manu- 
facture, composition,  cleaning  and  repairing  of 
pewter.  But  from  the  collector's  point  of  view,  the 
value  of  the  book  centres  in  the  concluding  four 
sections  occupying  more  than  half  the  volume,  for 
these  contain  important  lists  which  should  be  of 
material  service  to  him  in  making  selections.  First 
there  is  a  list  of  freemen  of  the  Pewterers'  Com- 
pany ;  then  a  list  of  touch  plates  at  Pewterers' 
162 


Hall,  with  transcripts  of  200  of  the  touches  and 
descriptions  of  the  remainder  (about  1168  in  all), 
and  finally  an  index  of  members  of  the  Company 
from  1450  to  the  present  time. 

French  Chateaux  and  Gardens  in  the  XVlth 
Century.  A  series  of  reproductions  of  contempo- 
rary drawings,  hitherto  unpublished,  by  Jacques 
Androuet  du  Cerceau.  Selected  and  described  by 
W.  H.Ward,  M.A.,A.R.I.B.A.(London:  Batsford), 
25X.  net. — By  what  must  be  regarded  as  a  stroke 
of  good  fortune,  Mr.  Ward  discovered  at  the 
British  Museum  a  collection  of  drawings  by 
J.  A.  du  Cerceau,  one  of  the  leading  French 
architects  of  the  i6th  Century.  The  drawings 
turned  out  on  investigation  to  be  mainly  the 
originals  for  the  plates  published  by  du  Cerceau 
in  his  work  "  Les  plus  excellents  Bastiments  de 
France,"  now  exceedingly  rare  and,  of  course, 
costly,  but  closer  comparison  showed  them  to  be 
much  finer  and  fuller  of  detail  than  these  plates. 
They  came  to  the  British  Museum  with  thp 
library  of  George  HI.,  who,  it  is  thought,  pur- 
chased them  from  some  emigre,  possibly  one  of  the 
descendants  of  du  Cerceau,  at  the  time  of  the 
Revolution.  Students  of  architecture  will  be 
grateful  to  Mr.  Ward  and  his  publisher  for  putting 
these  drawings  within  their  reach  in  the  shape  of 
beautifully  clear  collotype  and  other  reproductions. 
Besides  being  an  architect  and  designer,  du  Cerceau 
was  an  etcher  and  engraver,  a  fact  which  probably 
accounts  for  his  remarkably  skilful  draughtsman- 
ship. He  illustrated  numerous  works  on  ancient 
and  modern  architecture,  besides  engraving  a 
multitude  of  designs  for  decoration,  furniture  of 
every  kind,  plate,  jewelry,  etc.  The  drawings 
reproduced  in  Mr.  Ward's  folio  volume  represent 
a  selection  from  those  at  the  Museum,  and  give  a 
fairly  complete  picture  of  architectural  evolution 
in  France  during  the  i6th  Century  ;  they  illustrate 
not  only  the  work  of  du  Cerceau  himself, 
but  that  of  such  architects  as  Philibert  de 
rOrrae,  Pierre  Lescot,  Jean  Goujon,  Jean 
BuUant,  besides  many  others,  and  the  buildings 
shown  include  many  of  great  historic  interest 
(though  not  in  all  cases  of  supreme  architectural 
value),  such  as  the  chateaux  of  Chambord,  St. 
Germain- en -Laye,  Fontainebleau,  Ecouen,  Jjt. 
Maur-les  Fosses,  Ancy-le- Franc,  Anet,  the  Palaces 
of  the  Louvre  and  the  Tuileries.  Du  Cerceau's 
own  work  is  represented  principally  by  drawings 
of  the  chateau  of  Verneuil-sur-Oise  and  some 
"  ideal "  chateau.v,  which,  notwithstanding  certain 
bizarre  elements,  fully  establish  his  position  as  one 
of  the  great  architects  of  the  sixteenth  century. 


Reviews  and  Notices 


A  brief  account  of  him  and  his  family  precedes 
the  plates,  and  these  are  accompanied  by  an 
epitome  of  the  history  of  each  building. 

A  Spanish  Holiday.  By  Charles  Marriott. 
(London:  Methuen  &  Co.)  75.  6d.  net. — Mr. 
Marriott  does  not  pretend  to  have  written  a  book 
that  tells  us  much  about  Spain,  but  gives  us  the 
simple  record  of  a  simple  holiday  that  he  made  in 
that  country,  accompanied  only  by  his  waggish 
travelling  companion  James.  They  started,  at  the 
suggestion  of  the  latter,  to  go  to  Genoa,  but  finding, 
after  missing  the  steamer  that  was  to  take  them 
there,  that  the  name  Bilbao  held  a  magic  attrac- 
tion for  them  of  which  they  had  been  hitherto 
unaware,  they  determined  to  make  this  their  desti- 
nation. From  this  place  they  rambled  through  the 
Basque  provinces,  through  Castile,  seeing  Vitoria, 
Burgos,  Madrid,  Toledo,  and  so  back  to  Bilbao 
again,  the  book  forming  practically  a  diary  of  the 
trip.  The  author  has  a  pleasant  discursive  style,  and 
his  comments  upon  the  things  he  saw,  the  places 
he  visited  and  the  people  he  met  are  often  amusing 
and  almost  invariably  interesting.  With  the  several 
charming  wash  drawings  by  Mr.  A.  M.  Foweraker 
and  the  excellent  photographs  by  the  author,  it 
forms  an  interesting  record  of  a  pleasant  holiday. 

The  Decoration  and  Furniture  of  English  Man- 
sions during  the  Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth  Cen- 
turies. By  Francis  Lenvgon.  (London :  T. 
Werner  Laurie.)  -^xs.  bd.  net. — With  few  exceptions, 
as  the  author  explains  in  his  introductory  note,  the 
examples  of  decorative  work  and  furniture  selected 
for  illustrating  this  volume  are  derived  from  a  col- 
lection at  31  Old  Burlington  Street,  an  early 
Georgian  town  mansion  which  has  undergone  only 
very  slight  alteration  since  it  was  built  by  Lord 
Hervey  in  1720.  The  illustrations,  which  number 
close  on  300  and  are  for  the  most  part  mounted 
on  grey  paper,  convey  a  good  idea  of  the 
sumptuous  appointments  of  a  nobleman's  town  resi- 
dence of  the  period  covered  by  the  volume. 
Many  of  them  show  complete  apartments,  but 
the  majority  consist  of  individual  articles  which 
exemplify  the  exquisite  workmanship  of  the  old 
master-craftsmen  and  their  respective  schools ; 
William  Kent,  the  brothers  Adam  and  their 
schools,  with  that  of  Grinling  Gibbons,  being 
especially  well  represented.  Embracing  as  the 
illustrations  do  every  imaginable  class  of  domestic 
decoration  and  furniture,  including  tapestries, 
velvets,  damasks,  carpets,  gesso-work,  wood  panel- 
ling, chimney-pieces,  plaster  ornamentation,  sconces, 
lanterns  and  chandeliers,  they  should  prove  of 
great   value    to    the    designer    ^nd   craftsman    of 


to-day.  A  useful  feature  of  the  volume  is  the 
list  of  books  on  furniture  and  decoration  pub- 
lished before  1800. 

Memoirs  of  Monsieur  Claude.  Translated  by 
Katharine  Prescott  Wormeley.  (London: 
Archibald  Constable  &  Co.)  12^.  (>d.  net. — At 
the  time  of  the  first  publication  of  these  memoirs 
in  188 1,  a  writer  reviewing  the  work  in  the  Spec- 
tator said  that  there  was  no  reason  to  doubt  the 
accuracy  and  veracity  of  the  author.  In  the  present 
volume,  which  is  an  abridgment  of  five  out  of  the 
ten  original  volumes,  we  have  an  extremely  inte- 
resting and  valuable  inner  history  of  the  strange 
and  exciting  happenings  in  France  during  the 
reign  of  Louis- Philippe  and  up  to  the  overthrow 
of  the  Second  Empire  and  the  establishment  of 
the  Republic.  Monsieur  Claude  was  Chief  of 
Police  under  Napoleon  IIL,  and  his  memoirs  shed 
an  interesting  sidelight  upon  the  characters  and 
lives  of  the  important  personages  with  whom  he 
came  in  touch,  of  some  of  whom  there  are  photo- 
graphs included  in  the  volume. 

Messrs.  Cassell's  annual  publication  Royal 
Academy  Pictures  and  Sculptures  is  this  year  pub- 
lished in  one  volume  at  3.?.  net  in  paper  wrapper 
and  55.  net  in  cloth.  The  reproductions,  which  are 
excellent,  and  number  over  200,  comprise  practi- 
cally all  the  principal  pictures  included  in  this 
year's  exhibition,  besides  a  representative  selection 
from  the  sculpture. 

Mr.  Edmund  H.  New  has  recently  completed  a 
pen-drawing  of  The  King's  Hall  and  College  oj 
Brasenose,  Oxford,  forming  the  second  of  a  series 
suggested  by  the  bird's-eye  views  of  David  Loggan 
in  his  "O.xonia  Illustrata"  of  1675,  and  an  ex- 
cellent photogravure  reproduction  of  the  drawing 
by  Emery  Walker,  is  offered  to  the  public.  The 
drawing,  which  is  a  fine  example  of  Mr.  New's 
skilful  and  accurate  draughtsmanship,  and  has 
been  approved  by  the  authorities  of  the  College, 
shows  the  group  of  buildings  with  the  three  quad- 
rangles and  the  new  front  in  High  Street  (not  yet 
completed).  Decorative  effect  is  given  to  the 
drawing  by  appropriate  heraldic  features. 

Mr.  Frederick  Hollver  has  added  to  his 
numerous  list  of  permanent  reproductions  of  works 
by  notable  artists,  half-a-dozen  of  Mr.  A.  D. 
Peppercorn's  landscapes.  Owing  to  the  peculiar 
difficulties  of  effectively  reproducing  these  land- 
scapes, he  has  employed  a  special  method  (to 
which  he  gives  the  name  "  Ombrotype  "),  enabling 
him  to  achieve  a  more  successful  rendering  of  their 
depth  and  range  of  tone  than  is  possible  by 
ordinary  monotint  processes. 

•63 


T 


The  Lay  Figure 


HE     LAY     FIGURE:      OX    THE 
COLLECTOR'S    HOBBY. 


"  I  WANT  very  much  to  arrive  at  the 
right  distinction  between  the  art  lover  and  the 
collector,"  said  the  Man  with  the  Red  Tie.  "  If  it 
is  true  that  few  art  lovers  are  to  be  found  among 
collectors,  what  is  the  motive  that  induces  the 
collector  to  spend  his  money  so  frequently  on  art 
objects  ?  " 

"  You  must  not  talk  as  if  all  collectors  had  the 
same  motive,  or  as  if  all  collectors  were  of  the  same 
type,"  laughed  the  Art  Critic.  "  There  are  many 
varieties  of  the  acquisitive  instinct ;  nearly  everj'one 
gives  way  to  it  in  one  form  or  another,  and  goes  to 
some  expense  to  satisfy  it.  But  the  particular 
direction  in  which  it  is  manifested  depends  upon 
individual  preferences,  and  these  are  largely  a 
matter  of  temperament." 

"  I  do  not  quite  understand  you,"  returned  the 
Man  with  the  Red  Tie.  "  If  the  manifestation  of 
the  acquisitive  instinct  is  the  reflection  of  a 
temperament,  then  the  collector  of  works  of  art 
must  be  a  man  with  artistic  instincts  and  inclina- 
tions— an  art  lover,  in  fact." 

"  By  no  means,"  replied  the  Critic  ;  "  a  man 
may  collect  works  of  art  because  he  sees  a  chance 
of  selling  them  again  at  a  profit,  or  because  he 
thinks  that  a  gallery  will  add  to  his  social  distinc- 
tion, or  because  he  likes  to  pose  as  a  patron  of  the 
arts  and  as  a  person  of  taste.  He  may  be  absolutely 
indifferent  to  art  of  all  kinds  and  yet  be  a  persistent 
collector." 

"  Surely  that  is  absurd,"  broke  in  the  Plain  Man  ; 
"  it  is  not  conceivable  that  anyone  would  buy  art 
work  if  he  cared  nothing  at  all  about  it,  unless,  of 
course,  he  were  a  dealer  and  meant  to  sell  it 
again." 

"Not  so  absurd  as  you  think,"  said  the  Critic. 
"There  are  scores  of  collectors  who  have  no 
artistic  tastes  or  inclinations  whatever,  and  you 
may  know  them  by  their  habit  of  competing  among 
themselves  merely  for  the  things  which  happen  to 
be  in  fashion,  and  by  their  total  disregard  of  all 
art  that  has  not  become  popular.  They  care 
nothing,  and  what  is  more,  in  many  cases  know 
nothing  about  the  merit  of  what  they  buy,  all 
they  ask  is  that  the  stuff  they  pay  for  should 
be  fashionable." 

"  Does  the  art  lover  never  follow  the  fashion  ?  " 
asked  the  Plain  Man. 

"  Only  by  accident ;  never  of  set  purpose," 
answered  the  Critic.  "  The  art  lover  is  a  wor- 
shipper of  beauty  and  of  fine  achievement.  It  is 
164 


a  matter  of  indifference  to  him  whether  the  things 
he  admires  are  popular  or  not,  and  he  is  always 
ready  and  willing  to  recognise  merit  wherever  he 
may  find  it." 

"  But  can  he  free  himself  from  the  influence  of 
the  moment  ? "  inquired  the  Plain  Man.  "  I 
mean,  can  he  preserve  his  independence  of  mind 
and  keep  his  taste  from  being  affected  by  the 
general  trend  of  public  opinion  ?  " 

"  Of  course  he  can,"  interrupted  the  Man  with 
the  Red  Tie.  "  He  would  not  be  a  lover  of  art  if 
he  was  not  indifferent  to  popular  clamour  and  if 
he  did  not  set  the  promptings  of  his  own  tem- 
perament far  above  the  silly  suggestions  of 
fashion." 

"  Quite  so  ;  and  it  is  in  this  that  he  shows  how 
markedly  he  differs  from  the  typical  collector," 
said  the  critic.  "  The  collector  whom  I  call 
typical — the  man  who,  as  I  say,  buys  art  work 
though  he  cares  nothing  about  art — is  possessed 
by  a  hobby.  The  idea  that  dominates  him  is 
that  he  must  acquire  rarities,  things  with  a 
history,  or  curiosities  that  are  accidentally  interest- 
ing. If  he  satisfies  his  hobby  by  collecting 
pictures,  he  wants  canvases  that  have  gone 
through  strange  adventures  or  that  have  gained  a 
fictitious  importance  by  having  been  at  some  time 
in  the  possession  of  a  famous  personage.  If  he 
buys  china  it  must  be  of  a  particular  period  or 
stamped  with  a  special  mark  ;  and  if  he  collects 
prints  they  must  be  unusual  states  or  imperfect 
impressions  which  can  be  proved  to  be  unique. 
The  pictures  may  poorly  represent  the  painters 
responsible  for  them,  the  china  may  be  inartistic 
or  in  the  worst  possible  taste,  the  imperfect  print 
may  be  not  nearly  so  good  as  the  more  numerous 
later  impressions  from  the  plate,  but  the  collector 
does  not  trouble  himself  about  such  unnecessary 
artistic  considerations — he  has  satisfied  his  hobby 
and  he  has  triumphed  in  a  struggle  with  some 
other  collector  as  deluded  as  himself,  so  he  feels 
he  has  not  lived  in  vain.  But  I  do  not  think  he 
has  proved  himself  to  be  the  possessor  of  a  properly 
balanced  mind  or  of  anything  but  a  foolish  spirit  of 
acquisitiveness." 

"  I  see  what  you  mean,"  commented  the  Plain 
Man.  "  The  collector's  hobby  is  a  mild  form  of 
insanity  to  which  he  cannot  help  giving  way.  The 
fact  that  he  collects  works  of  art  is  either  accidental 
or  a  mere  concession  to  fashion." 

"Just  so,"  replied  the  Critic.  "The  collecting 
of  the  ends  of  cigars  smoked  by  famous  men 
would  give  him  quite  as  much  pleasure." 

The  Lay  Figure. 


L^ 


o 
z  o 


Frederick  Geonje  Cot  ma  u,  R.l . 


A 


N  EAST-ANGLIAN  FAINTER: 
FREDERICK  GEORGE  COTMAN, 
R.I.     BY    A.    LVS    BALDRY. 


Perhaps  one  of  the  greatest  disabilities  against 
which  a  young  artist  has  to  struggle  at  the  outset 
of  his  career  is  too  near  relationship  to  a  man 
of  marked  eminence  in  the  same  profession.  The 
son  of  a  famous  artist  starts  life  handicapped 
by  his  inheritance  of  a  name  which  is  associated 
in  the  public  mind  with  a  certain  type  of  produc- 
tion and  a  special  standard  of  achievement,  and  it 
is  far  more  difficult  for  him  than  it  would  be  for  a 
worker  with  no  such  associations  to  make  in  his 
own  way  a  place  for  himself  in  the  art  world.  Not 
only  is  there  too  much  expected  of  him  before  he 
has  gained  the  experience  which  makes  fine  accom- 
plishment possible,  but  there  is  a  tendency  to  insist 
that  he  shall  carry  on  a  kind  of  family  tradition 
and  not  be  free  to  chose  his  own  direction. 

The  judgment  of  the  public  on  an  artist  in  this 
position  is,  indeed,  apt  to  be  a  little  unreasonable. 
He  must  not  be  independent,  he  must  not  break 
away  from  the  tradition  which  his  predecessor  is 
popularly  supposed  to  have  established,  and  he 
must  be  at  least  the  equal  of  this  predecessor  in 


ability  if  he  is  to  receive  even  a  passable  amount 
of  consideration  ;  and  yet,  if  in  all  these  matters 
he  satisfies  the  popular  demand,  he  will  never  be 
counted  as  anything  more  than  a  man  who  has 
succeeded  to  a  ready-made  place  in  his  profession 
— to  one,  in  fact,  that  he  could  not  help  filling  un- 
less he  was  entirely  lacking  in  capacity.  But  if,  on 
the  other  hand,  he  happens  to  have  an  independent 
mind  and  to  wish  to  work  out  for  himself  the 
artistic  problems  in  which  he  is  interested,  if  he 
seeks  to  escape  from  the  family  tradition  and  to 
build  up  a  reputation  as  he  thinks  best,  then  he 
will  find  himself  surrounded  by  a  host  of  detractors 
who  will  reproach  him  for  discrediting  an  honoured 
name  and  attack  him  in  season  and  out  of  season 
for  forgetting  the  duty  he  owes  to  his  ancestry. 

Either  way  he  is  faced  with  troubles  that  he  will 
have  to  fight  hard  to  overcome,  and  by  his  success 
in  this  fight  his  ability  can  be  measured.  The  man 
who  can  emerge  from  the  shadow  of  a  great 
predecessor,  and  who  with  all  the  disadvantage 
of  possessing  a  name  that  someone  else  has  already 
made  famous  can  establish  himself  as  a  popular 
favourite,  has  certainly  more  than  ordinary  strength 
of  personality  and  unusual  steadfastness  of  purpose. 
If  he  has  chosen  an  independent  way  in  art  and 


idafcgr-^ 


"  CHRiSTi  iium  H,  hamisiiire"    (oil) 

f^The properly  oj  the  Rl.  Hon.  John  Uoyd  Wharton) 

XLVII.     No.  197. — August,  1909. 


BY   F.    G.    COTMAN 
167 


Fn-derick  George  Cot  man,  R.I. 


yet  has  risen  to  the  front  rank  of  his  profession  he 
is  clearly  a  fighter  whom  no  disability  can  hold 
back,  and  he  is  endowed  with  the  power  of  con- 
vincing other  people  that  his  art  is  worthy  to  be 
judged  on  its  own  merits  and  without  any  reference 
to  what  has  gone  before. 

It  is  just  this  endowment  that  has  enabled  Mr. 
F.  G.  Cotman  to  take  the  place  which  he  holds 
among  our  present-day  artists.  The  nephew  of 
that  admirable  painter,  John  Sell  Cotman,  who  is 
justly  counted  among  the  greater  British  masters, 
he  needed  special  gifts  to  be  able  to  assert,  as  he 
has,  his  own  independence  and  to  secure  the 
approval  of  art  lovers  who  were  no  doubt  disposed 
at  first  to  quarrel  with  him  for  thinking  for  himself 
and  for  not  treading  in  his  uncle's  footsteps.  But, 
as  the  work  he  has  done  during  the  past  thirty 
years  proves  clearly  enough,  Mr.  Cotman  has 
preferred  to  follow  the  promptings  of  his  own 
temperament  in  the  wise  conviction  that  in  this 
way  only  could  he  do  justice  to  his  capacities.  As 
an  imitator  of  his  distinguished  relative  he  might 
have  attained,  no  doubt,  a  considerable  degree>of 
popularity,  but  it  would  have  been  at  too  great  a 
cost,  for  it  would  have  necessitated  the  sacrifice  of 
all  his  better  aspirations.  It  was  worth  while 
risking  the  neglect  of  the  public  for  the  sake  of 
satisfying  his  artistic  conscience. 


Fortunately,  he  lost  nothing  by  taking  this  risk. 
The  persuasiveness  of  his  work  in  oil  and  water- 
colour  gained  him  quickly  so  large  a  measure  of 
support  that  he  was  able  to  enjoy  the  advantages 
of  a  well-established  reputation  within  very  few 
years  after  he  had  commenced  seriously  the 
practice  of  his  art.  This  early  development  was 
not  due  to  any  of  those  special  educational 
opportunities  which  he  might  have  been  supposed 
to  have  enjoyed  as  a  consequence  of  his  relation- 
ship to  a  famous  artist,  for  he  was  not  born  till 
1850,  eight  years  after  John  Sell  Cotman 's  death, 
and  therefore  owed  none  of  his  youthful  inclina- 
tions towards  an  artistic  career  to  his  uncle's 
precepts  or  example.  His  instincts  and  tastes 
were  innate,  and  they  were  trained  in  the  way  that 
suited  him  best,  without  being  forced  by  a  domina- 
ting influence  into  a  prescribed  direction. 

Mr.  F.  G.  Cotman  was  educated  at  Ipswich,  his 
native  place,  but  at  the  age  of  eighteen  he  came  to 
London  to  follow  a  systematic  course  of  Art 
training  in  the  schools  of  the  Royal  Academy. 
During  his  boyhood,  before  he  became  a  student 
at  the  Academy,  he  had  acquired  considerable 
proficiency  as  a  painter  in  water-colours,  and  he 
painted  in  this  medium  a  number  of  street  scenes 
at  Ipswich  which  were  of  such  undoubted  merit 
that  he  found  no  difficulty  in  selling  them,  and  in 


"HARBOUR   LIGHIJ 

168 


LOVVEbTul  1 


{By  pciiui^^iou  0/ i/u  Coi'iOi  ation  of  Ipswich) 


BY   F.    G.    COTMAN 


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Frederick  George  Cot  man,  R.I. 


keeping  himself  in  pocket  money  by  this  means 
while  he  was  studying  in  London.  Among  the 
purchasers  of  his  water-colours  were,  it  may  be 
noted,  both  Leighton  and  G.  F.  Watts,  so  even  at 
that  stage  his  ability  was  sufficiently  conspicuous  to 
attract  the  attention  of  men  well  qualified  to  form 
an  opinion  about  his  work.  It  is  also  worth  re- 
cording, as  evidence  of  his  early  proficiency  as  an 
executant,  that  he  was  engaged  by  Leighton  to 
assist  in  the  painting  of  the  Daphnephoria,  and  by 
H.  T.  Wells  to  do  similar  work  on  the  canvases  of 
that  fashionable  portrait  painter. 

Mr.  Cotman's  career  as  a  student  was  marked 
by  many  successes.  He  took  several  medals,  and 
among  them  the  gold  medal  for  historical  painting. 
The  picture  which  gained  him  this  award,  'I'he 
Death  of  Eudes,  now  hangs  in  the  Town  Hall  at 
Ipswich,  where  there  are  also  two  more  of  his 
works,  portraits  of  mayors  of  the  town.  It  was  as 
a  portrait  painter  that  he  made  his  first  bid  for 
notice  after  the  period  of  his  studentship  had 
expired,  and  though  he  has  since  found  many 
other  directions  in  which  he  can  express  himself 
most  convincingly,  portrait  painting  has  always 
been  an  important  branch  of  his  practice.  His 
large  group  of  the   Marchioness  of  ^Vestminster, 


Lady  Theodora  Guest,  and  Mr.  Guest,  playing 
dummy  whist,  made  a  great  impression  when  it 
was  exhibited  some  years  ago,  and  there  have  been 
others,  like  his  full-lengths  of  Lady  Theodora 
Guest  and  Miss  Gibbs,  and  his  excellent  portraits 
of  the  Bishop  Suffragan  of  Nottingham,  Admiral 
Sir  G  Richards,  and  Mr.  Prideaux  Brune.  which 
must  be  counted  as  distinct  achievements. 

But  the  popularity  of  his  portraits  has  not  by 
any  means  induced  him  to  neglect  other  kinds  of 
subject  matter.  His  genre  pictures  are  admirably 
sound  in  accomplishment,  and  his  landscapes  in 
oil  and  water-colour  have  qualities  of  a  very  high 
order.  The  examples  of  his  figure  painting  which 
are  reproduced  here  show  well  with  what  a  happy 
combination  of  vigour  and  restraint  he  can  deal 
with  modern  life  motives,  and  how  sensitively  he 
can  manage  tone  and  colour  effects ;  while  his 
landscapes,  by  their  grace  of  composition,  their 
harmony  of  well-related  colour,  and  their  delicacy 
of  atmospheric  suggestion,  take  rank  among  the 
better  things  which  have  been  produced  by  our 
modern  school  of  nature  painters. 

Particular  prominence  has  been  given  in  this 
series  of  illustrations  to  his  landscape  work,  because 
in  some  respects  it  represents  the  fullest  outcome 


"FLOOD   ON   THE   GREAT   OUSE  "   (WATER   COLOUR) 
170 


BY    F.    G.    COTMAN 


9  < 


Frederick  George  Cot  man,  R.I. 


of  his  artistic  experience  and  sums  up  most  com- 
pletely the  results  of  his  mature  conviction.  His 
paintings  of  open-air  subjects  are  by  no  means  the 
obvious  statements  of  fact  which  come  so  often 
from  the  figure  painter  who  goes  out  to  look  at 
nature  in  his  spare  moments  ;  they  are  felt  and 
understood  in  a  way  that  is  possible  only  to  the 
man  who  can  see  beyond  mere  actualities  into 
the  subtleties  which  nature  suggests,  and  who  is 
by  temperament  responsive  to  poetic  inspiration. 
There  is  unquestionably  poetic  sentiment  of  a  very 
delightful  type  in  such  pictures  as  the  Winter  Sun- 


rise 071  the  Aldi,  the  decoratively  treated  Heming- 
ford  Grey,  the  Harbour  Lights,  Lowestoft,  and  the 
spacious  composition,  Exeter  from  the  Countess 
Weir ;  and  in  others,  like  the  Ancient  Fort,  Suffolk, 
Christchurch,  Tivilight :  the  Banks  of  the  Orwell, 
Sundown,  Orford,  and  Oti  the  Waveney,  and  espe- 
cially the  Wells  Cathedral — Sunset,  there  is  the 
happiest  appreciation  of  the  charm  of  nature's  quiet 
moods,  and  there  is  thorough  understanding,  too, 
of  her  inexhaustible  variety.  This  acuteness  of 
understanding  can,  however,  be  perceived  in  every- 
thing that  Mr.  Cotman  undertakes. 


"SUNDOWN,   orford"  (OIl)  (In  the  possession  of  H.  M.  Jaekaman,  Esq.) 


BY    F.    G.    COTMAN 


'ON   THE    WAVENKy"    (\V,\TER   COLOUR) 
172 


Esq.] 


BY    F.    G.    COTMAN 


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Frederick  George  Cotmari,  R.I. 


'TWILIGHT:    THE   BANKS  OF  THE   OKWELl. 


BY    F.    G.    COTMAN 


It  can  certainly  be  said  for  him  that  in  all  the 
phases  of  his  art  he  is  an  earnest  student  with 
remarkable  powers  of  obser\-ation  and  expression 
and  with  a  vigorous  individuality  which  gives  a 
clearly  defined  character  to  his  work. 

That  these  qualities  have  been  widely  recognised 
can  scarcely  be  disputed ;  his  pictures  have  found 


their  way  into  many  of  the  chief  public  galleries — 
into  the  Walker  Gallery  at  Liverpool,  where  there 
is  a  large  canvas,  One  oj  the  Family ;  into  the 
Oldham  Corporation  Gallery,  where  there  is  another 
large  picture,  Her  Ladyship's  first  Lesson  ;  and  into 
other  permanent  collections  which  represent  what 
is  best  in  our  modern  art — and  he  is  ranked  by 


the  possession  of  T.  R.  Parkington,  Esg. )  BY  F.   G.   cOTMAN 


The  New  EnsHsJi  Art  Club 


men  who  properly  estimate  the  value  of  present- 
day  achievement  among  the  true  supporters  of  that 
sound  tradition  which  is  one  of  the  best  assets  of 
the  British  School.  As  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Institute  of  Painters  in  Water  Colours,  to  which  he 
was  elected  in  1882  when  the  fusion  between  the 
Old  Dudley  Gallery  supporters  and  the  Institute 
was  arranged,  he  has  helped  by  the  consistent 
quality  of  his  contributions  to  keep  up  the  standard 
of  pure  water-colour  work  as  it  was  practised  by 
the  greater  masters  in  the  past. 

It  is  possible  that  some  of  the  distinctive 
character  of  Mr.  Cotmaii's  paintings  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  his  training  was  carried  out  entirely  in 
this  country.  Unlike  so  many  of  the  artists  of  our 
times  he  has  not  studied  abroad  and  has  limited 
his  excursions  beyond  the  confines  of  the  British 
Isles  to  merely  sight-seeing  expeditions.  His  visits 
to  foreign  Galleries  have  not  affected  his  manner 
of  regarding  nature,  and  have  not 
aroused  in  him  any  desire  to  de-nation- 
alise his  technical  methods.  He  is  a 
successor,  legitimate  and  direct,  of  the 
painters  who  a  century  ago  built  up 
the  British  School  and  put  it  in  a 
position  of  commanding  importance, 
and  though  he  has  not  hesitated  to 
look  at  modern  life  with  the  eyes  of 
the  modern  man  he  has  accepted  the 
responsibilities  of  this  succession  with 
all  needful  respect  for  the  past.  He 
has,  too,  followed  the  example  of  some 
of  the  most  characteristically  British 
masters — Constable  among  them — by 
making  himself  to  a  great  extent  a 
painter  of  a  district.  Round  his  native 
place  he  has  found  a  remarkable  variety 
of  subjects  which  have  attracted  him 
by  the  opportunities  they  have  afforded 
of  studying  nature  under  specially 
engaging  conditions.  He  has  re- 
sponded readily  to  the  inspiration  of 
the  scenery  in  the  Eastern  counties,  to 
the  peculiar  seductiveness  of  the  flat 
landscape  with  its  dimly  suggested 
distance  and  expansive  sky ;  he  has  felt 
and  yielded  to  the  appeal  which  a 
country  of  this  type  makes  to  the 
imaginative  painter,  and  of  this  appeal 
he  has  evidently  been  conscious,  even 
when  he  has  wandered  far  from  his 
favourite  haunts  near  home  in  search 
of  fresh  material. 

A.  L.  B. 


T 


HE  NEW  ENGLISH  ART  CLUB'S 
SUMMER  EXHIBITION. 


In  arranging  for  their  summer  exhibition 
to  be  held  in  the  galleries  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
British  Artists  in  Suffolk  Street,  the  executive  of 
the  New  English  Art  Club  took  a  wise  step, 
for  there  the  qualities  which  essentially  denote  the 
club  came  into  fuller  view  than  at  any  of  their 
exhibitions  for  some  time  past.  Of  all  societies  of 
exhibiting  painters  this  one  could  least  afford  to 
cramp  itself  for  space  even  for  the  sake  of  exhibiting 
in  such  a  romantically  unpretentious  place  as  their 
former  gallery.  One  must  have  distance  for  the 
revelations  of  Mr.  Wilson  Steer's  art,  and,  indeed, 
for  appreciation  of  the  aims  which  inspire  the 
dub  as  a  whole.  Canvas  after  canvas  enters 
into  a  contest  with  the  difficulties  of  sheer 
problems  of  lighting,  to  which  everything,  especi- 


inte.st"  by  f.  g.  cotman 

{ The  property  of  Joseph  Jemiens,  Esq. ) 

177 


The  New  Ens[lisJi  Art  Chib 


ally  the  character  of  the  handling,  subscribes : 
and  the  spectator's  first  glance  at  each  canvas  must 
be  corrected  at  the  proper  distance.  In  a  gallery 
devoted  to  such  experiments  we  cannot  have  too 
much  elbow  room.  The  painting  of  effects  of  the 
nature  indicated  strains  the  resources  of  the  scien- 
tific palette  to  the  utmost ;  the  desire  to  paint 
them  is  to  no  small  extent  the  outcome  of  the 
conscious  entrance  of  science  into  ever)'  field  of 
human  thought  and  activity.  And  yet  this  kind 
of  painting  is  the  most  emotional  of  all.  Artistic 
emotion  we  might  almost  think  of  as  of  two  kinds, 
active  and  passive,  and  as  seniitnent  when  it  is 
merely  passive.  Sentiment,  instead  of  greeting  the 
present  aspect  of  life,  favours  the  past  and  turns 
naturally  to  the  commemorative  forms  of  decora- 
tion. Against  the  art  of  Mr.  Sargent,  Mr.  Steer 
and  Mr.  Orpen,  of  the  first  kind,  we  have  to  set 
such  art  as  Mr.  McEvoy's  and  Mr.  John's.  Mr. 
McEvoy  goes  back  even  for  his  choice  of  colours 
to  days  when  to  be  sentimental  was  to  be  English, 


and  if  the  woman  of  Mr.  John's  feminine  type  is, 
as  we  are  told,  in  advance  of  present  time,  it  is  not 
for  ever)'one  to  find  this  out,  for  though  now 
designing  most  of  her  own  dresses,  she  has  not 
quite  abandoned  the  Victorian  mode. 

In  the  "interior"  genre  which  the  club  has  now 
taken  up  so  much,  we  find  that  with  the  majority 
of  the  exhibitors  it  is  still  the  effects  of  nature  her- 
self that  are  pursued  indoors,  where  the  sun  is 
throwing  its  beams  upon  flowers  in  a  room.  Their 
problem  is  that  of  the  artificial  conditions  in  which 
these  pure  elements  of  nature  thus  come  again 
together.  It  is  an  aspect  of  "interior"  work, 
however,  quite  different  from  that  adopted  by  Mr 
and  Mrs.  McEvoy,  who  would,  so  to  speak,  call 
the  sun  into  the  room  when  they  wanted  it,  for  the 
dramatic  setting  of  a  psychological  moment,  but 
would  not  dream  of  hastening  to  a  room  with 
palette  set,  though  even  by  some  strange  contri- 
vance of  the  hours  Helios  himself  had  been  en- 
trapped therein.    They  conceive  of  interior  subjects 


'THE   COSY   CORNER 

178 


(OIL) 


BY    S.    N.    SIMMONS 


THE    BACH    PLAYER." 
OH.    FAINTING    BY    E. 


EROM   THE 
H.   S.   SHEPHERD 


The  New  English  Art  Club 


as  being  in  their  very  nature  quite  different  from 
those  of  the  open  air.  The  out-of-door  world  is 
significant  of  every  aspect  of  nature  ;  the  indoor 
world  is  sacred  to  human  nature  only — and,  per- 
haps, some  privileged  cats  and  parrots. 

In  Mr.  Orpen's  large  Portrait  Group,  an  eminent 
group  of  modern  writers  and  painters  are  gathered 
round  a  table  under  Manet's  famous  painting 
of  Mile.  Gonzales.  More  than  one  of  the 
group,  we  may  add,  has,  in  his  own  art,  kept 
tradition  bright  in  Manet's  way — by  contact  with 
nature,  the  keeper  of  all  the  best  traditions. 
Many  of  our  readers  will,  no  doubt,  recognise  the 
members  of  the  group.  At  the  left  of  the  picture, 
reading  to  the  others,  is  Mr.  George  Moore;  Mr.  P. 
Wilson  Steer  is  seated  at  the  table  just  under  the 
Manet  picture,  while  the  four  others  at  the  right, 
reading  from  back  to  front,  are  Mr.  D.  S.  MaccoU, 
Mr.  Walter  Sickert,  Sir  Hugh  Lane  and  Mr.  W. 
Tonks.  At  the  time  that  this  picture  was  painted, 
Manet's  canvas  was  temporarily  housed  in  Mr. 
Orpen's  studio  by  its  owner.  Sir  Hugh  Lane,  before 
it  left  England  as  part  of  .Sir  Hugh's  splendid  gift 
to  the  Dublin  Gallery.  In  those  days  the  fate  of 
the  picture  was,  we  believe,  not  quite  certain  : 
much  rested  with  the  action  of  the  City  of  Dublin, 
and  the  picture — a  symbol  of  all  that  is  best  in 
modern  movements — was  much  in  the  mind  of 
Mr.  Orpen's   sitters ;   they  sit,   as    it  were,   in  its 


atmosphere ;  and  it  is  this,  I  think,  Mr.  Orpen  has 
suggested,  as  well  as  with  his  extremely  subtle 
painting  the  full  outward  beauty  of  the  studio 
surroundings  in  the  afternoon  sun. 

As  regards  these  surroundings,  the  greatest  tech- 
nical difficulties  have  been  surmounted,  especially 
in  the  difficult  problem  of  white  surfaces  in  the 
walls,  the  plaster  cast,  the  table-cloth,  the  white 
porcelain  tea-service  and  the  picture  of  Mile. 
Gonzales  in  the  white  dress — nowhere  is  there  any 
sense  of  whiteness,  white  itself  with  Mr.  Orpen 
being  a  colour.  Mr.  Connard  does  not  quite  achieve 
this  result  in  a  similiar  problem  in  his  May  Morn- 
ing (p.  184),  where  the  white  is  sometimes  almost 
chalky  in  effect;  -but  his  is  a  very  distinguished 
picture  all  the  same,  showing  an  e.xtraordinary 
controlling  sense  of  decoration,  extended  from 
forms  to  colour  and  to  the  very  effects  of  light  in 
themselves.  In  Tlie  Guitar  Player,  another  pic- 
ture by  this  painter,  the  black  of  the  cat  against 
the  enamel-like  quality  of  a  child's  face  and  a  dark 
red  hat,  showed  the  painter  securing  an  achievement 
of  colour  contrast  in  which  he  has  not  always  had 
success. 

Mr.  William  Rothenstein  places  his  family  group 
in  a  modern  sitting-room  which  seems  to  suggest  a 
little  of  the  ultra-modern  affection  for  Victorian 
associations.  It  is  part  of  his  exquisite  art  in 
details  that  among  the  things  above  the   mantel- 


'  THE  pheasant"  (WATER  COLOUR)  {By  permission  of  Win.  B.  Palerson,  Esq.)  by  Joseph  crawhall 


'THE   DEAD    PTARMIGAN."     FROM    THE 
OIL   PAINTING   BY   WILLIAM    ORPEN 


'PORTRAIT    GROUP."      FROM    THE 
OIL    PAINTING    BY    WILLIAM    ORPEN 


The  Neiv  English  Art  Club 


shelf,  the  framed  picture  should,  for  a  moment, 
awaken  interest  in  itself  only  to  evade  us  as  a  mere 
suggestion  of  colour  admirably  tuned  to  the  vase 
of  flowers  against  it.  The  whole  painting  is,  for 
the  observant,  made  up  of  transitions  from  one 
subtlety  to  another. 

In  his  Hunt  the  Thimble  Mr.  Tonks  gives  his 
methods  up  to  a  colour  scheme  which  as  a  whole 
is  not  beautiful  even  if  true  ;  forgetting  it  as  a 
scheme  and  looking  into  it  we  find  drawing  and 
technique  and  minor  passages  of  colour  as  expres- 
sive and  fascinating  as  Mr.  Tonks  has  ever  given  us. 

The  paintings  of  interior  getire  in  the  present 
exhibition  were  unusually  numerous,  indicating 
quite  a  movement  in  this  direction.  The  Cosy 
Corner,  by  Mr.  S.  N.  Simmons,  which  we  have 
pleasure  in  reproducing,  is  a  brave  attempt  to  cope 
with  the  difficulties  of  a  bright  green 
panelled  room.  As  regards  tone,  repro- 
duction always  gives  good  evidence  of 
the  difficulties  surmounted.  We  also 
include  among  our  illustrations  Mr.  F. 
H.  .Shepherd's  musical  painting,  The 
Bach  Player,  using  the  word  musical 
in  both  its  senses.  For  harmony  of 
colour,  lacking  in  so  many  of  Mr. 
Shepherd's  pictures,  has,  as  if  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  subject,  come  into  this 
one.  Colour  contrasts  present  their  own 
problems ;  harmony,  as  we  speak  of  it 
here,  is  not  essential  in  painting,  but 
Mr.  Shepherd  hitherto  has  not  suc- 
ceeded so  well  with  the  other  thing  ; 
his  results  have  suffered  and  so  been 
the  wrong  results.  It  should  be  men- 
tioned that  although  Mr.  Shepherd's 
picture  is  here  reproduced  as  a  full- 
page,  it  is  a  work  of  small  proportions. 
We  have  noticed  before  a  gift  which 
belongs  to  Mr.  Charles  Stabb,  and 
which  he  shares  with  the  old  masters — 
the  ability  to  give  an  air  of  inevitable- 
ness  to  his  subjects,  to  pose  his  model 
without  giving  away  the  fact  that  she  is 
only  posing.  Thus  we  get  an  illusion 
that  we  have  surprised  some  one  in 
the  midst  of  their  every-day  life.  With 
interior  genre,  which  ostensibly  deals 
with  every-day  life,  to  have  this  illu- 
sion is,  we  might  .say,  essential — but  it 
is  rare  enough,  and  if  Mr.  Stabb  has  to 
stop  short  of  the  most  difficult  things 
of  all— or  prefers  to  stop  short  of  them 
—  at   least  all   that  he  gives  us  is  in- 


teresting and  sensible  ;  and  there  are  sometimes 
occasions  in  the  New  English  Art  Club  when  to 
be  sensible  is  to  be  quite  startling.  Other  works  of 
\\\vi  getire  which  should  be  named  are  The  Weaver, 
by  Miss  Clare  Atwood,  and  the  Inteiior  of  a 
Religious  Hou^e,  by  Mr.  A.  Croft  Mitchell. 

The  landscapes  were  this  year  of  the  most  highly 
satisfying  character,  and  of  course  the  larger  gal- 
leries counted  greatly  in  the  question  of  appreciating 
them  at  their  worth.  Mr.  Steer's  two  most  inter- 
esting landscapes  were  subjects  on  the  river  Wye, 
canvases  full  of  mysterious  effects  of  shifting  lights, 
great  light  clouds  hanging  over  the  valley  of  dark 
trees  and  mirrored  in  the  river.  Prof.  Holmes,  in 
Diifton  Pike  and  Cross  Fell :  Morning,  and  other 
landscapes,  carefully  sought  agreement  between  the 
actual  style  and  plan  of  apicturc  and  the  motive  of  its 


<IR   OK   COVENT   GARDEN"    (l-ENCIL  ANT)  WAfEU  COLOUR) 
BY    ALBERT    KOrUENSTElN 


TJie  New  English  Art  Club 


subject.     And  of  this  sympathy  between  method 
and  subject  there  was  also  an  instance  in  Mr.  W. 
McTaggart's  Consider  the  Lilies  (motion  under  cool 
sunlight),  a  scheme  of  movement  with   a  restless 
swiftness  of  execution  as  an  accompaniment  of  the 
scampering  children  and  blowing  lilies.     Close  to 
this  picture  there  was  Mr.  ^^^  \\.  Russell's  The  Home 
Farm,  its  problem  being  that  of  the  most  uneventful 
English  weather,  the  scene  one  of  the  most  un- 
eventful in  the  world.    Mr.  Russell's  art  is  restrained 
by,  and  at  the  same  time  interprets,  the  poetry  in 
his  subject.    The  canvas  was  quite  a  contrast  to  the 
effects   generally   chosen   in    this    exhibition,    the 
choice,  perhaps,  determined  less  by  the  artists  than 
by  Nature,  who  during  the  last  sketching  season 
could  not  keep  the  rain-clouds  out  of   the    sky. 
Professor  Brown  interpreted  in  his  perfect  way  in 
Foole  Harbour,  an  effect  of  weather  which  seems 
to  belong  as  much  as  anything 
on  earth  to    England,   and   a 
similar  subject  was   most  ad- 
mirably treated  by   Mr.  John 
Everett    in     Norden     Heath. 
Notable  also  among  the  land- 
scapes  which    so   well    repre- 
sented   Professor  Brown    was 
The  Return  from  Milking. 

In  the  matter  of  landscape, 
perhaps  Mr.  Sargent  was  never 
so  interesting  as  he  was  this 
year.  His  so  brilliant  hand- 
ling takes  nothing  to  itself  from 
the  charm  of  the  subject  and 
the  scene ;  instead,  in  The 
Black  Brook,  his  unchallenge- 
able art  lifted  the  simple  in- 
cident up  into  the  realms 
where  only  the  highest  lyrical 
art  can  live — lyrical  because 
the  notes  cannot  be  separated 
from  the  song  itself.  In  his 
picture  The  Hermit,  the 
achievement  seemed  again  of 
a  miraculous  order,  and  his 
other  landscape  seemed  to 
have  some  of  the  delightful 
inconsequence  of  the  now- 
famous  Cashmere  ol\!n\%  year's 
Academy.  An  Old  Barn, 
Gloucestershire,  by  Lily 
Blatherwick  (Mrs.  Hartrick), 
was  a  landscape  fine  in  treat- 
ment. Appreciation  was  shown 
of  the  value   of  such   a   note  "a  family  r.Rour 


of  colour  as  a  red  cart,  without  in  the  least 
vamping  that  note  to  the  destruction  of  the 
dignity  of  all  the  picture,  as  happens  with  nine 
artists  out  of  ten  when  accident  or  nature  springs 
as  a  surprise  some  delightful  touch  of  contrast 
before  their  eyes.  The  e.xhibition  contained 
many  smaller  panels  which  reflected  considerable 
knowledge  of  effects  that  are  artistically  worth 
attaining — notably  such  a  one  as  Miss  Alice 
Farmer's  White  Perambulator,  or  Mrs.  Evelyn 
Cheston's  beautiful  little  still-life  group  Glass  and 
Pottery,  or  the  fantastic  little  still-life  The  God  and 
some  Mortals,  by  Mr.  C.  Maresco  Pearce. 

Mr.  John  has  striven  very  hard  not  to  hamper 
the  expression  of  his  thoughts  or  their  freedom  by 
anything  generally  accepted,  but  already  a  disciple, 
Mr.  Henry  Lamb,  accepts  all  Mr.  John's  inno- 
vations as  traditions — and  in  his  Portrait  adds  a 


(on.) 


.  liEXSTEIN 


The  Neiu  English  Art  Club 


few  of  his  own  in  the  matter  of  colours,  giving  the 
once  despised  magenta  a  place  of  honour.  The 
mere  mention  of  magenta  and  green  together 
would  probably  have  brought  the  life  of  Whistler 
to  an  end,  had  anyone  had  the  temerity  to  mention 
them  before  him.  He  pushed  harmony  to  such 
conclusions,  that  for  the  present  perhaps  we  can 
advance  no  further,  but  the  situation  is  not  saved 
by  such  a  shock  as  Mr.  Lamb  prepared  us  in  the 
other  way.  There  was  much  however  that  was  really 
decorative  and  not  untrue  in  effect  in  the  green- 
haired  children  of  this  painter's  Under  the  Cliff — an 
effect  discovered  of  impressionism  and  adapted  to 
the  ends  of  design.  Design  is  a  matter  of  feeling 
and  of  course  it  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  it  does 
not  admit  of  the  most  naturalistic  effects.  Of  Mr. 
John's  own  works  in  this  exhibition,  he  has  in 
power  of  painting  never  surpassed  his  portrait  of 
Mr.  William  Nicholson.  Too  much  is  involved 
for  us  to  attempt  here 
criticism  of  his  other  sig- 
nificant canvas,  The  Way 
down  to  the  Sea.  We  have 
still  to  mention  Mr.  Orpen's 
Dead  Ptarmigan,  a  canvas 
in  which  it  would  seem 
his  art  has  allowed  itself  a 
canter  after  intense  paint- 
ing in  carrying  the  interior 
problem  to  the  point  he 
carries  it. 

Before  passing  to  the 
water  -  colour  and  black- 
and-white  room  we  should 
not  forget  to  dwell  a 
minute  on  Mr.  Chowne's 
flower  pieces,  which  in 
Violas  and  Anemones 
showed  more  beautiful 
mastery  on  the  artist's  part 
than  ever.  Flowers  we  had 
in  vases  like  these  in  many 
interior  pictures  in  the 
gallery ;  there  they  became 
part  of  a  scene,  hinting  at 
their  own  life  without  as- 
serting it  inartistically. 
Here  they  stood  for  their 
portraits,  getting  from  Mr. 
Chowne  just  the  intimate 
sympathy  which  is  claimed. 
The  Alhambra,  by  Mr. 
Spencer  F.  Gore ;  Early 
Spring —  Grasse,    by    Mr. 


Alfred  Hayward ;  IVillows,  by  Miss  Florence  E. 
WoUard  ;  Nasturtiums,  by  Miss  M.  Hewett,  are 
other  works  calling  for  comment  by  younger 
exhibitors.  Mr.  David  Muirhead  was  well  repre- 
sented by  The  Church  in  the  Fens ;  Mr.  AV.  G. 
von  Glehn,  by  The  Old  Elm,  Colne  Valley  ;  Mr.  F. 
'^\.2,-)-Qx\yj  Market  Place,  Montreuil :  Mr.  Bernhard 
Sickert  by  a  beautiful  interpretation  of  a  snow 
scene. 

Other  canvases  which  we  are  not  able  to  touch 
upon  at  any  length  now  were  the  Flowers  of 
Mr.  Mark  Fisher,  and  his  landscapes.  Pasturage, 
Coming  from  Market  and  the  Tilled  Field,  and  Mr. 
W.  Rothenstein's  portraits,  The  Rt.  Hon.  Charles 
Booth  and  Mrs.  Charles  Booth.  Like  A  Family 
Group,  these  last  are  interiors,  and  the  same  qualities 
are  pre-eminent  in  all  three  paintings,  but  perhaps 
it  is  in  the  one  of  Mr.  Booth  that  an  endeavour  to 
command  all  the  truths  of  relative  values  and  at 


SUDDEN   APPEARANCE   OF   MR.    BEERBOHM   IN   THE  NEW  ENGLISH   ART   CLUB 
BY    MAX   BEERBOHM 


The  Neiu  English  Art  Club 


'THE   FERRY 


(OIL) 


BY   AMBROSE   MCEVOY 


the  same  time  the  beauty  of  contrasted  local 
colours  is  most  noticeable.  Yet  far  before  this 
portrait  we  should  prefer  that  of  Mrs.  Booth, 
which  has  all  the  simplicity  and  dignity  that  the 
inclusive  scheme  of  local  colours  does  not  admit 
of.  In  our  opinion  the  portrait  of  Mrs.  Booth 
must  rank  among  the  finest  achievements  of 
modern  portraiture.  Some  defiance  of  the  traditions 
of  portraiture  goes  with  Mr.  Rothenstein's  other 
schemes,  and  we  are,  perhaps,  led  to  gather  from  a 
study  of  them  that  there  are  certain  traditions 
which  cannot  be  defied — which  seem  based,  if  all 
unconsciously,  upon  some  of  the  simplest  laws  of 
natural  vision.  When  we  are  absorbed  in  a 
personality  to  the  extent  which  a  portrait  presumes, 
we  cannot  possibly  be  making  a  draper-like  com- 
parison between  the  shades  of  tablecloths  and 
curtains.  No,  the  simpler  scheme  in  the  lady's 
portrait  more  nearly  accords  with  the  view  that  is 
taken  by  the  normal  vision  ;  only  the  colour  that 
is  near  the  figure  catching  the  eye  which  otherwise 
is  forgetful  of  everything  but  a  gracious  presence. 

The  water-colour    and   black-and-white    section 
seemed  to  have  burst  forth  this  year  with  unusual 


energy.  For  one  thing  it  had  the  benefit  of  rooms 
to  itself,  and  the  sudden  appearance  of  Mr.  Max 
Beerbohm  with  over  a  dozen  full-sized  caricatures 
made  a  difference  to  the  walls.  Upon  this  we 
might  say  official  recognition  of  Mr.  Beerbohm's 
art,  the  art  world  is  the  subject  for  congratulation 
as  much  as  Mr.  Beerbohm.  Apart  altogether 
from  the  merits  of  his  satire,  his  line  has  qualities 
which  are  to  be  recognised  among  the  best  black- 
and-white  art  of  the  day,  though  we  may  regret 
that  in  such  a  caricature  as  Trktinial  Negotiations 
between  Mr.  Heinemann  and  Mr.  Hall  Caine,  there 
is  something  quite  repulsive  in  Mr.  Beerbohm's 
convention  for  an  eye,  and  that  his  grasp  of  form 
in  the  round  often  belies  that  appreciation  of  the 
grace  of  life  which  he  has  made  clear  to  us  as 
his  own  in  literature. 

Mr.  Walter  Sickert  contributed  several  drawings 
this  year  to  the  black-and-white  room,  and  this 
was  a  notable  thing  in  itself.  Some  of  the  most 
interesting  figure  drawings  were  sent  by  Mr.  Albert 
Rothenstein,  such  for  instance  as  his  Arabella, 
Firelight  Study,  and  Souvenir  of  Covent  Garden 
In  this  department  a  fine  Study  in   Colour   well 

187 


The  New  English  Art  Club 


"  DUFTON    PIKE  AND   CROSS    FELL  :    MORNING  "   (OIL) 


BY   PROF.    C.   J.    HOLMES 


'CHICHESTER    CATHEDRAL"    (, WATER-COLOUR^ 


BY   A.    \V.    RICH 


Lithogyaphs  and  Etchings  by  J.  L.  Forain 


represented  Mr.  A.  E.  John,  but  especially  was 
one  of  his  pencil  drawings  to  be  studied  for  the 
sake  of  seeing  what  knowledge  one  single  line  can 
contain  running  instinctively  without  correction 
down  the  back  of  a  figure.  Miss  Edna  Clarke 
Hall's  drawings  always  discover  an  artist  through 
and  through.  Mr.  W.  van  Hasselt's  Gipsy  Girl 
was  among  the  very  best  things  in  these  rooms. 
The  Calhrdral,  Burgos  by  Mr.  Gerald  Summers, 
the  Vai/ey  of  Arqiies  by  Mr.  W.  W.  Russell, 
Men/one  Tu7vn  by  Mr.  C.  M.  Pearce,  Richnond 
Bridge  by  Mr.  W.  Kneen,  come  back  to  our 
mind,  as  does  Mr.  W.  Dadd's  The  North  Country, 
with  sunlight  giving  an  illusory  charm  to  a  sordid 
district  of  brick.  Mr.  A.  W.  Rich's  water-colours 
were  more  supreme  in  his  way  than  ever,  his 
Chichester  Cathedra/,  Millmead  near  Guildford, 
and  Plumpton  Place  being  especially  notable.  This 
year  he  has  avoided  the  sweetness  of  tint  that 
has  on  occasion  detracted  from  the  dignity  of  his 
colour.  A  delightful  monotype,  Cloudy  Weather, 
was  the  work  of  Mr.  A.  H. 
Fulwood.  And  we  wel- 
comed the  appearance  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Crawhall's  per- 
fect drawings  upon  the 
New  English  Art  Club 
walls.  T.  M.  W. 

SOME  ETCH- 
INGS AND 
LITHOGRAPHS 
BYJ.L.FORAIN. 
BY  PROF.  DR.  HANS 
W.  SINGER. 


A  LARGE  number  of  the 
artists  who  supply  the 
comic  papers  of  Paris  with 
humorous  designs  have 
chosen  to  strike  that  popu- 
lar note  which  delights  in 
an  extravagant — boisterous, 
it  might  be  called  —  style 
of  caricature.  The  black- 
and  -  white  convention  of 
men  like  the  late  Emmanuel 
Poir6  (well  known  by  his 
nam  de  guerre  "  Caran 
d'Ache  ")  depends  upon 
eccentricity  for  its  effect. 
The  absurdity  and  the  con- 
tortions of  the   pen,   as    it 


were,  are  what  excite  laughter.  Great  is  the 
contrast  between  their  broad  farce  and  the  refined, 
esoteric  wit  of  the  other  school,  at  the  head  of 
which  Forain  may  justly  be  placed.  Their  work 
has  no  tag  upon  it ;  its  humour  does  not  lie  upon 
the  surface.  Whereas  the  one  class  aim  at  amuse- 
ment upon  a  broadly  popular  basis  only,  the  other 
are  perforce  at  once  satirists.  Caran  d'Ache 
published  drawings,  sets  of  drawings,  indeed  whole 
albums,  without  any  letterpress  at  all ;  but  Forain's 
design  is,  taken  by  itself,  almost  always  a  torso, 
not  to  be  properly  appreciated  without  the  ac- 
companying text.  This  is  generally  felt  to  be  true, 
and  consequently  people  have  always  been  par- 
ticularly interested  in  discovering  what  relationship 
exists  between  drawing  and  letterpress  in  Forain's 
work,  whether  he  illustrates  other  people's  flashes 
of  wit,  or  whether  they  adapt  texts  to  his  designs, 
or,  if  he  is  the  author  of  both,  whether  he  first 
conceives  the  picture  or  the  words. 

Forain   himself    explained    the   genesis    of    his 


"AUPRtS    DU    MALALie"    (LITHOGKAI-H) 


BY  J.    1..    FORAIN 
189 


Lithographs  and  Etchings  by  J.  L.  Foraiii 


modern  Demo- 


work,  upon  interrogation,  some  years  ago  to  an 
interviewer — one  of  the  few  who  were  fortunate 
enough  to  overcome  all  obstacles  and  penetrate 
the  privacy  of  this  master  (for,  like  many  other 
great  delineators  of  public  life,  he  presents  the 
anomaly  of  himself  shunning  publicity).  Having 
once  formed  some  general  notion,  Forain,  it  would 
appear,  is  the  true  artist  in  so  far  as  an  experience 
of  the  eye  and  not  of  the  governing  mind  is  the 
primary  thing  with  him.  Some  situation  that  he 
has  seen  furnishes  the  impetus  to  his  work.  In 
the  course  of  elaborating  the  design,  and  while 
he  is  handling  his  figures  and  groups — sometimes, 
indeed,  only  after  he  has  quite  finished  with  them — 
does  the  pass  of  wit  or  the  caustic  remark  which 
they  are  destined  to  illustrate  occur  to  him.  As 
he  quaintly  puts  it :  "I  question  them,  and  they 
tell  me." 

His  literary  note  is  one  of 
critus,  a  scoffer  of  the 
foibles  of  modern  civilisa- 
tion. The  moral  key-note 
is  one  of  irreverence,  as 
has  been  justly  pointed 
out.  He  likes  above  all  to 
expose  the  undercurrent 
of  ridiculous  fallacy  and 
insincerity  in  all  the  con- 
ventionalities of  our  daily 
life,  which  personal  in- 
terest, empty  authority 
and  disingenuous  coward- 
ice take  so  much  trouble 
to  keep  up.  His  satire 
is  all  the  more  pungent 
because  of  its  restriction 
to  innuendo.  He  never 
lashes  openly,  never 
speaks  out  the  word  itself, 
but  always  disposes  text 
and  drawing  like  two  con- 
verging lines  which  stop 
shortly  before  their  point 
of  meeting,  but  which 
indicate  it  with  such  clear- 
ness that  no  one  can  fail 
to  hit  upon  the  word  or 
thought  that  Forain  him- 
self refrains  from  uttering. 

The  same  sort  of  re- 
ticence is  a  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  Forain's 
artistic  mood.  It  is  a 
modern  conviction  that 
190 


the  very  soul  of  black-and-white  art  is  elimination. 
How  wonderfully  various  are  the  possibilities  of 
putting  this  theory  into  practice  !  Forain's  choice 
of  method  is  one  of  the  most  fascinating.  He 
never  elaborates  either  form  or  tonality ;  he  rests 
satisfied  with  suggesting.  Since  the  times  have 
become  awake  to  the  truth  of  the  theory,  many 
a  man  has  supposed  that  putting  it  into  practice 
were  an  easy  thing,  and  he  "  leaves  out  "  gaily  and 
inconsiderately.  But  this  fragmentary  presenta- 
tion of  nature  is  not  convincing,  and  much  of 
the  work  that  parades  a  certain  bold,  unmeaning 
sketchiness  falls  below  the  standard  of  the  sten- 
ciller.  It  requires  the  keenest  artistic  feeling  to 
know  exactly  when  you  have  to  stop  in  the 
process  of  reducing  the  multiplicity  of  nature 
to  simple  forms,  in  the  process  of  discarding 
superficial  traits  and  retaining  only  the  essential 
ones  of  the  figure  you  depict.     For  elimination  is 


TEMOINS    AU    PRETOIRE"   (ETCHING) 


BY  J.    L.    FORAIN 


"LE   PRISONNIER   ET   SON   ENFANT." 
FROM  THE    ETCHING    BY   J.   L.    FORAIN 


Lithographs  and  Etchings  by  J.  L.  Forain 


only  half  the  game  ;  selection  makes  up  the 
rest.  The  sureness  with  which  Forain  stops  just 
upon  the  border-line  proves  his  genius.  However 
unrealistic  his  line  may  have  become,  it  has  never 
been  pushed  beyond  the  point  where  it  remains 
intensely  suggestive  on  to  the  decline  where  it  falls 
into  meaning  and  spiritless  trifling. 

If  this  justly  sets  forth  the  visible  shape  of 
Forain's  art,  its  contents  may  be  summed  up  as  a 
never-flagging  study  of  expression.  At  bottom  of 
all  that  he  creates  there  lies  the  desire  to  make 
his  figures  betray  their  thoughts  without  speaking. 
With  the  acute  observation  of  a  dumb  man  he 
has  entered  upon  the  study  of  mimicry,  gesticula- 
tion, facial  expression  and  that  other  no  less 
telling  kind  of  expression  which  depends  upon  our 
general  bearing,  upon  the  way  we  hold  our  Hmbs 
and  body,  while  we  are  trying  to  convey  our 
thoughts  and  intentions  to  our  neighbours.  With 
the  wonderful  means  at  his  disposal  he  passes  on 
the  fruits  of  his  studies  to  us  in  the  form  of 
marvellous  designs  that  grasp  all  sorts  of  human 
expression  with  an  unerring  hand. 

Most  people  will  have  learned  to  know  Forain 
by  the  medium  of  the  comic  papers,  in  which  his 


drawings  appear  in  the  shape  of  mechanical  repro- 
ductions. Only  a  comparatively  small  number 
of  connoisseurs  are  acquainted  with  his  original 
lithographs  and  etchings.  By  this  time  he  has 
done  a  good  many  of  both  of  these,  but  the  edition 
is  very  limited  in  every  case,  and  there  are  very 
few  lithographs  or  etchings  of  which  more  than 
twenty-five  copies  have  been  issued.  I  have  be- 
come acquainted  with  them  at  the  Dresden  Print 
Room,  the  Director  of  which.  Prof.  Lehrs,  has  always 
been  among  the  very  foremost  to  recognise  talent 
and  genius  among  the  living  men.  It  was  to  be 
expected  that  in  this  Print  Room,  which  possesses 
the  finest  collection  of  modern  work  in  public 
possession,  Forain  would  be  conspicuous,  and 
Prof.  Lehrs  has  brought  together  the  splendid 
collection  of  the  work  of  Forain  (upon  whom  he 
is  about  to  publish  a  study  in  a  Viennese  con- 
temporary), from  which  our  illustrations  have  been 
made. 

Forain's  lithographs  are  perhaps  not  so  much 
a  departure  from  as  a  refined  improvement  upon 
the  drawings  in  the  comic  papers,  which  every  one 
has  come  across.  Monsieur  Ch  Gue'rin  is  upon 
the  point  of  publishing  a  catalogue  of  them,  which 


'DANS   I.A   LOr.E  "    (LITHOGRAPH) 
192 


BY  J.    L.    KORAIN 


L    mM 


«e^ 


Lithographs  and  Etchings  by  J.  L.  Foraiii 


is  expected  to  appear  before  the  year  is  out. 
Forain  has  lithographed  desultorily  for  many  years. 
He  has  reser\ed  for  this  method  of  work,  subjects 
that  appeal  to  the  experienced  connoisseur  rather 
than  to  the  general  public.  Many  among  them 
have  very  little  "  story  "  to  tell ;  they  are  decidedly 
"V art  pour  rart."  Some  few  themes  recur  with 
many  variations,  such  as  Tke  Bath  and  the 
Cabinet  particuUer  and  The  Strike.  One  of  the 
most  ravishing  designs  is  the  Dejeuner  du  Matin, 
in  which  a  servant  brings  breakfast  to  her  mistress 
in  bed.  The  Le  Tableau  de  Papa  (p.  196),  quite 
different  in  execution,  is  scarcely  less  captivating. 
This  seems  to  me  one  of  the  happiest  instances  of 
Forain's  singular  power  to  compass  expression. 
To  use  a  hackneyed  phrase,  the  picture  speaks 
volumes,  and,  what  is  more,  it  liberates  at  a  single 
stroke  ideas  within  us  that  it  would  take  pages  to 
jot  down.  Has  ever  anybody  succeeded  better 
than  Forain  has  with  this  little  girl  ?  Her 
enthusiasm  is  genuinely  touching  without  the 
faintest  suggestion  of  any  maudlin  sentimentality. 
The  picture  is  all  the  more  noteworthy  since  it  is 
seldom,  to  my  knowledge  at  least,  that  Forain  the 


pessimist  strikes  so  sympathetic  a  chord,  full  of 
warmth  of  feeling,  as  he  has  done  here. 

The  etchings,  on  the  other  hand,  do  con- 
stitute a  new  departure  in  the  life-work  of  our 
artist.  Forain  etched,  ten  or  a  dozen  years  ago,  a 
set  of  small  plates.  They  might  well  be  missed, 
and  seem  to  say  that  at  that  time  the  style  of  work 
did  not  appeal  to  him.  Lately,  however,  he  has 
taken  up  etching  once  more,  and  this  time  in 
quite  a  different  spirit.  His  new  plates  are  large, 
and  all  of  them  important ;  in  fact  they  disclose 
new  powers  which  he  has  not  heretofore  developed. 

As  far  as  their  style  goes,  they  are  not  all 
uniform.  Occasionally  he  betrays  a  keen  sense  of 
the  beauty  of  his  material,  as,  for  example,  in 
La  Traite  des  Blanches,  which  brings  out  the  special 
characteristics  of  dry-point  admirably.  At  other 
times — for  example,  in  the  Mile.  Mere—  he  adopts  a 
powerful  breadth  of  line.  Some  of  the  soft  ground 
etchings  recall  to  mind  Daumier,  and  other  plates 
are  conceived  in  the  grand  spirit  of  Legros  and 
Millet.  The  nude  girl  seated  upon  a  bed  (p.  198) 
tends  to  purity  of  outline  and  surer  draughtsman- 
ship only.    Then  again  he  broaches  the  problem  of 


AUX   FOLIES   BERGkRES"'   (LITHOGRAPH) 


BY  J.   U    FORAIN 


\^'i^~XSSi. 


LE    TABLEAU    DE    PAPA."     FROM 
THE    LITHOGRAPH   BY   J.   L.   FORAIN 


'■     p: .. 


"L'ENFANT   PRODIGUE' 
BY   J.   L.   FORAIN 


Recent  Desi^i/s  in  Domestic  Architecture 


at  the  law  courts.  The  plate  of  the  Ttmohis 
au  Freioire  (p.  1 90)  is  replete  with  the  finest  obser- 
vation. The  old  woman  has  the  harassed  look 
of  one  who  has  given  evidence  against  kith  and 
kin.  There  is  a  mar\ellous  twinge  of  inborn 
coquetry  in  the  furtive  glance  that  the  little  girl 
shoots  at  us,  and  the  boy  in  his  look  of  surprise 
mingled  with  self-consciousness  has  plainly  for 
the  first  time  in  his  life  been  hoisted  to  a 
position  of  importance,  which,  however  small  it 
may  have  been,  was  still  in  no  wise  the  result 
of  his  own  deserts.  Le  Prisonnier  ei  son  Enfant 
is  perhaps  the  finest  of  all  the  plates.  The 
besotted  expression  of  the  prisoner,  debased  and 
corrupted  from  birth,  a  true  specimen  of  a 
degenerated  race,  surpasses  anything  of  the  kind 
I  have  seen.  The  presentation  of  his  little  child 
by  its  young  mother  is  a  most  powerful  moment 
in  the  comidie  hiimaine,  at  a  moment  where  that 
co?nedie  becomes  singularly  tragic.         H.  ^^'.  S. 


"I-EMME   NUE"    (etching) 


BY  J.    L.    FORAIN 


R 


ECENT  DESIGNS  IX  DOMES- 
TIC   ARCHITECTURE. 


balancing  his  blacks  against  his  whites,  as  in  his 
Prodigal  Son  plates  (pp.  193,  197).  The  majority 
of  the  plates  display  a  certain  super-nervousness  of 
line.  They  look  as  if  the  rapidity  of  execution  had 
been  immense.  I  imagine  that  when  Forain  does 
eventually  come  to  elaborate  his  own  proper  style, 
which,  as  this  diversity  of  attempts  shows,  he  has 
not  yet  attained,  it  will  be 
this  nervous  line  that  he 
will  cultivate  and  probably 
temper,  for  it  seems  to  me 
to  lack  simplicity,  occa- 
sionally, at  present. 

For  the  present,  how- 
ever, his  attentions  are  not 
directed  that  way ;  they 
are  rather  engrossed  by  the 
same  pursuit  after  mastery 
of  expression.  And  they  are 
full  of  superb  instances  of 
such  mastery  having  been 
compassed,  as  even  our 
reduced  illustrations  will 
show.  One  of  his  favourite 
topics,  the  same  that  he 
has  discussed  already  time 
and  again  in  drawings  for 
the  magazines,  are   scenes 


The  illustrations  which  have  ap- 
peared under  this  heading  in  our  recent  issues 
have  almost  without  exception  been  those  of 
English  houses ;  but  on  this  occasion,  by  way  of 
variation,  we  give  some  examples  of  houses  and 
interiors  designed  by  a  firm  of  German  architects, 
Messrs.  Runge  and  Scotland,  of  Bremen,  whom 
many  of  our  readers  may  remember  as  the 
desigrners  of  some  luxurious  cabins  on  the  North 


DR.    V.ViS.MElii    COU.NTKY    HOLaE;    GAKDE.N"    VIEW 

RUNGE   i   SCOTLAND,    ARCHITECTS,    BREMEN 


Recent  Designs  in  Domes  fie  Architectnye 


DR.    VASSMER's   country   HOUSE  :    MAIN    ENTRANCE 


J  LCTS,    BREMEN 


German  Lloyd  steamship  "  Kronprinzessin  Cecilie," 
which  were  illustrated  in  The  Studio  for  December, 
1907  (pp.  238-240).  Apropos  of  the 
work  of  these  architects  in  relation  to 
domestic  architecture  generally,  and 
specifically  in  regard  to  the  designs  now 
illustrated,  we  quote  the  remarks  of  one 
of  our  German  correspondents. 

Two  factors  (he  says)  have  played  an 
important  part  in  the  recent  evolution 
of  country-house  architecture  in  Ger- 
many ;  first,  much  attention  has  been 
paid  to  the  traditional  style  and  methods 
of  building  peculiar  to  a  particular  dis- 
trict, and  secondly,  there  has  been  a 
more  general  recognition  of  the  principle 
that  between  a  house  and  its  physical  en- 
vironment there  should  always  e.xist  as 
much  congruity  as  possible.  1 1  is  gener- 
ally recognised,  for  instance,  that  it 
would  be  a  gross  perversion  of  architec- 
tural propriety  to  build  a  Swiss  chalet 
in  one  of  the  flat  expanses  of  Northern 


Europe,   or   to    transplant    the  style  of  a  peasant 
cottage  of  Lower  Saxony  to  the  Bavarian  highlands. 


GROUND  l-T.OOR  PLAN  OV   THE  ABOVE 


199 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  ArcJiitectnre 


THE    architects'    STUDIO    HOUSE:    RUNGE  Si   SCOTLAND,  ARCHITECTS 


A   CORNER  OF  THE   DRAWING-ROOM    IN   THE   ABOVE 


At  the  same  time  the  architect  of  the  modern 
school  holds  that  it  is  altogether  inconsistent  with 
the  conditions  of  life  at  the  present  day  to  build 
houses  in  the  style  of  these  peasant  dwellings  for 
the  strenuous  city  worker  in  need  of  relaxation. 
These  may  answer  very  well  for  a  temporary 
abode  during  the  summer,  but  the  country  house 
which  the  townsman  wants  nowadays  differs  both 
from  this  peasant  house  and  from  the  pseudo- 
castle  which  the  wealthy  merchant  used  not  so 
long  ago  to  be  fond  of  erecting  in  emulation 
of  the  landed  aristocracy.  The  tendency  is  to 
place  considerations  of  utility  in   the  foreground 


Messrs.  Runge  and 
Scotland  have  from  the 
first  pursued  a  middle 
course.  While  they  have 
in  the  planning  of  the 
houses  designed  by  them 
sought  to  satisfy  the  crav- 
ing of  the  hard- worked 
city  man  for  rest,  light 
and  air,  they  were  led  by 
their  own  predilection  for 
the  creations  of  peasant 
art  which  the  dwellings 
of  Lower  Saxony  offered 
them  in  rich  abundance, 
to  turn  to  account  such 
useful  and  attractive 
features  as  they  could 
discover  therein.  The 
elongated  ground -plan, 
permitting  of  a  favour- 
able arrangement  of  the 
rooms  in  regard  to  sun- 
shine, the  picturesque 
sloping  roof,  the  large 
windows  made  up  of 
numerous  small  panes, 
are  elements  derived  from 
the  architecture,  of  Lower 
Saxony,  and  the  houses 
in  which  they  are  intro- 
duced have  the  appear- 
ance of  springing  from 
the  soil  and  consequently 
accord  well  with  the  sur- 
rounding landscape. 

The  inhabitants  of 
Bremen  have,  through  the 
close  commercial  intercourse  which  the  town  has 
long  enjoyed  with  England,  learned  to  appreciate 
the  advantages  of  separate  dwellings,  and  in  fact 
preference  has  for  centuries  been  shown  here  for 
this  mode  of  living.  Messrs.  Runge  and  Scotland 
therefore  found  in  this  locality  a  favourable  field 
for  their  activity.  The  numerous  commissions 
which  were  entrusted  to  them  in  the  course  of  a 
comparatively  brief  period,  brought  them  face  to 
face  with  a  succession  of  novel  problems,  the  solu- 
tion of  which  aftbrded  them  an  opportunity  of 
displaying  their  skill  by  reconciling  the  practical 
needs  of  daily  life  with  the  ideal  requirements  of 
the    present    age.      Amongst    their    more    recent 


and  to  ignore,    or  at   all  events  to  assign  a  sub- 
ordinate   place    to,    the  picturesque   character  of     achievements,   the  house   which  they   themselves 
the  elevation.  occupy  as    a  private    residence   and   atelier  (two 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architecture 


illustrations  of  which  are  here  given),  and  especi- 
ally the  two  country  houses  designed  for  Dr. 
Vassmer  and  Herr  Friese,  both  of  them  admirably 
exemplifying  the  combination  of  practicability  with 
{esthetic  qualities,  have  made  their  name  known 
among  wider  circles. 

The  accompanying  illustrations  of  the  "Land- 
haus  Vassmer  "  show  that  the  architects  appreciate 
the  beauty  of  quiet  nooks,  such  as  the  loggia  over 
the  main  entrance  and  the  veranda  and  terrace 
outside  the  dining-room  on  the  garden  side.  The 
white   of    the    external  walls    combines  with    the 


PRINXIPAL  BEDROOM    IN   A   COUNTRY   HOUSE 

DESIGNED   BY   RUNGE  &   SCOTLAND,    ARCHITECTS 


red-tiled  roof  and  broad  expanse  of  green  turf  to 
impart  an  aspect  of  cheerfulness  to  this  house. 
The  plan  (page  199)  reveals  a  thoughtful  distri- 
bution of  the  apartments.  As  will  be  seen,  the 
entrance  divides  off  the  domestic  offices  from  the 
family  apartments  ;  the  latter  consisting  of  a  hall, 
through  which  are  reached  the  living  -  room 
( Wohnzinimer),  the  dining-room  {Speisezimmer), 
measuring  approximately  23  ft.  by  15  ft.,  and 
leading  out  of  this  the  children's  day  nursery. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  dining-room  is  a  servery 
communicating  with  the  kitchen,  beyond  which  is 
the  larder,  the  remaining 
offices  being  a  wash-room 
with  direct  access  to  the 
garden,  and  an  ironing- 
room.  From  the  house 
which  Messrs.  Runge 
and  Scotland  have  de- 
signed for  Herr  Friese, 
we  give  two  illustrations 
of  the  principal  bedroom, 
reproduced  from  draw- 
ings made  by  the  archi- 
tects. On  each  of  the 
two  shorter  sides  of  the 
room  are  a  pair  of  fixed 
wardrobes  or  cupboards, 
with  drawer  at  the  bottom 
of  each,  and  between 
them  are  recesses  respec- 
tively intended  for  the 
bed  and  the  washstand. 
That  the  practical  con- 
siderations which  so 
largely  influence  their 
designs  do  not  exclude 
a  feeling  for  decorative 
effect  is  amply  demon- 
strated both  in  the  design 
of  this  bedroom  and  in 
that  of  the  living-room, 
illustrated  on  p.  202,  in 
which  elegance  and  com- 
fort are  aptly  blended. 
Here  there  are  unmistak- 
able reminiscences  of  the 
best  Empire  form,  but  it 
is  in  their  shrewd  blend- 
ing of  old  and  new-,  com- 
bined with  a  cultivated 
taste  which  does  not 
shrink  from  utilising  con- 
ventional motives,  but 
201 


The  Exhibition  of  SivedisJi  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


LIVING-ROOM 


DESIGNED   BY   RUNGE   &   SCOTLAND,    ARCHITECTS 


m'ms^^'&^i^^^ 


^/.i  \ 


merely  shuns  what  is  trivial,  that  the  chief  strength      the  arts  and  the  crafts,  and  never  more  so  than 
of  these  architects  lies.  during  the  last  few  years. 


THE  EXHIBI- 
TION OF  SWE- 
DISH APPLIED 
ART AT STOCK- 
HOLM. BY  GEORG 
BROCHNER. 

Although  the  Swedes 
as  a  nation  are  perhaps  the 
oldest  in  Europe,  having  for 
some  five  thousand  years 
held  possession  of  the  land 
they  were  always  proud  to 
call  their  own,  and  although 
their  history  teems  with  re- 
cords of  doughty  deeds  and 
brilliant  exploits  through 
many  centuries,  they  are  yet 
a  people  which  in  youthful 
and  vigorous  energy  and 
pregnant  enthusiasm  will  vie 
with  any  —  a  fact  which  is 
constantly  being  made  mani- 
fest within  the  different  fields 
of  human  work  and  enter- 
prise, amongst  them  especially 


HAUTE-LISSE  TAPESTRV    "VERDURE"    DESIGNED   BY  ALFRED   WALLANDER 
WOVEN   BY   ELIN    PERSON 


b^2 


'^^ 


vM 


The  Exhibition  of  Sivcdish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


HAUTE-LISSE   TAPESTRY  : 


'VENUS   AND   THE   WATER-SPRITE" 

EXECUTED   1!Y    "  HANDARBETET's   VANNER, 


DESIGNED   BY   CARL   LARSSON 


STOCKHOLM 


The  subject  of  this  article  is  one  instance 
amongst  many  bearing  out  what  I  have  just  said. 
It  would  seem  rather  a  venturesome  undertaking 
to  hold  a  large  and  costly  exhibition  solely  in- 
tended for  Swedish  applied  art  and  art-industry ; 
but  the  result  has,  in  the  happiest  manner,  proved 
the  soundness  of  the  idea,  which,  in  the  first 
instance,  emanated  from  Dr.  E.  G.  Folcker,  who, 
as  he  himself  modestly  says,  cast  the  small  grain 
of  mustard  seed  which  grew  into  the  big  tree. 

The  one  man,  however,  to  whom  the  exhibition 
owes  more  than  to  any  other,  is  the  famous  archi- 
tect, Mr.  Ferdinand  Boberg.  Not  only  has  he 
conceived  and  worked  out  in  detail  the  whole  of 
the  charming  and  original  exhibition  buildings — 
admirable  in  their  plan  as  they  are  singularly 
picturesque  in  their  aspect — but  to  him  is  also  due 
the  credit  of  having  designed  scores  of  exhibits- 
furniture  and  hangings,  metal-work  and  glass,  in- 
cluding some  of  the  most  striking  and  most 
meritorious  items  shown.  True,  Mr.  Boberg 
laboured  under  favourable  conditions :  the  site 
simply  perfect,  in  a  lovely  old  park  on  the 
brink  of  the  waterway  to  Stockholm,  the  power 


to  do  virtually  what  he  pleased,  and  behind  him 
a  host  of  helpful  and  responsive  friends.  Boberg's 
art  is  to  be  recognised  in  the  bold  contours  of 
several  of  the  structures,  in  the  restful  expanses  of 
unbroken  wall,  in  the  quaint  and  charming  court- 
yards, and  more  especially  in  the  decorative  devices 
and  ornamental  tnotifs  in  which  his  artistic  person- 
ality perhaps  finds  its  happiest  and  most  character- 
istic expression. 

So  much  for  the  buildings,  an  exquisite  little 
white  city  within  the  great  setting  of  magnificent 
old  trees.  Whilst  colour  is  thus  banished  from 
the  exterior,  it  abounds  within,  more  particularly, 
as  might  be  expected,  in  the  textile  sections, 
which  must  be  counted  amongst  the  exhibition's 
greatest  attractions,  also  on  account  of  the  fact 
that  they,  to  a  great  extent,  are  the  outcome  of 
two  distinct  national  movements,  now,  in  a  way, 
running  parallel,  viz.,  an  old  craft  of  peasant 
weaving,  lace-making  and  needlework,  and  an  en- 
tirely modern  departure  of  great  artistic  merit, 
both,  however,  essentially  Swedish  and  brought  to 
such  high  degree  of  perfection  that  they  may  safely 
challenge  comparison  with  all  comers. 

205 


TJie  Exhibition  of  S^ccdish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


Foremost  amongst  the  several  concerns  which 
have  taken  up  modern  artistic  textile  work,  and 
which  have  the  aid  of  some  of  Sweden's  most 
famous  painters,  stands  the  organisation  known  as 
"  Handarbetet's  Vanner"  (the  Friends  of  Handi- 
work), to  which  I  have  more  than  once  had 
occasion  to  refer  in  the  pages  of  The  Studio. 
It  is  a  self-contained  and  state-subsidized  institu- 
tion, which  is  being  worked  on  strictly  artistic 
and  disinterested  lines,  and  is  instrumental  in  the 
making  of  a  vast  quantity  of  charming  textile 
work,  from  large  and  costly  "Gobelins"  to  small 
cushions  and  bags,  all  de- 
signed by  able  craftsmen 
and  artists  and  worked 
under  the  supervision  of 
the  "  Handarbetet's  Van- 
ner" by  a  large  number  of 
lady  workers,  who  thus 
5nd  a  pleasant  and  suitable 
occupation. 

Handarbetet's  Vanner, 
of  which  Mile.  Carin 
Wastberg  is  now  the  artis- 
tic leader,  have  three  or 
four  charming  interiors  at 
the  exhibition,  foremost 
amongst  which  is  a  large 
room  arranged  as  a  chapel 
with  several  altars,  decked 
with  altar  cloths  and  ante- 
pendiums  of  great  beauty. 
The  Swedish  Church,  like 
the  English,  has  retained 
its  ancient  equipment  of 
sundry  sets  of  altar  cloths, 
etc.,  according  to  the 
seasons  of  the  Church,  and 
especially  of  late  years  a 
great  impetus  has  been 
given  to  this  kind  of  work. 
Jn  Swedish  homes,  too, 
the  craving  for  beauty  has 
grown  with  leaps  and 
bounds  during  the  last 
decade,  and  a  sense  that 
even  the  most  common- 
place article  of  use  may 
be  endowed  with  a  simple 
beauty  of  its  own,  is  assert- 
ing itself  more  and  more. 
Cause  and  effect  often 
overlap  each  other,  and 
"  Handarbetet's  Vanner  " 
206 


have  undoubtedly  done  much  to  foster  that  craving 
for  beauty,  which  it  has  now  become  their  busi- 
ness to  satisfy.  It  is  unfortunately  impos- 
sible to  enumerate,  let  alone  describe  in  detail, 
even  the  more  important  work  in  the  Handarbetet's 
Vanner  exhibition,  which  comprises  considerably 
more  than  a  hundred  items.  Suffice  it  to  mention 
the  names  of  some  of  the  artists  who  are  repre- 
sented here.  Amongst  the  ladies  there  are 
Mile.  Maria  Sjostrom,  Mile.  Maria  Adelberg, 
Mile.  Maria  Andersson,  the  artistic  leader  Mile. 
Wastberg  and  several  others,  and  amongst  the  men 


HAUTE-LISSE   TAPESTRY    DESIGNED   BY   GUNNAR   WEN'KERBERG 
EXECUTED   BY   THE   "LICIUM,"   STOCKHOLM 


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The  ExJiibition  of  Sii'cdish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


SILK   EMBROIDERED  CUSHION 

DESIGNED   BY   EVA  JANCKE   BJORK 
EXECUTED   BY   THE    "LICIUM,"   STOCKHOLM 


such  eminent  artists  as  Carl  Larsson,  Ferdinand 
Boberg,  Gunnar  Hallstrom,  etc.  Carl  Larsson  is 
represented  by  an  important  haute-lisse  tapestry, 
Venus  and  the  Water-Sprite  (p.  205),  a  typical 
work  of  its  famous  and  eminently  popular  de- 
signer, the  head  and  the  hands  of  the  fair  goddess, 
more  especially,  being  possessed  of  that  subtle 
Larssonian  grace  so  entirely  his  own.  The  figure 
itself  is  perhaps  not  quite  so  interesting,  but 
otherwise  this  Gobelin  is  deserving  of  loud  praise. 
I    used  to  look  upon  England  as   being  far 


ahead  of  any  other  country  in  the  matter  of 
colour,  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  some  of 
Sweden's  textile  artists  have  attained  to  such 
admirable  results  that  they  in  any  case  have 
become  formidable  rivals.  The  study  and 
production  of  vegetable  colours  has  become 
quite  an  art  by  itself,  and  one  sees,  in 
modern  Swedish  work,  blendings  and  constel- 
lations essentially  new  and  extremely  beautiful, 
harmonies  in  blue  or  purple,  or  even   such 


SILK    EMBROIDERED  CUSHION   COVER 

DESIGNED   BY   ASTRED   WESSLAU   HJORT 
EXECUTED   BY   THE   "LICIUM,"   STOCKHOLM 


SILK   CUSHION    EMBROIDERED   IN   VARIOUS  COLOURS   ON   GREY  GROU.ND 
DESIGNED    BY     SIGNE    ASPLIN.       EXECUTED    BY    NORDISKA    KOMPANIET 


sombre  colours  as  grey 
and  brown.  The  exhibi- 
tion of  the  Handarbetet's 
Vanner  abounds  in 
examples  of  this  craft, 
and  also  contains  speci- 
mens of  novel  and  modi- 
fied weaving  methods, 
upon  which  it  would  be 
tempting  to  enlarge. 

Miss  Agnes  Branting, 
who  some  years  ago  gave 
up  the  management  of 
Handarbetet's  Vanner  in 
order  to  start  the  "  Li- 
cium "  an  establishment 
originally  intended  more 
especially  for  church 
work,  but  which  soon, 
however,  s;rew  into  a  more 


208 


TJie  Exliihitioii  of  S^i^edish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


comprehensive  affair,  is  probably  the  greatest 
authority  in  Sweden  in  the  matter  of  artistic  textile 
work,  ancient  and  modern  alike,  and  she  has 
published  several  verj'  able  essays  on  these  sub- 
jects. The  "Licium"  section  at  the  exhibition  has 
a  number  of  exquisite  specimens  both  of  church 
work  and  other  kinds — hangings,  banners,  etc.  Of 
special  interest  is  a  three-winged  Gobelin,  repre- 
senting scenes  from  Dalecarlia,  designed  by 
Sweden's  most  famous  painter,  Anders  Zorn,  him- 
self a  true  Dalecarlian,  and  his  aged  mother  is 
depicted  as  one  of  the  peasant  women  leaving  the 
church.  The  weaving  is  done  in  the  old  Gobelin 
manner,  but  the  subjects  and  the  colours  are  treated 
in  a  more  realistic  style  than  is  generally  the  case  with 
textile  work,  and  the  result  is  most  effective.  There 
are  also  large,  decorative  hangings  by  other  pro- 
minent artists,  amongst  them  Gunnar  Wennerberg, 
and  some  magnificent  antependiums  intended  for 


Swedish  cathedrals — altogether  a  perfect  collection 
of  artistic  textile  work,  of  which  Miss  Branting 
and  her  fellow-worker,  Mrs.  Borjeson  have  every 
reason  to  be  proud. 

The  most  important  and,  when  all  is  said  and 
done,  the  best  textile  exhibit,  however,  is  the  large 
Gobelin,  of  which  a  coloured  reproduction  accom- 
panies this  article.  Designed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ferdinand  Boberg,  and  woven  at  the  atelier  of 
the  Nordiska  Company,  this,  too,  represents 
a  scene  from  Dalecarlia  (Mr.  Boberg  likewise 
hails  from  this  historic  province) — a  funeral  at 
Leksand,  a  subject  which  has  been  made  to  admir- 
ably answer  its  purpose,  and  which,  in  itself,  is  a 
singularly  picturesque  function,  owing  to  the  quaint 
and  striking  national  dresses  worn  by  the  peasantry, 
one  of  the  mourning  garments,  for  instance,  being  a 
large  bright  yellow  apron.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boberg 
have,  in  spite  of  the  actuality  of  the  scene  depicted, 


ANTKPEXDIUM    FOR   ST.    SOPHIA'S   CHURCH,    STOCKHOLM,    DESIGNED   BY   AGNES  SKOGMAN-SUTTHOFF 
EXECUTED   BY    "  HANDARBETEl's   VANNER,"   STOCKHOLM 


209 


The  Exhibition  of  Sivedish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


wished  to  maintain  the  character  of  the  Gobelin 
proper,  and  with  this  end  in  view  the  colours  have 
been  somewhat  mellowed  and  toned  down  with 
exceeding  skill.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  this 
Boberg  Gobelin,  which  I  understand  is  only  the 
first  of  a  series — all  having  for  their  subjects 
Dalecarlian  scenes — can  claim  its  place  in  the  verj' 
front  rank  of  modem  Gobelins. 

In  the  same  room  as  this  Boberg  tapestrj'  are 
also  to  be  found  several  pieces  of  furniture,  exhi- 
bited by  the  same  company  and  designed  by 
Boberg,  including  an  elaborate  —  almost  too 
elaborate — cabinet  in  black  wood,  the  inside  with 
inlaid  work  in  diverse  colours.  Altogether  some 
of  the  designers  of  furniture  appear  to  be  rather 
too  much  given  to  the  application  of  colour,  even 
in  such  hea\7  pieces,  that  hardly  call  for  ornamen- 
tation of  this  nature.  Nordiska  Kompaniet  is  also 
showing  several  interiors  equipped  with  furniture 
designed  by  Mr.  Blomberg,  an  architect  who  has 
a  fine  sense  of  line  and  proportion,  and  thoroughly 
understands  how  to  turn  the  different  kinds  and 


colours  of  wood  to  the  best  possible  account 
Birch  has  of  late  years  become  a  popular  medium, 
both  in  Sweden  and  Denmark,  and  its  satin-like 
surface,  which  admits  of  being  stained  in  different 
tones,  is  often  productive  of  most  excellent  results. 
The  Nordiska  Kompaniet  are  likewise  exhibiting 
a  quantity  of  metal  work,  beaten  and  wrought, 
by  able  artists. 

Mr.  Alfred  ^Vallande^,  who  is  the  artistic  leader 
both  of  the  large  Rorstrand  porcelain  works  and  of 
the  Giobel  Art  Slojd  concern,  is  represented  by 
numerous  exhibits — textiles,  furniture,  china,  etc., 
including  furniture  for  the  librar}'  and  the  smoking 
room,  in  polished  birch,  and  possessed  of  a  very 
attractive,  simple  and  selfcontained  style,  rugs, 
curtains,  cushions,  chandelier,  and  more  especially 
a  large  hauie-lisse  Gobelin,  Verdure  (p.  202),  all 
combining  to  make  the  Wallander  interiors  some 
of  the  most  taking  in  the  exhibition.  The  Gobelin, 
old-time  in  design,  is  rich  in  its  colouring  and  ver\' 
decorative. 

Essentially  modern  and  altogether  original  are  a 


sF.I.    BY   SOFIE  GISBERG 


EXECUTED   BY   THE    "  LICIUM,      STOCKHOLM 


ANTEPENDIUM,  ETC.,  DESIGNED  BY  HILDA 
STARCK  AND  EXECUTED  IN  "POINT  PLAT" 
BY     NORDISKA   KOMPANIET,   STOCKHOLM 


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The  ExJiibifion  of  Sii'cdish  Applied  Art  at  Sfockho/in 


series  of  six  haute-lisie 
hangings  designed  by  the 
eminent  painter,  Gustaf 
Fjastad,  and  in  many  re- 
spects reminding  one  of 
his  works  in  oils.  They 
are  naturahstic  represen- 
tations of  such  scenes 
as  Running  Water,  A 
Winter's  Night,  Thatv, 
etc.,  highly  effective  in 
their  way,  and  exceedingly 
clever  —  no  other  artist 
probably  depicts  such 
nature's  moods  with  any- 
thing approaching  Fjas- 
tad's  talent  —  still,  some 
good  judges  have  taken 
exception  to  this  applica- 
tion of  their  revered 
haute-lisse.  Fjastad  also 
has  some  heavy  furniture 
in   carved    pine,    like    his 

hangings,    extremely   personal,    and   possessing    a 
quaint,  rustic,  and  robust  decorative  effect. 


DINING-ROOM    IN    MODERNIZED    KELTISH-NORTHERN    STVLE 
DESIGNED    BV   CARL  JO.NSSON    AND     EXECUTED    BY   C.    E.    JONSSON 


On  a  smaller  scale  than  those  hitherto  mentioned, 
but  still  very  charming,  is  a  collection  of  textile 


DINING-ROOM   FURNITURE   IN    POLISHED   INLAID   MAHOGANY  DESIGNED   BY   R.    OSTMAN,    ARCHITECT 

EXECUTED   BY   NORDISKA   MOBLERINGS   AKTIEBOLAGET,    STOCKHOLM 

213 


The  Exliibition  of  Swedish  applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


work  arranged  by  the  "Bikupan"  (the  Beehive), 
and  which  contains  many  articles  of  considerable 
merit.     (See  illustration  below.) 

The  old  crafts  of  weaving,  lace- making,  knitting, 
etc.,  general  amongst  the  peasantry  in  days  gone 
by,  still  prevail  in  many  parts  of  the  country,  and 
have  of  later  years  again  grown  in  favour,  and  that 
at  a  rapid  rate,  in  several  provinces.  Societies  for 
the  advancement  of  this  home  industry  have  been 
formed  in  many  parishes,  and  are  receiving  the  aid 
of  able  artists  and  others  interested  in  the  move- 
ment. Some  of  the  Dalecarlian  parishes,  such  as 
Leksand,  Rattvik,  Feoda  and  Mora,  are  particu- 
larly to  the  fore,  and  their  rooms  at  the  exhibition 
are  most  attractive,  ^^'eavings,  more  or  less  elabo- 
rate, but  mostly  gay  with  bright  colours,  red  and 
yellow,  blue  and  green,  lace  caps  in  many  colours 
and  patterns,  embroidered  pouches,  woollen  gloves 
bedecked  with  many-coloured  flowers,  linen  work, 
furs  and  leather  specially  treated  to  suit  the  local 
fashion,  cleverly  hammered  and  twisted  ironwork, 
baskets  and  wooden  wares,  crowd  these  rural  show- 


rooms, which  are  among  the  most  interesting  at  the 
exhibition.  Volumes  could  be  and,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  have  been  written  about  this  multifarious  out- 
come of  "  home  slojd,"  and  many  of  the  articles 
produced,  especially  the  weavings,  are  constantly 
finding  their  way  into  artistic  Swedish  homes,  and 
generally  prove  to  be  of  pronounced  decorative 
value.  There  is  an  endless  variety  of  patterns,  in 
the  ribbons,  for  instance,  which  adorn  the  women's 
caps ;  they  are  probably  to  be  counted  by  the 
hundred,  each  parish  in  some  districts  having  its 
own  peculiar  patterns,  which  have  often  been 
handed  down  through  many  centuries.  Some  parts 
of  the  country  excel  in  woollen  rugs  and  hangings, 
others  again  in  cotton  and  linen  work,  white  and 
red  or  white  and  green  or  white  and  yellow  checked 
or  striped.  These  materials  go  so  admirably  with 
a  Swedish  wooden  villa,  which  is  not  timbered  of 
sombre  beams  as  sometimes  seen  in  Norway,  but 
with  the  boarding  gaily  painted  in  various  colours, 
for  the  Swedes  love  colour,  and  colours  abound, 
in  nature,  in  art,  and  in  the  national  dresses. 


COLLECIION   OF  lEXTILES   EXHIBITED   BY    "  BIKUPAN  "   (THE   BEEHIVE) 


214 


The  Exhibition  of  Sivcdish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm 


SIDEBOARD   IN   POLISHED   INLAID   MAHOGANY  DESIGNED   BY   R.    OSTMAN 

EXECUTED   BY   NORDISKA   MOBLERINGS   AKTIEBOLAGET 


Several  villas  and  cottages,  completely  furnished, 
are  shown  in  the  exhibition  grounds,  bearing  out 
what  has  been  said  above,  and  evidencing  the 
high  degree  of  perfection  to  which  this  branch  of 
Swedish  architecture  has  been  carried.  This,  too, 
has,  in  fact,  a  touch  of  the  national  move- 
ment about  it,  going  hand  in  hand  with  the 
endeavours  to  procure  for  as  many  Swedes 
as  possible,  peasant  and  artisan,  merchant 
and  artist,  an  "  own  home." 

Within  the  limits  of  an  article  such  as 
this  it  would  be  impossible  to  deal  sepa- 
rately with  other  groups  of  exhibits,  in 
almost  all  of  which  able  craftsmen  have 
been  at  work.  Swedish  glass  deserves  its 
high  repute,  and  the  large  Porcelain  works, 
Rorstrand,  to  which  I  have  already  referred, 
and  Gustafsberg,  of  which  Mr.  Gunnar  Wen- 
nerberg,  a  charming  painter,  is  the  artistic 
leader,  are  working  energetically  ahead, 
although  in  this  field  Sweden  cannot  yet  vie 
with  Denmark.  The  same  remark,  as  far 
as  I  could  see,  applies  to  the  craft  of  the 
goldsmith  and  silversmith ;  there  certainly 
were  many  meritorious  exhibits,  but  they 
have  not  had  in  Sweden  such  an  eminently 
gifted  and  original  draughtsman  within  this 
sphere  as  Denmark  had  in  the  late  Thorvald 
Bindesboll. 

The  more  old-fashioned  system  of  crowd- 
ing a  number  of  more  or  less  hetero- 
geneous articles  into  one  large  hall  has 
been  entirely  discarded  at  the  Stockholm 
Exhibition,  where  a  series  of  smaller  com- 


partments and  rooms  have 
been  provided,  with 
a  special  view  to  the 
individual  requirements 
of  the  different  exhibitors. 
This  is  a  great  boon, 
above  all  to  the  people 
displaying  furniture,  most 
of  which  is  shown  so 
as  to  form  complete  in- 
teriors. Of  such  there 
is  a  great  variety,  and  on 
the  whole  the  designers, 
as  well  as  the  makers, 
deserve  much  praise.  The 
furniture  as  a  whole 
lacks,  perhaps,  some  of 
that  stamp  of  nationalism 
which  is  a  distinct  virtue 
in  so  many  textile  exhibits, 
although  it  must  be  admitted  that  no  outside 
influences  make  themselves  unduly  felt.  Much 
is  possessed  of  a  certain  severe  dignity, 
dimensioned,    and    designed    to    serve    the 


of 
well 


intended  practical  purpose,  and  the  effect  produced 


CABINET   IN    POLISHED   INLAID   MAHOGANY 

DESIGNED   BY    R.    OSTMAN,    ARCHITECT 

EXECUTED    BY   NORDISKA    MOBLERINGS   AKTIEBOLAGET 


Sttidio-  Talk 


GUSTAFSBERG    POTTERY 


des:gned  by  gustav  wennerberg 


is  in  many  cases  restful  and  harmonious. 
I  should  like  to  draw  particular  attention  to  that 
designed  by  Mr.  R.  Ostman,  the  well-known  archi- 
tect, for  Nordiska  Moblerings  Aktiebolaget,  in- 
cluding a  very  handsome  set  of  dining-room 
furniture,  in  exceptionally  good  style,  simple  in 
lines  but  elaborated  with  inlaid  ornamentation. 
Another  striking  dining-room,  in  what  is  called 
modernized  Keltish-Xorthem  style,  has  been  de- 
signed by  M.  Carl  Jonsson  (see  p.  213). 

It  is  with  regret  that  I  bring  my  somewhat 
cursory  remarks  about  the  exhibition  to  an  end. 
Before  it  closes  next  month  it  is  to  be  hoped 
many  of  The  Studio  readers  may  find  it  con- 
venient to  pay  a  visit  to  Sweden's  beautiful  capital 
and  see  for  themselves  to  what  admirable  results 
the  Swedes  have  attained  within  this  field.  The 
exhibition  is  under  the  patronage  of  the  King  of 
Sweden,  and  His  Majesty's  youngest  brother. 
Prince  Eugen — an  eminently  talented  painter — is 
Honorary  President.  G.  B. 


STUDIO-TALK. 
(From   Our  Own  Correspondents.) 

LONDON.— The  career  of  the  late  Mr.  E.  J. 
Gregor)',  R..A.,  President  of  the  Royal 
Institute  of  Painters  in  Water-Colours, 
whose  death  we  regret  to  record  as 
having  taken  place  in  the  last  days  of  June  at  the 
comparatively  early  age  of  59,  will  be  the  subject 
of  an  article  in  an  early  issue  of  this  magazine. 
Arrangements  for  such  an  article  were  made  (with 
the  approval  of  Mr.  Gregory  himself)  some  three 
or  four  months  back,  at  a  time  when  there  was  no 
reason  whatever  to  suppose  that  when  it  appeared 
it  would  have  to  be  an  obituary  notice,  for  though 
the  distinguished  painter  was  not  then  in  the  best 
of  health,  there  was  nothing  in  his  condition  fore- 
boding an  imminent  termination  of  his  life. 


At  the  Leicester  Galleries  the  exhibition  of  Ford 
Madox  Brown's  works  was  a  notable  event,  plunging 


SCULPTURED  PANEL  FOR  GRAND  TRUNK  RAILWAY   COMPANY  S   NEW 
216 


OFFICES,    BY  ALFRED   DRURY,  A.R.A. 


(  The praptrty  of  Henry  Rodjin^ton.  JzsyJ 


WAITING."      FROM   THE  OIL   PAINTING 

BY     FORD     MADOX     BROWN. 


studio-  Talk 


us  back  into  the  atmosphere  of  the  romanticism 
of  half  a  century  ago.  There  was  an  early  "  attri- 
buted "  work,  full  of  beautiful  mysterious  qualities 
that  the  modern  student  strives  to  get,  but  which 
(if  we  may  assume  the  work  to  be  his)  Madox 
Brown  threw  away  in  favour  of  the  principles  of 
pre-Raphaelitism.  These,  however  unintentionally, 
excluded  myster)',  in  feeling  as  well  as  practice. 
Abstractly  as  well  as  technically  the  pre-Raphaelites 
were  limited  to  very  few  truths,  because,  in  their 
own  words,  they  pledged  themselves  to  "  the  whole 
truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth,"  which  is  rarely 
possessed  about  anything.  Their  narrowed  range, 
however,  made  possible  the  concentration  which 
produced  such  beauty  of  brooch  and  watered 
ribbon,  folded  baby-lips  and  hands,  such  intensity 
of  representation  in  trifles  as  is  attested  in  the 
picture  Waiting,  which  we  reproduce  from  the 
original,  kindly  placed  at  our  disposal  by  Mr. 
Henry  Boddington.  Such  qualities  were  possible 
to  pre-Raphaelitism  alone,  and  shown  by  no  one 
more  than  Madox  Brown,  the  father 
of  pre-Raphaelitism,  and,  when  all 
is  said,  perhaps  its  truest  master. 


The  romantic  period  of  which 
the  Madox  Brown  exhibition  re- 
minded us  was  revived  again  with 
even  greater  force  at  the  Tennyson 
Centenary  Exhibition  at  the  Fine 
Art  Society's,  where  the  early  illus- 
trations of  Millais,  the  pictures  by 
Arthur  Hughes  and  the  Rossetti 
drawings  formed,  with  the  small 
version  of  Holman  Hunt's  Lady 
of  Shalott  and  J.  W.  Waterhouse's 
large  painting  of  that  subject,  the 
chief  artistic  interests  in  an  exhibi- 
tion not  as  rich  in  them  as  we 
should  have  thought  it  possible  to 
make  it.  

The  panel  which  Mr.  Alfred 
Drury  has  executed  for  the  front  of 
the  new  offices  of  the  Grand  Trunk 
Railway  in  Cockspur  Street  (the 
formal  inauguration  of  which  took 
place  last  month)  is  certainly  one 
of  the  best  things  he  has  ever  pro- 
duced in  this  branch  of  his  practice 
— one  of  the  most  admirable  in  its 
qualities  of  design  and  execution, 
and  in  its  attractive  individuality  of 
style.     (See  illustration  on  p.  216.)  " 


The  Pastel  Society's  Exhibition  was  disappointing 
this  year  because  of  its  neglect  to  encourage  the 
qualities  which  essentially  belong  to  pastel  exclu- 
sively, some  of  the  finest  things  in  the  exhibition 
bearing  only  a  slight  relationship  to  the  medium. 
Among  the  works  in  which  its  qualities  were 
observed  to  its  truest  advantage,  we  must  place 
those  of  Messrs.  R.  Gwelo  Goodman,  Simon  Bussy, 
S.  Melton  Fisher,  Terrick  Williams,  H.  S.  Tuke, 
A.R.A.,  Henry  Muhrman,  J.  M.  Swan,  R.A.,  W.  L. 
Bruckman,  and  Miss  Anna  Airy. 


In  recent  exhibitions  we  have  encountered  some 
noticeable  etchings  by  Mr.  Laurence  Davis,  and  we 
have  pleasure  in  submitting  to  our  readers  two 
examples  of  his  work.  It  is  not  difficult  to  see 
that  Mr.  Davis  has  subjected  himself  to  the  best  influ- 
ences, but  his  line  succeeds  in  being  very  interesting 
on  its  own  account,  giving  evidence  that  he  must 
be  counted  among  the  later  arrivals  who  are  quite 
at  home  within  the  principles  of  the  difficult  art. 


"rONTE   VECCHIO,  FLORE.NCE,  NO.  i"1E1CUINg)    IIV    lAfRENCi;   DAVIS 

219 


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studio-  Talk 


Mr.  Gutekunst  has  held  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting of  his  recent  exhibitions  of  etching  in  that 
of  the  work  of  Anders  L.  Zorn,  whose  etchings  are 
not  so  familiar  to  the  English  collector  as  they  should 
be.  There  exists  little  work  to  compare  with  the 
Swedish  etcher's  for  power  of  drawing,  depths  of 
black  and  play  of  light  and  genius  for  portraiture. 


The  second  London  Salon  organized  by  the 
Allied  Artists'  Association  was  held  during  last 
month  and  the  beginning  of  this  at  the  Albert 
Hall,  the  unsuitability  of  which  for  such  a  purpose 
was  again  only  too  obvious.  Over  1,700  paintings, 
water-colours,  and  miniatures  were  crowded  into 
the  promenade  gallery  at  the  top  of  the  building, 
some  fifty  or  sixty  large  paintings  and  decorative 
works  were  hung  in  front  of  the  grand  tier  bo.xes 


downstairs,  and  a  collection  of  drawings,  etchings, 
applied  art  productions,  and  sculpture  occupied 
the  arena.  We  shall  not  attempt  to  notice  in 
detail  the  vast  and  incoherent  assemblage  of 
works  as  that  which  the  executive  of  the  Associa- 
tion here  brought  together — the  bulk  of  them 
contributed  by  British  artists,  though  many  foreign 
countries,  including  the  United  States,  were  repre- 
sented. Such  an  assemblage  could  hardly  be 
other  than  incoherent  seeing  that  the  sole  qualifi- 
cation for  exhibiting  is  the  payment  of  an  annual 
subscription  to  the  Association,  whose  members 
are  entitled  to  send  in  three  works  (last  year 
the  number  was  five)  without  having  to  run 
the  gauntlet  of  a  selection  jury.  On  the  whole, 
however,  this  year's  display  left  on  us  a  distinctly 
better  impression  than  last  year's.  Some  few  artists 
of  the  highest  repute  were  repre- 
sented, and  the  number  of  those 
whose  performances,  though  falling 
short  of  the  highest  level,  always 
claim  respect,  was  far  greater  on  this 
occasion.  We  would  suggest  that 
next  year's  exhibition  might  show 
a  still  further  improvement  if  the 
total  number  of  works  included 
were  reduced  by  lowering  the  quota 
of  each  member  from  three  to  two, 
or  perhaps  a  better  arrangement 
still  would  be  to  give  the  committee 
power  to  reject  one  or  even  two  out 
of  any  three  works  sent  in — a  plan 
which  would  enable  them  to  elim- 
inate a  large  proportion  of  the 
feeble  achievements  whose  presence 
is  very  prejudicial  to  the  really 
meritorious  work. 


'  HEPTU  BIDDING  FAREWELLi^lO  THE  CITV  OF  OBB,"  BY  JOH.S  DU.SXAN 
( Sei' Edinburgh  Studio-  Talk) 


At  the  Baillie  Gallery  the  water- 
colour  drawings  by  Mr.  T.  L. 
Shoosmith,  whose  work  we  have 
often  admired,  while  marking  further 
development  in  his  interesting 
talent,  showed  him  lapsing  into  an 
exaggeration  of  colour,  which,  gay 
and  at  first  sight  sometimes  effec- 
tive, was  there  at  the  expense  of  the 
truer  obsen-ation  through  which 
nature  yields  to  the  landscape 
painter  qualities  newer  than  any 
to  be  made  by  ingenuity  of  palette 
— qualities  based  upon  the  indivi- 
dual vision,  ensuring  individuality. 


Studio-Talk 


'HIGHLAND  CATTLE   DRINKING" 


BY   ANDREW   DOUGLAS 


EDINBURGH.— The  Society  of  Scottish 
Artists'  Exhibition,  which  was  opened  in 
the  Royal  Scottish  Academy  Galleries  at 
the  end  of  June,  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  collections  that  has  been  brought  to- 
gether by  this  association  of  the  younger  painters. 
In  respect  of  the  loan  work,  the  contributions  by 
those  who  are  now  more  identified  with  the 
Academy  than  with  the  Society  in  whose  origin 
and  development  they  took  a  leading  part,  or  the 
pictures  by  the  younger  men  to  whom  the  associa- 
tion means  ever)-thing  in  corporate  life,  the  exhi- 
bition has  reached  a  higher  artistic  level  than  has 
probably  been  attained  at  any  of  the  fourteen 
previous  shows.  

Of  the  loan  work  exceptional  interest  attaches 
to  the  portrait  by  Sir  Henr>'  Raeburn  of  little 
William  Sinclair,  lent  by  the  Archdeacon  of 
London.  It  is  the  nude  figure  of  a  boy  with  curly 
golden  hair,  set  against  a  crimson  curtain  back- 
ground, the  rich  colour  of  which  is  reflected  in  the 
warm  flesh-tones  of  the  figure,  so  sweet,  winning 
and  persuasive.  Raeburn,  if  I  mistake  not,  painted 
eight   portraits  of  the   Sinclair   family,  who  were 


rather  notable  in  the  social  life  of  the  Scottish 
capital  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
Sir  John,  the  father,  married  a  daughter  of 
Macdonald  of  the  Isles,  and  the  family  of  thirteen 
were  all  over  six  feet  in  height,  which  led  the 
Edinburgh  people  to  name  the  pavement  oppo- 
site their  house  in  George  Street  "The  Giants' 
Causeway."  The  subject  of  the  picture  became 
eventually  Rector  of  Pulborough.  A  portrait  by 
Sir  James  Guthrie  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander 
li^iyte,  which  though  painted  some  years  ago  has 
not  previously  been  exhibited,  Orchardson's  A 
Tender  Chord,  and  William  McTaggart's  The 
North  Sea,  one  of  his  most  masterly  compositions, 
are  also  amon^  the  loaned  works. 


Turning  to  the  work  of  the  members  of  the 
Society,  one  cannot  but  note  with  pleasure  the 
advance  made  by  Graham  Glen,  the  new  chairman 
of  the  Council,  in  An  old-time  Melody,  the 
literar>'  sentiment  of  which  will  be  explained  by 
the  accompanying  illustration.  There  is  a  robust 
quality  in  the  painting  which  is  characteristic  of 
the  artist's  later  work,  and  a  certainty  of  touch  and 
sense  of    the  relationship  of  colour  values  which 


studio-  Talk 


augurs  well  for  his  future.  Mystic  subjects  liave 
appealed  to  few  Scottish  artists,  and  it  is  thus 
of  the  nature  of  an  innovation  to  find  such  a 
picture  emanating  from  an  Edinburgh  studio  as 
John  Duncan's  Heptu  bidding  fareivdl  tj  the 
City  of  Obb.  The  fabled  hippogryph  has  been 
variously  described.  Mr.  Duncan  has  bettered 
Ariosto  with  his  twentieth  -  century  modification 
by  an  aeroplane  tail.  This  wondrous  anatomical 
combination,  bearing  its  nude  rider  to  the  land 
of  sweet  dreams,  soars  over  a  landscape  and 
through  an  evening  sky  of  mystic  beauty.  It 
is  a  charming  fantasy.  Two  fine  examples 
of  the  work  of  Hornel  and  George  Smith  adorn 
the  great  room,  and  W.  M.  Frazer  is  represented 
by  A  Alisty  Morning  on  the  Fens,  of  good 
atmospheric  quality  and  with  a  Corot-like  treat- 
ment of  the  trees. 


small  seapiece  with  formidable  billows,  conveys 
some  sense  of  the  grandeur  of  ocean  waves.  In 
Springtime,  Glen  Dochart,  Marshall  Brown  has 
caught  the  spirit  of  the  open  Highland  valley 
sweeping  upward  to  the  silent  hills  over  which 
the  storm  clouds  brood.  E.  A.  Walton's  Mid- 
summer landscape  has  a  jewel-like  brilliancy  in  the 
sapphire  blues  which  are  interwoven  with  juicy 
greens,  and  J.  Campbell  Mitchell  in  Early 
Summer,  Midlothian,  shows  much  purity  of  colour 
allied  to  quiet  dignity  of  composition. 


A  beautiful  modulation  of  reds  and  blues 
harmonised  in  a  scholarly  way  is  the  distinctive 
feature  of  Charles  H.  Mackie's  Farm  Pond — a 
Normandy  subject.  Mason  Hunter  reaches  a 
higher  level  than  usual  in  his  Silver  Morning. 
Frequently     confusing    the    impression     by     the 


J.  Campbell  Noble, 
one  of  the  staunchest 
friends  of  the  Society 
among  the  Academi- 
cians, has  seldom 
been  better  repre- 
sented than  by  his 
Trossachs  landscape 
with  its  glowing  sunset 
warmth  on  the  low 
hills,  and  cool,  repose- 
ful foreground.  Robert 
Noble  sends  one  of 
the  richest  apple  blos- 
som pictures  he  has 
painted,  and  a  spring 
effect  on  the  Tyne 
which  realises  the  cool 
atmosphere  of  the  ver- 
nal season  on  the  East 
coast.  Robert  Burns 
—  painting,  evidently 
from  the  windows  of 
the  new  Art  School — 
shows  a  view  of  Edin- 
burgh Castle  with  the 
roofs  of  the  squalid 
West  Port  houses  as 
a  foreground  under  a 
winter  effect  that  is 
an  extremely  clever 
composition  as  well  as 
being  an  alluring  study 
in  pearly  greys ;  and 
James  Paterson,  in  a 


"AN    OLD-TIME   MELODY 


BY   GRAHAM   GLEN 
223 


studio-  Talk 


'SILVER   MORM 


multiplicity  of  detail,  Mr.  Hunter  is  here 
simple,    reposeful,    atmospheric   and   sincere.     In 

the  picture  of  Highland  cattle  drinking  at  a 
mountain  stream,  by  Andrew  Douglas,  the  land- 
scape has  a  rich  quality  of  colour  and  luminous  sky. 
Curiously  mi.xed  sensations  of  weirdness  and  humour 
are  suggested  by  George  Pirie's  painting  of  a  watch- 
dog in  a  farmyard  by  moonlight;  R.  Duddingston 
Herdman's  Dryad  has  charm  of  line  and  an  ap- 
propriate setting ;  James  Riddell's  Silver  Poplars 
shows  a  growing  purity  and  naturalness  of  colour, 
and  W.  S.  MacGeorge  is  seen  to  advantage  in  a 
woodland  landscape  with  its  foreground  of  hyacinth 
blossoms.  

Among  the  younger  figure  painters  Robert 
Hope  evinces  great  fertility  of  modification  in 
design  and  his  passionate  love  of  the  beautiful 
finds  most  satisfying  expression  in  The  Blue  Veil — 
the  colour  key  to  a  charming  study  of  a  young 
woman  holding  a  slender  vase  of  roses.  E.  A. 
Borthwick  has  made  a  great  step  forward  in  his 
Cupid,  a  ruddy  child  figure  poised  in  air  who  has 
just  sent  a  dart  earthward.  In  colour  and  modelling 
224 


'  LE    DERNIER    LION    (PRINCE    DE    SAGAN)  " 

BY    PROSPER   d'ePINAY 
{^Saion  des  Humoristes,  Paris) 


Studio-Talk 


"  L'KMIi  N  TE      COKDIALE,       1863:       l'eMI'EKEU  K 

NAPOLtoN     III.      ET     LORD     PALMERSTON     {QUI      A 

L'cEIL  OUVERT  !)  "  BY    PROSPER   D'ePINAY 

(Salon  des  Hurnoristes^  Paris) 


it  breathes  the  influence  of  Watts.  A  recent 
member  of  the  Society,  Alexander  Grieve,  has 
attained  remarkable  success,  both  in  colour  and 
composition,  with  his  picture  of  a  girl  playing  a 
Beethoven  pianoforte  work.  David  Alison,  also 
one  of  the  young  members,  shows  much  promise 
in  his  portrait  of  Sir  Michael  Nairn ;  J.  Ford  has 
an  excellent  portrait  of  Dr.  Calder,  and  W.  G.  Skeoch 
Gumming  a  good  equestrian  portrait  of  Major 
Graham  Watson.  The  only  interior  of  note  is 
that  of  a  crofter's  kitchen  by  H.  J.  Bell. 


In  the  water-colour  room  the  place  of  honour  is 
given  to  a  drawing  by  R.  Anning  Bell  of  the 
Amazon  Guard  at  Queen  Hippolyta's  Bath,  in 
which  strength  of  colour  is  more  evident  than 
beauty  of  line.  R.  B.  Nisbet's  Breezy  Upland svigge.&ts, 
that  the  artist's  recent  incursion  into  oil  painting  is 
giving  greater  purity  of  colour  and  directness  of 
touch  to  his  work  as  an  aquarellist ;  William  Walls 
has  an  impressive  drawing  of  a  black  panther 
stalking  his  prey ;  James  Cadenhead  a  silvery  Dee- 
side  landscape.  Miss  Kate  Cameron  a  refined 
picture  of   rose    blooms    in  a   vase ;    Miss  Emily 


Paterson  a  clever  drawing  of  one  of  the  tree- 
shaded  streets  of  Dordrecht,  and  Miss  Mabel 
Dawson  a  boldly  executed  study  of  horses 
drawing  a  reaper.  A.  E. 

PARIS. — The  Salon  des  Humoristes  has 
this  year  again  met  with  much  success, 
and  visitors  thronged  the  galleries  of  the 
Palais  de  Glace  in  order  to  sample  the 
wit  of  some  of  our  most  individualistic  artists.  It 
almost  seems  as  though  the  general  public  is  tired 
of  the  large  conventional  pictures  of  the  Salons, 
and  finds  infinitely  more  pleasure  in  looking  at  the 
little  drawings  and  water-colours  of  the  French 
masters  of  humorous  art.  The  exhibition  of  1909 
was  much  like  its  predecessor  of  1 90S,  in  that  it  re- 
vealed nothing  sensational — no  new  talent  hitherto 
ignored  or  but  little  appreciated.  Many  of  the 
works  exhibited  had  already  appeared  in  the 
comic  papers,  but  one  saw  them  again  in  the 
original  with  added  pleasure.  All  the  diverse 
phases  of  French  wit  were  here  represented ;  low 
comedy  in  the  work  of  L''andre  and  Faivre,  modern 
elegance    by    Fabiano,    bucolic    drollery    in    the 


"SIR    EDWI.N    LANnSEER"        BY    PROSPER    d'ePINAY 
(Salon  des  humoristes,  Paris) 

225 


Studio-Talk 


^  '"^^^  A^a.: 


CARVED    FRIEZE 


{Salon  dt:s  Hiimorisfcs,  Paris) 


BY    REM  IKR-DUMAS 


pictures  of  Delaw,  political  satire  in  Forain's 
drawings,  and  character  sketches  by  Guillaume. 
There  was  also  work  by  Louis  Morin,  than  whom 
there  is  no  more  witty  spectator  of  Parisian  life. 


Certain  of  the  men  represented  in  this  Salon  are 
extremely  modern  in  their  outlook,  as,  for  instance, 
Roubille,  Poulbot,  Grandjouan,  Pre'jelan,  while 
others,  on  the  contrary,  seem  to  be  enamoured  of 
old-time  traditions.  Such  a  one  is  M.  Neumont, 
whose  work,  I  was  delighted  to  notice,  is  inspired 
by  the  muse  of  Gavarni.  M.  Dr^sa  is  himself 
attracted  by  the  courtly  school  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  and  though  painting  with  an  entirely 
modern  palette  he  presents  the  idyllic  charm  of 
the  fetes  galantes  or  of  the  old  Italian  comedy 
with  infinite  wit  and  daintiness  in  his  pictures. 
Sculpture  also  occupied  an  important  place  on 
this  occasion,  and  in  this  branch  M.  Gir  excelled 


in  his  studies  of  dancers  ;  M.  Galantara  gave  proof 
of  a  very  Rabelaisian  spirit  in  his  plaster  figures  ; 
M.  Leymarie  and  M.  Doncieux  were  to  the  fore 
with  their  carved  chestnuts,  and  M.  R^alier-Dumas 
made  a  pleasant  impression  with  his  admirable 
carvings  of  dogs.  Several  retrospective  sections 
completed  a  most  interesting  ensemble,  particularly 
attractive  being  a  collection  of  little  pieces  of 
sculpture — famous  politicians,  celebrated  artists, 
literary  men,  and  others — by  Prosper  d'Epinay. 


As  readers  of  this  magazine  are  already  familiar 
with  the  delightful  monograms,  seals  and  kindred 
emblems  which  constitute  M.  George  Auriol's/t/r/f, 
the  accompanying  page  containing  a  selection  from 
a  large  number  he  has  executed  during  the  past 
few  years,  does  not  call  for  special  comment. 


Among   the  best    sculpture   shown    at   the  last 


"musiciens  arabes" 
226 


[Old Salon y  Paris,  tgoi^) 


BY   EUGENE   L  HOEST 


L'u\  mincuR 


MONOGRAMS,     MARKS,    AND 
EX-LIBRIS.     BY   GEORGE    AURIOL 


Sl/iiiio-  Talk 


"THE  academician"  BV   OSKAR  ZWINTSCHER 

( Grosse  Berliner  Kunst-AussteUiiiis;) 


Salon  of  the  Society  des  Artistes  fran^ais, 
one  ought  to  mention  the  group  sent  by 
M.  L'Hoest  and  reproduced  on  page  226. 
This  artist  excels  in  his  studies  of  Eastern  life, 
every  phase  of  which  appears  to  be  quite 
familiar  to  him,  and  he  must  be  counted  as 
one  of  our  most  brilliant  sculptors,  and  one 
of  whom  much  is  to  be  expected  in  the  future. 


Dr.  Cazalis — better  known  as  Jean  Labor — 
who  died  in  Geneva  on  July  i,  was  not  only  one 
of  our  greatest  modern  poets  but  an  art  critic  of 
great  merit.  He  was  certainly  the  first  in  France 
to  understand  William  Morris  and  Burne-Jones, 
both  of  them  friends  of  his,  and  tried  to  make 
them  known  on  the  continent,  not  only  by  his 
articles  but  also  by  his  lectures  delivered  in  all 
the  great  towns.  H.  F. 


BERLIN. — The  general  impression  con- 
veyed by  the  Great  Berlin  Art  Exhibi- 
tion is  again  satisfactory.  In  chambers 
arranged  with  skill  and  taste  a  good 
many  interesting  works  are  to  be  studied,  but  the 
lack  of  real  inspiration,  the  predominance  of  the 
merely  respectable,  cannot  in  the  long  run  remain 
unnoticed,  and  is  accentuated  by  the  division  of 
the  whole  building  into  too  many  very  small  com- 
partments. Instances  of  imaginative  invention 
are  rare,  history  and  religion  evoke  very  little 
enthusiasm,  portraiture  offers  some  attractive  con- 
tributions, landscape  is  rather  indifferent,  and  genre 
triumphant.  We  extract  most  enjoyment  from 
some  one-man  shows  and  from  an  excellent  collec- 
tion of  the  classical  portraits  of  prominent  painters 
and  sculptors  of  last  century,  most  of  which  are 
valued  acquaintances. 


The  much  debated  Oskar  Zwintscher  from 
Dresden,  who  has  tenaciously  kept  his  ground  as 
one  of  the  most  noteworthy  German  artists,  may 
here  be  studied  completely.  His  individualism 
speaks  from  every  picture.  He  remains  the  vision- 
ary and  the  naturalist  in  his  own  style,  queer  but 
superior,    dependent   on    no   laws   except   the   one 


PORTRAIT  OF   THE  SCULPTOR   PAGELS 

PROF.    CEO.    LUDWIG   MEVN 
(Grosse  Berliner  Kiinst-Ausslellung) 

229 


Studio-  Talk 


"AN   EXHIBITION   OF   MUSCLE" 

{Grosse  Berlino  Kunst-AussteUui 


within  him  and  those  dictated  by  nature  and 
lofty  ideals.  The  very  type  of  his  Venus  sums 
up  his  artistic  character.  She  is  delicate  and  rigid, 
impressing  more  by  soul  and  intellect  than  by 
physical  charms.  Zwintscher's  colouring  is  some- 
what dull,  but  latterly  he  has  operated  cleverly 
with  Velasquez's  contrasting  colours.  His  painting 
The  Academician  is  a  case  in  point.  Its  perpen- 
dicularity cannot  be  pleasing,  but  the 
originality  of  its  conception  and  the 
mastery  of  execution  compel  closer  study. 


Hans  Unger,  from  Dresden,  arrests  atten- 
tion by  the  beautiful  austerity  of  his  female 
type,  which  makes  us  seek  for  the  mys- 
teries of  Psyche  behind  majestic  com- 
posure. In  him  we  have  another  seeker 
after  beauty,  but  with  this  classicality  a 
mondaine  element  intermingles.  Otto  H. 
Engel  is  strengthening  his  position  as  one 
of  the  favourite  Berlin  masters  by  sym- 
pathetic and  solidly  executed  paintings. 
He  is  the  realist  who  draws  fresh  strength 
from  favourite  haunts  on  the  Frisian  coast, 
with  their  lingering  traces  of  local  peasant- 
culture.  His  excellent  portrait  of  the 
painter  Franz  Stassen,  which,  in  its  straight 
lineaments,  mirrors  so  luckily  the  art- 
character  of  the  sitter,  is  quite  deserving 
of  its  place  among  our  best  portraiture. 


Ludwig  Dettmann,   the  naturalist,  with 
a    strong    bent    for    the    emotional,    has 
fathomed  the  technicalities  of  impression- 
ism.    His  observation  of  sunlight  is  ver)' 
230 


fine,  and  he  can  attain 
fascination  by  a  mastery  of 
gradation.  Franz  Hoff- 
mann-Fallersleben  is  the 
most  sympathetic  renderer 
of  landscape  in  Northern 
and  Central  Germany. 
Whether  he  settles  down 
to  paint  woodland,  heath 
or  moor,  poetrj'  weaves  its 
charms  round  finely-mir- 
rored details.  He  loves 
retreats  where  myth  or 
history  have  their  abode, 
whence  weather-beaten 
altars  or  moss  grown  seats 
whisper  tales  from  long  ago. 
Carl  Vinnen,  the  Worp- 
swede  master,  is  success- 
fully striking  out  a  new  line  in  a  series  of  sea  and 
harvest  pictures,  full  of  the  life  of  surge  and  foam. 
In  a  series  of  scenes  from  real  life,  Rene'  Reinicke, 
the  renowned  Munich  illustrator,  commends  him- 
self as  an  artist  whose  colourism  equals  his  wit 
and  psychology.  Old  Saxon-history  time  has  found 
a  monumental  and  effective  delineator  in  Otto 
Markus,  who  does  not   possess   elevating  powers 


BY  OSMAR   SCEIINDLER 


'STILL  LIFE 


BY    ANDERLEY    .MOLLER 


(Grosse  Berlitiei  Ktmst-Ausstellung) 


Stitdio-Talk 


'A   WEDDING    IN   OLD   VENICE 


'  A'i{iist-Ausstellung) 


liV    FRIF.URICH   STAHL 


but   sound    realism  and   a   pleasant  seasoning  of 
good  humour. 

Among  the  portraitists,  Georg  Ludvvig  Meyn 
rises  conspicuously  above  the  general  level  with 
his  portrait  of  the  sculptor,  Pagels,  a  delightful 
variation  to  the  conventional  portrait,  and  a 
display  of  supreme  understanding  of  the  subtlest 
refinements  of  his  craft.  Schulte  im  Hofe,  Vogel, 
Kiesel,  Pape,  Bennewitz  von  Lofen  and  Else 
Preussner  (who  is  rather  reminiscent  of  Whistler) 
are  also  noteworthy,  and  Fenner-Behm;r  remains 
the  successful  interpreter  of  female  elegance  and(r//;if. 

We  can  sincerely  welcome  some  landscapes  of 


renowned  masters  like  Bracht,  Bohrdt,  K.  Lessing, 
Hamacher,  Langhammer  and  of  younger  favourites 
like  Hartig,  Licht  and  Wendel.  R.  Eschke  is 
visibly  rising,  and  some  pupils  of  the  Kallmorgen 
School,  like  Kocke,  Tiircke  and  Wildhagen,  arrest 
attention  by  individual  notes,  the  two  former 
especially,  by  careful  draughtsmanship. 

Genre  paintings  testify  to  the  diversity  in  this 
domain.  The  president  of  the  Academy,  Pro- 
fessor Arthur  Kampf,  is  again  the  vigorous 
dramatist  with  a  scene  from  Bajazzo's  family-life. 
He  works  out  his  point  by  a  subtle  gradation  of 
tone,  which  becomes  strongest  where  the  catastrophe 
is  pending.     His  climax,  however,  is  evolved  with 

23« 


Studio-Talk 


'  FRIEDEREURG    ZU    MANDERSCHEID 


(Grosse  Berlinn  Kiinst-Atisitelhing) 


BY   PROF.    EUGEN   BRACHT 


such  colouristic  distinction  that  the  sensationahst 
is  sunk  in  the  artist.  Skarbina  is  at  home 
among  rococo  witcheries,  Mohrbutter  and  Pfuhle 
penetrate  into  the  mysteries  of  psychic  events,  and 
Stroher  understands  how  to  spirituahse  the  female 
nude.  Osmar  Schindler,  whose  Mocking  of  Christ 
is  the  best  religious  contribution  of  the  exhibition, 
is  a  sure  reader  of  interesting  male  characters,  and 
C.  Messerschmidt  betrays  astonishing  talent  as  the 
depicter  of  a  jolly  Biedermeier  picnic.  There  are 
not  wanting  new  achievements  from  the  gifted 
hand  of  Herbert  Arnold,  who  has  this  time  drawn 
inspiration  from  the  Schwalm,  that  queer  peasant 
conclave  in  Hessen.  Hughitt  Halliday  dwells  with 
the  muses,  and  her  vision  is  original  but  rather 
earthly.  Marie  Eickhof  -  Reitzenstein  envelops 
women  of  the  Aman-Jean  style  in  a  Leonardesque 
atmosphere,  and  Ludmilla  von  Flesch-Brunningen 
lavishes  pictorial  distinction  on  the  subject  of 
female  self-admiration.  Richard  Nitsch  is  the 
painstaking  renderer  of  the  picturesqueness  of  the 
232 


Sihsian  Peasant  Womart^  and  his  patient  art  does 
not  neglect  human  features.  Hamacher  mirrors 
powerfully  and  delicately  the  mariners  and  their 
element,  and  Klein-Chevalier  and  Miiller-Miinster 
successfully  carry  out  kindred  subjects.  Otto 
Seeck  has  finely  observed  the  play  of  light  in  a 
workshop  of  busy  tailors.  H.  Looschen  and 
Anderley  Moller  secure  attention  by  charming 
still  life  works. 

The  rooms  of  the  three  Munich  groups, 
Kunstler  Genossenschaft,  Luitpold  Gruppe,  and 
Kiinstlerbund  Baiern,  look  so  similar  that  differ- 
ences of  tendency  are  quite  effaced.  If  we  name 
the  portraits  of  Raffael  and  Georg  Schuster- Woldan, 
Wirnhier  and  Papperitz,  landscapes  by  von 
Petersen,  Kaiser,  Sieck,  Marr's  effective  Lux 
Tertebris,  Grassel's  ducks  and  Herrmann-Allgau's 
nuts — we  have  almost  exhausted  the  list  of  meri- 
torious works.  Vienna  occupies  us  somewhat 
longer.     Egger-Lienz's  large  Death-dance  of  1809, 


{Grosse  Berliney 
Kunst '  A  usstellu  ug) 


'SILESIAN    PEASANT   WOMAX    IN    SUNDAY 
ATTIRF.."     BY    RICHARD    NITSCH 


studio-  Talk 


genre  scenes,  witty  in  colour  and  observation. 
The  Karlsruhe  artists  have  arranged  a  single- 
man  show  for  the  pride  of  German  landscape 
painters,  Schonleber.  He  exhibits  only  discreetly 
coloured  drawings,  but  affords  supreme  enjoy- 
ment. Lieber  and  von  Volkmann  help  to  aug- 
ment the  fame  of  their  school  for  landscape. 


Turning  to  this  year's  display  at  the  Seces- 
sion, I  regret  to  say  that  even  the  friend  of 
progress  cannot  leave  it  with  a  feeling  of  satis- 
faction. On  starting  his  study  of  the  new  offer- 
ings of  the  artistic  vanguard  he  is  for  some 
time  refreshed  and  interested  by  the  variety 
and  originality  of  what  is  really  good  work. 
But  the  further  he  proceeds,  the  more  vexatious 
becomes  the  intrusiveness  of  the  experimenter 
and  the  incapable.  A  selection  which  presents 
many  pieces  that  look  really  like  artistic  blas- 
phemies, seems  to  make  rather  for  retrogression 
than  true  development. 


"THE   clown"  r,V   .'iRTHUR    KAMPF 

( Grosse  Berliner  Kunst- AusstcUung) 


with  its  veracious  types  of  Tyrolese  peasants,  is 
impressive  by  its  note  of  passionate  resolution  and 
hopelessness,  but  the  painter  indulges  in  a  strange 
monotony  of  russet  tones.  A  group  of  portrait 
painters  like  Adams,  Joanowitsch,  Krauss,  Schatten- 
stein  and  S;harf,  with 
their  charms  of  arrange- 
ment and  execution,  and 
the  landscapes  of  Kas- 
parides,  von  Poosch,  and 
Baschny  are  worth  sing- 
ling out.  Among  the 
Dusseldorf  artists  Alex- 
ander Bertrand  stands 
forth  by  a  funeral  scene 
in  a  convent,  in  which 
black  dresses  contrast 
peculiarly  with  the  sun- 
light, the  white  and  yellow 
flowers  and  the  deep  blue 
of  the  chapel  background. 
Josse  Gossens  proves 
himself  an  effective  deco- 
rative painter  somewhat 
dry  in  tone,  von  Wille 
and  Liesegang  are  the 
prominent  landscapists, 
and  Schreuer  arrests  by 
234 


Among   the   refreshing   sights    we  encounter 
works   by   artists   who    are    carrying    on   good 
traditions   as   well   as   sympathetic   modernists. 
Prof.  Max  Liebermann's  interest  in  the  life  of 
The  Jewish  Quarter  in  Amsterdam  has  not  dimin- 
ished, as  the  increased  area  of  the  canvas  indicates, 
but  somehow,  in  spite  of  his  convincing  charac- 
terisation of  market-life  we  miss  his  electric  pulse  ; 
and  his  impressionistic  joy  in  effective  colour-spots 


{Berlin  Secession) 


BY   CARL   STRATHMANN 


studio-  Talk 


"THE    JEWISH   QUARTEk 


\MblEKL>AM 


Sccessioii) 


DY    PROF.    MAX    IJEBERMANN 


has  made  him  over  accentuate  subordinate  objects. 
Levis  Corinth  is  again  ambitious  to  hold  a 
prominent  position  as  the  painter  of  feminine 
nudity,  and  his  Bathsheba  deserves  laurels  for 
sheer  animalism.  Professor  Max  Slevogt's  Lady 
in  Yillow  looks  crude  in  spite  of  good  placing 
and  modelling.  Hans  Baluschek  perseveres  in 
his  representation  of  gutter  life  and  the  pro- 
letariat, but  we  must  not  overlook  the  socialist's 
aim  in  this  merciless  mirroring  of  reality.  If  a 
sculptor  like  Fritz  Klimsch  has  found  a  recep- 
tion within  the  Areopagus  of  the  Secession  it 
clearly  means  that  seekers  for  beauty  are  also  in 
demand  here.  Two  colossal  statues.  Reposing 
Youth  and  Reposing  Maiden,  remind  us  for  the 
moment  of  the  Michael  Angelo  Medici  figures,  yet 
they  look  of  modern  descent  in  spite  of  all  simpli- 
fication of  line.  A  special  Walter  Leistikow  room 
does  homage  to  the  much  lamented  founder  of  the 
Secession,  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  linger  among 
these  confessions  of  a  true  poet,  from  which  deco- 
rative charm  and  spiritual  depth  are  never  absent. 


Painters  who  incline  towards  old  methods  are  to 
be  met  with   in  several   instances.     Hans   Thoma 


represents  nationality  in  the  worthiest  style,  and 
melodiousness  of  tone  and  conscientiousness  of 
execution  testify  that  love  is  the  fountain-head 
of  all  his  art.  Carl  Strathmann  practices  finish 
with  pre-Raphaelitic  patience,  but  this  virtue  has 
a  curious  accompaniment  in  a  sarcastic  turn. 
The  voice  of  the  artist,  however,  is  more  distinct 
this  year  than  that  of  the  caricaturist.  Count 
Kalkreuth's  works  always  command  esteem,  but 
it  seems  a  pity  that  this  aristocrat  prefers  a  certain 
bourgeois  stamp  Several  new  portraits  by  Jan 
Veth  again  recommend  the  subtle  draughtsman 
whose  colouring  only  lacks  some  full-bloodedness. 
An  interesting  acquaintance  is  the  Swedish  portrait- 
painter,  Ernst  Josephson,  whose  qualities  are  best 
summed  up  in  his  Portrait  of  the  Journalist 
Renholm,  a  masterpiece  in  naturalness  of  character- 
isation. Uhde  is  still  fascinated  by  the  sun,  but  too 
close  an  observation  of  his  reflections  and  flicker- 
ings  has  led  the  artist  to  an  indefiniteness  of  form 
which  arouses  longings  for  the  perfect  fusions  in  his 
grey-air  period.  

Some   staunch   followers  of  the   Secession  con- 
tribute favourably  to  this  exhibition.     Ernst  Oppler 

^'11 


studio-  Talk 


Breyer  seems  growing  in 
figural  possibilities.  The 
portraits  of  Pankok  are 
tasteful  and  reliable  stud- 
ies, but  suffer  from  a 
certain  tightness  of  flesh 
and  pose,  l.epsius's  Lady 
in  White  is  more  highly 
organised  in  spite  of  too 
much  looseness,  and  yet 
not  altogether  pleasing  in 
shape  and  tone.       J-  J- 


V 


lENNA.- 
pring 


"DIANA"  {Berlin  Seecssioii) 

works  with  finest  tonalities  in  some  small  frames, 
and  Carl  Moll's  effective  Phlox,  an  excerpt  from 
the  exuberance  of  garden  -  vegetation,  reveals 
unexpected  possibilities  for  the  selective  eye  in 
this  domain  also.  Heinrich  Hiibner  is  advancing 
as  the  renderer  of  finely-selected  interiors,  and 
Ulrich  HUbner's  brush  has  the  lightness  of  touch 
for  breezy  atmosphere  and  dancing  wavelets. 
Fritz  Rhein  is  coming  to  the  front  this  year  in 
portraiture,  landscape  and  genre.  His  Interior,  with 
its  cleverly  observed 
figures  of  modern  society, 
seems,  perhaps,  to  indi- 
cate the  path  he  is  best 
fitted  to  travel.  From  his 
stay  under  the  oriental 
sun  Leo  von  Konig  has 
caught  new  colour  inten- 
sities. Linde-Walther  and 
Philipp  Franck,  the  one 
in  his  simplifying,  the 
other  in  his  complicated 
style,  successfully  con- 
tinue endeavours  to  render 
realistic  truth.  Sterl  is  a 
good  delineator  of  orches- 
tral musicians  at  full 
work,  but  he  sacrifices 
draughtsmanship  to  direct 
statement  of  colour- 
scheme.  Walser  and  Orlik 
provide  enjoyment  as 
original  designers,  and 
236 


At  the 
Spring  Exhibi- 
tion of  the  Seces- 
sion this  year 
the  general  quality  of  the 
work  shown  was  good, 
while  the  decorative 
arrangements  effected  by 
architect  Robert  Orley  won  universal  praise.  The 
division  of  the  building  into  a  number  of  rooms 
radiating  from  a  central  semi-circular  space  was  a 
highly-pleasing  feature. 


BY    PROF.    HANS   THOMA 


There  were  but  few  portraits,  but  the  quality 
made  up  for  lack  of  quantity.  Josef  Engelhart's 
pastel  portraits  of  tiny  children,  and  Ludwig 
Wieden's  portrait  of  an  auburn-haired  young  lady 
in  black  velvet  standing  before  an  old-gold  brocade 


'A   DUTCH    village" 


(  Viawa  Secession) 


BV    FERD.    KRUIS 


( Vienna  Secession) 


MADONNA."     FROM   THE   OIL    PAINTING 
BY   VLASTIMIL   HOFMANN 


Studio-Talk 


screen  will  linger  long  in  the  memor)-.  Adolf 
Levier,  Alfred  Offner,  and  Maximilian  Lenz  were 
well  represented,  as  also  Friedrich  Konig,  who  sent 
three  portraits,  all  of  ladies,  including  one  of  Vera 
Schapira,  the  well-known  pianist,  a  work  of  refined 
and  delicate 
execution. 


Among  the 
numerous 
Ian  d  scapes 
were  not  a 
few  of  much 
interest. 
Richard  Marl- 
finger's  lake 
scenes  showed 
marked  pro- 
gress on  his 
previous 
work.  One  of 
his  pictures 
has  been  ac- 
quired by  the 
Government. 
Alois  Haen- 
isch  gave 
proof  of  his 
poetic  and 
sensitive  vis- 
ion in  some 
bits  of  old 
Vienna  gar- 
dens; and  the 
same  quali- 
ties were  dis- 
cernible in 
Anton  Nov- 
ak's pictures 
of  mountain 
scenery. 
Ferdin  and 
Schm  u  tzer, 
who  for  the  nonce  has  returned  to  painting,  sent 
three  works.  An  Old  Dutch  Village  being  perhaps 
the  best  of  them.  Ernst  Stohr's  dreamy  land- 
scapes and  old-world  scenes  revealed  a  true  poetic 
nature.  Karl  Schmoll  von  Eisenwerth  exhibited 
several  works,  among  them  the  reproduced  deco- 
rative panel.  Oswald  Roux,  Karl  Miiller,  Leopold 
Stolba,  Max  Kahrer,  Max  Liebenwein,  R.  Jettmar, 
Maximilian  Lenz,  and  A.  Zdrazila  all  contributed 
good  examples  of  their  work  ;  and  mention  should 
also  be  made  of  F.  Gelbenegger's  paintings  of  old 
238 


Vienna.  F.  Kruis  has  been  spending  some  time 
in  Holland,  and  the  series  of  pictures  he  now 
showed  proved  him  to  be  a  sympathetic  interpreter 
of  Low  Country  themes.  Of  peculiar  interest  were 
some  paintings    by   F.    Hohenberger,  his   subject 

being  the  coal 
wharves      on 
'--^  t  h  e    N  o  r  d- 

bahn. 


DECORATIVE   PAINTING 


CHMOLL   VOX   EISENWERTH 


(  Vienna  Secession) 


Karl  Eder- 
er's  strong 
and  vigorous 
animal  pic- 
tures and  the 
collection  of 
works  by  the 
Munich  artist, 
Leo  P  u  t  z, 
who  had  a 
room  to  him- 
self, were  wel- 
come features. 
Albin  Egger- 
Lienz,  who 
has  seceded 
from  the 
Kiinstlerhaus 
e.xhibited  sev- 
eral works, 
some  of  the 
most  interest- 
ing of  them 
being  scenes 
in  the  life  of 
the  Tyrolese. 
In  the  reli- 
gious genre 
the  work  of 
Ferdinand 
Andri  always 
com  mands 
respect,  and 
that  which  he  exhibited  on  this  occasion — a  series 
of  paintings  with  the  martyrs  as  their  subjects, 
which  are  destined  for  a  church  in  Vienna  — 
lacked  none  of  the  qualities  which  are  essential 
in  a  painter  of  such  themes.  A  young  English 
artist,  Percy  Siljan,  who  has  studied  in  Prague, 
showed  great  promise  in  a  still-life  painting  he 
sent.  Some  Polish  artists  were  also  among  the 
guests  this  time,  as  they  frequently  are.  Vlastimil 
Hofmann  is  one  of  these,  and  his  Madonna  is 
characteristic  of  what  one  sees  to  this  day  in  the 


Studio-  Talk 


'SCHWARZENBERG   GARDENS 


^...ss,c„) 


V.\    ALOIS   HANISCH 


villages  of  Galicia.     The  snow  pictures  by  S.  Filip- 
kiewicz  are  likewise  characteristic  of  his  fatherland, 
where  the  snow  falls  thick 
and  freezes  before  it  falls. 


German,    and    Dutch    artists    being    represented. 
Those  included  in  the  French  group — MM.  Henri 


Amongst  the  sculpture 
exhibited  Josef  Mullner's 
equestrian  statue,  to  be 
executed  in  polished 
bronze  with  coloured  eyes, 
is  an  admirable  work. 
Anton  Hanak's  figures, 
hewn  out  of  his  favourite 
Untersberg  marble, 
showed  complete  mastery 
of  technique  and  a  de- 
cided leaning  to  style. 
Good  work  was  also 
shown  by  Alfonso  Can- 
ciani,  O.  Schimkowitz, 
Alfred  Hofmann,  Jan 
Rembowski,  a  talented 
young  Pole,  and  Ivan 
Mestrovic,  the  Croatian. 


The  second  exhibition 
organized  by  the  "Kunst- 
schau  "  proved  highly  in- 
teresting, and  the  more 
so  because  it  was  inter- 
national, French,  British, 


{-'  KuHsls.-hau."   \Uinia) 


BY    HF.INRICH    S'   llRniiF.R 


studio-  Talk 


Manguin,  Charles  Guerin,  Aristide  Maillot,  Felix 
Vallotton,  Eugen  Spiro,  Pierre  Bonnard,  Maurice 
Denis,  Jean  Puy,  and  a  few  others,  were  entirely 
new  to  Vienna,  and  their  methods  gave  occasion 
for  considerable  diversity  of  opinion,  arrived  at 
generally  with  inadequate  knowledge  of  their  mean- 
ing. An  interesting  display  of  graphic  art  by 
British  artists  was  an  agreeable  feature  of  the 
exhibition,  among  those  represented  being  Messrs. 
Charles  Shannon,  Muirhead  Bone,  Joseph  Pennell, 
Alphonse  Legros,  Charles  Ricketts,  Gordon  Craig, 
and  W.  Nicholson  ;  and  work  by  various  British 
architects  and  designers,  such  as  W.  Baillie  Scott, 
Ernest  Newton,  C.  F.  Voysey,  Charles  Macintosh, 
C.  R.  Ashbee,  J.  Paul  Cooper,  the  Artificers' 
Guild,  and  others,  attracted  considerable  notice. 
Many  German  artists  of  note  also  contributed. 
Count  Kalkreuth  sent  three  excellent  portraits, 
and  Max  Slevogt,  Max  Liebermann,  Prof.  Triibner, 
B.  Pankok,  Ernst  Stern,  and  Prof  Taschner  were 
also  well  represented. 


leading  spirit.  His  seven  pictures — each  a  poem 
in  itself — were  exhibited  in  a  room  decorated  in  gold 
and  white.  His  Hoffuung  (Hope)  is  a  work  of 
commanding  power.  In  it  he  has  sung  a  solemn 
hymn  of  praise  to  motherhood.  A  young  woman 
stands  nude  before  us,  her  face  framed  in  golden 
hair  and  radiant  with  hope,  while  behind  her  is 
grim  Death,  with  Misery,  Hopelessness,  Sickness, 
Dejection,  and  Sorrow  in  his  train,  symbolic  of 
the  evils  which  lie  in  wait  for  her.  Carl  Moll 
likewise  contributed  excellent  examples  of  his  art 
as  did  W.  Legler,  J.  Auchentaller,  W.  List,  M. 
Kurzweil,  P.  Breithut,  Emil  Orlik,  L.  Blauenstem, 
and  other  well-known  artists. 


Among   the   Austrians  Gustav    Klimt  was    the 


The  mere  mention  of  the  names  of  sculptors 
who  were  represented  is  guarantee  for  the  quality 
of  their  work : — George  Minne,  Hugo  Lederer, 
Franz  Metzner,  Max  Klinger,  Richard  Luksch  and 
Julius  Meisel.  There  was  a  fine  show  of  ceramics 
from  Nymphenburg  and  from  the  Vienna  School. 
The  architects  represented  were  Josef  Hoffmann, 
E.  J.  Wimmer,  Otto  Prutscher,   Karl   Witzmann, 


'KUNSTSCHAU"   EXHIBITION,    VIENN*  ARRANGED   BY   PROF.   JOSEF   HOFFMANN 

EQUESTRIAN   STATUE    BY   PROF.    METZNER.      LARGE   FIGURES    BY    PROF.    H.    LEDERER 


240 


'  A'tinstschnu,"  Vieiiiia) 


"THE  BREAKFAST  TABLE 
BY  CARL  MOLL 


Art   School  Notes 


BOOK    COVER 


DESIGNED    KY    KO.N'STANTIN    SOMOKF 


Otto  \\'agner,  Kolo  Moser,  Paul  Roller  and  O. 
Schoental ;  and  there  was  a  memorial  exhibition 
of  Olbrich's  work.  A  series  of  sketches,  costumes 
and  other  objects  illustrated  the  growing  co- 
operation of  artists  in  matters  pertaining  to  the 
theatre.  Among  the  contributors  of  these  were 
Kolo  Moser,  C.  O.  Czeschka,  Emil  Orlik,  Karl 
AValzer,  E.  J.  Wimmer,  Ludwig  von  Hoffmann 
and  Gordon  Craig.  Finally,  some  beautiful  arts 
and  crafts  objects  from  the  Wiener  Werkstatte  and 
artistic  embroideries  by  various  artists  helped  to 
make  the  exhibition  not  only  interesting  but 
instructive.  A.  S.  L. 


M 


OSCOW. — Konstantin  Somoff  has  in 
recent  years  almost  entirely  abandoned 
painting  in  order  to  cultivate  one  or 
other  species  of  graphic  art,  and  the 
one-time  portrait  and  landscape  painter  is  now 
giving  place  more  and  more  to  the  decorative 
illustrator  and  miniaturist  In  this  new  role 
SomofT  shows  no  less  a  mastery  than  in  his 
earlier  achievements.  The  illustration  on  this  page 
is  a  reproduction  of  a  chromo-lithograph  composed 
242 


by  him  for  the  Scorpion  Press  to 
ser\-e  as  the  cover  for  a  volume  of 
poems  by  the  well  -  known  poet, 
Balmont,  bearing  the  title  "  Zhar- 
Ptitza,"  which  is  the  name  given  to 
the  fabulous  Flame-bird  of  the  old 
Russian  fairy  tales,  here  symbol- 
ized by  the  artist  under  the  form 
of  a  female  figure  flying  upwards 
and  wearing  the  national  koko- 
schtiik  or  headgear  with  streamers 
of  ribbon  and  a  semi-oriental  dress. 
The  design  in  its  combination  of 
ornament  and  colour  is  reminis- 
cent of  the  eighteenth  -  century 
style  which  this  artist  has  an 
affection  for.  P.  E. 

ART    SCHOOL    NOTES. 

LONDON.  —  Mr.  F.  W. 
Pomeroy,  A.R.A.,  who 
acted  as  judge  last  month 
in  the  competition  of 
the  Lambeth  Art  Club,  is  one  of 
the  many  eminent  artists  who  have 
owed  their  early  training  to  the 
famous  South  London  school  that 
is  now  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
T.  McKeggie,  A.R.C.A.  At  the 
meeting  and  exhibition  of  the  Art  Club,  held  at 
the  school,  the  visit  of  the  sculptor  A.R.A.  was 
made  the  occasion  for  showing  an  excellent  collec- 
tion of  modelled  work.  It  was  retrospective,  and 
included  Miss  Whittingham's  design  for  a  memorial 
tablet,  and  Mr.  G.  E.  Bradbur)''s  design  for  the 
decoration  of  a  concert  hall,  which  gained  a  gold 
and  a  silver  medal  respectively  in  recent  National 
Art  Competitions.  In  the  main,  however,  the 
exhibition  was  composed  of  the  works  submitted 
in  competition  for  the  local  prizes  offered  to 
members  of  the  Art  Club,  all  of  whom  are  past  or 
present  students  of  the  Lambeth  school.  Some 
good  work  was  shown  in  the  various  classes  into 
which  the  competition  was  divided. 


For  figure  composition,  a  subject  to  which  par- 
ticular attention  has  always  been  paid  at  Lambeth, 
competitors  were  invited  to  illustrate  "  A  Fairy 
Tale."  They  might  choose  their  own  story,  but  it 
was  a  condition  that  the  illustration  should  be 
upon  a  large  scale.  The  prize  was  taken  by  Miss 
Annie  Barber,  with  a  clever  sketch  of  Tlie  Lost 
Child,  in  which  the  frightened  little  girl  is  s^en  ori 


Art   School  Notes 


a  steep  hillside  at  twilight,  with  gnomes  and  other 
fantastic  figures  dancing  round  her  and  racing  up 
and  down  the  slopes.  Honourable  mentions  in 
this  section  were  given  to  Miss  Sybel  Tawse 
and  Miss  M.  Chidson.  The  prize  for  the  best 
portrait  was  awarded  to  Mrs.  Walsh  for  a  paint- 
ing of  a  woman  in  a  white  dress  and  large 
black  hat,  the  colour  and  quality  of  which  were 
alike  commendable.  Miss  Dorette  Roche  gained 
a  well-deserved  honourable  mention  for  a  dex- 
terous little  portrait  of  a  girl  in  water  colour. 
There  were  many  competitors  for  the  prize  offered 
for  the  best  study  of  a  head  in  oil.  It  was 
carried  off  by  Miss  Charlotte  M.  Legg  with  a 
spirited  painting  of  a  man  in  the  character  of  a 
jester,  and  honourable  mentions  were  given  to  Miss 
Winifred  Haxell  and  Miss  Mary  Dew.  Miss  Sybel 
Tawse  won  the  prize  for  black  and  white  with  a 
dainty  pen-and-ink  drawing  illustrating  Herrick's 
poem  "Upon  Julia's  Hair  in  a  Golden  Net,"  and 
Miss  E.  K.  Burgess  the  prize  for  design  in  colour, 
with  illustrations  of  "The  Swineherd  "  and  "  Ole 
Luk."  The  prize  for  landscape  was  given  to  Miss 
E.  Herbert  for  a  pleasant  study  in  water  colour  of 
old  red  houses,  with  a 
glimpse  of  a  grey  river  in 
the  background ;  for  still 
life  to  Mr.  J.  G.  Martin  for 
a  commendably  careful 
painting  on  a  small  scale  ; 
and  for  poster  design  to 
Miss  Gertrude  Brodie. 
The  prize  for  a  design 
for  a  dessert  plate  was 
awarded  to  Miss  Con- 
stance Bult,  and  the  prize 
for  a  design  for  a  fan  was 
divided  between  Miss 
Mary  Simpson  and  Mr. 
Eric  Bradbury. 


exhibition  of  igoS.  This  was  particularly  notice- 
able in  the  paintings  and  drawings  from  the  nude. 
The  painting  of  a  female  figure  that  gained  the 
first  award  in  its  class  for  Mr  Norsworthy  was 
admirably  observed  and  put  in,  although  in 
colour  it  was,  perhaps,  a  trifle  monotonous. 
Breadth  and  vigour  and  the  right  impression  of 
the  subject  as  a  whole,  are  the  things  especi- 
ally aimed  at  in  the  life  classes  at  this  school, 
in  which  the  principal  teachers  are  Mr.  William 
Nicholson  and  Mr.  George  W.  Lambert.  The 
students  are  not  allowed  to  worry  over  the  detail 
until  the  figure  has  been  drawn  and  built  up  with 
approximate  accuracy,  and  in  one  or  two  not 
quite  completed  paintings  from  the  nude  (executed 
in  Mr.  Nicholson's  class)  the  faces,  to  which  many 
students  devote  their  first  attention,  were  still  mere 
blank  ovals  of  paint.  In  the  men's  life  class  the 
first  prize  for  drawing  from  the  nude  was  taken  by 
Mr.  Richter,  and  in  the  women's  class  by  Miss 
Sandford  (afternoon)  and  Miss  Hynes  (morning). 
In  the  sketch  class,  for  drawing  in  black  and  white 
from  the  life,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Simpson,    the    first    prize    was   gained    by    Miss 


The  London  School  of 
Art  held  its  annual  exhi- 
bition of  students'  work 
last  month  at  the  studios 
in  Stratford  Road,  Ken- 
sington. The  group  of 
compositions  was,  owing 
to  special  causes,  smaller 
and  less  important  than 
last  year,  but  in  all  other 
departments  the  work 
showed  a  distinct  advance 
upon  that  included  in  the 


SPECIMKNS     OK     LACK     KXKITTKD     «V     IIOI.OGNESB     W(On!N      FOR     TMK     ".KMIMA 
ARS"   SOCIETV,    BOLOGNA 

243 


Art  School  Notes 


Dorothy  Stevens  and 
M.  G.  Lightfoot  (equal) 
the  second  prizes.  The 
prize  of  £,2,  for  fine  art 
anatomy  has  been 
awarded  to  Violet  Hellard. 
W.  T.  W. 


B 


SPECIMEN   OF   DRAWN   LINEN  AND   LACE  WORK   OF   ANCIENT  DESIGN,  EXECUTED 
BY   BOLOGNESE   WOMEN    FOR  THE    "EMILIA  ARS  "   SOCIETY,    BOLOGNA 


Pennethorne.  The  painting  of  still  life  is  always 
encouraged  at  the  London  School  of  Art,  and  in 
this  class  the  quality  of  the  work  shown  was 
exceptionally  good.  Here,  again,  was  evident  the 
attempt  to  make  the  students  see  and  render  the 
whole  thing  portrayed  in  its  right  relation  to  the 
background.  The  influence  of  Mr.  Nicholson  was 
shown  in  the  directness  and  simplicity  of  the  work, 
in  the  evidence  of  a  restricted  palette,  and,  perhaps, 
in  the  curiously  coarse  canvas  afiected  by  some  of 
the  students.  The  first  prizes  for  still  life  were 
awarded  to  Miss  Marsh  (morning)  and  Miss  Beloe 
(afternoon).  Minor  prizes  in  the  various  sections 
were  taken  by  Mr.  Barr,  Miss  Jennings,  Miss 
Jackson,  Mr.  Pipes,  Mr.  Richter,  Miss  Hynes,  Miss 
Marsh  and  Mr.  Sherwood.  The  Director  of  the 
School,  Mr.  C.  P.  Townsley,  has  recently  instituted 
classes  for  the  study  of  anatomy,  and  weekly  lectures 
on  this  subject  have  been  given  by  Miss  Uellina  W. 
A.  Parkes. 

At  the  Slade  School  the  scholarships  in  fine 
art  of  ;^35  per  annum,  tenable  for  two  years,  have 
been  awarded  to  M.  Gertler  and  F.  A.  Helps ;  and 
the  Melvill  Xettleship  prize  for  figure  composition 
to  Elaine  T.  I<essore  and  W.  L.  Claus  (equal). 
Other  prizes  for  figure  composition  have  been 
gained  by  J.  D.  Innes  and  Winifred  Phillips 
(equal)  :  for  figure  painting,  first  prizes 
(equal)  by  Edith  M.  Lush  and  1\L  G. 
Lightfoot,  and  second  prizes  (equal)  to 
W.  L.  Claus  and  R.  Ihlee.  The  first 
prizes  for  painting  heads  from  the  life 
(equal)  were  also  taken  by  Edith  M. 
Lush  and  M.  G.  Lightfoot,  and  the 
second  prize  by  W.  L.  Claus  ;  and  the 
prize  for  painting  from  the  cast  by 
M.  G.  Lightfoot.  In  figure  drawing 
R.  Ihlee  took  the  first  prize,  and 
244 


OLOGXA.  —  A 
society  bearing 
the  name 
".•Emilia  Ars" 
was  formed  in  this  city, 
which  is  the  centre  of 
the  .^imilian  region,  lome 
years  ago  for  the  development  on  artistic  and 
philanthropic  lines  of  various  decorative  handi- 
crafts. The  brass-work,  ceramics,  furniture,  bind- 
ing, etc.,  though  good  of  their  kind,  have  not 
attained  sufficient  importance  to  demand  very 
special  attention.  But  one  branch  has  flourished 
so  admirably  that  it  is  now  recognised  all  over 
Italy,  and,  to  some  extent,  in  other  countries,  as 
being  a  real  artistic  revival.  This  is  the  linen 
work.  Its  success  is  fully  justified  by  its  technical 
excellence,  the  admirable  choice  of  materials  and 
designs,  and  the  useful  character  of  even  the  most 
elaborate  pieces.  

This  development  is  almost  entirely  due  to  the 
initiative  of  Countess  Lena  Cavazza,  of  Bologna, 
who,  besides  collecting  old  models  and  designs, 
took  in  hand  the  difficult  organisation  of  the  in- 
dustry, showing  a  rare  power  of  compelling  numbers 
of  isolated  women-workers  (able  enough  technically, 
but  devoid  of  artistic  knowledge)  to  appreciate  the 
importance  of  making  their  work  interesting,  and 
of  infusing  into  their  minds  the  sense  of  the 
necessity  of  co-operation.  Every  collaborator, 
however  humble,  after  receiving  full  pay  for  her 
work  at  the  highest  possible  rate,  has  a  share  in 
the  profits  to  the  extent  of  35  per  cent.  The 
work    is    distributed   amonir   women  in  their  own 


LACE   WORK,  ANCIENT   DESIGN,  EXECUTED   BY  BOLOGNEaE  WOMEN 
FOK  THE    "/EMILIA  ARS "   SOCIETY,    BOLOGNA 


Reviews  and  Notices 


liomes,  not  only  in  Bologna,  but  also  in  the  small 
towns  and  villages  of  the  province.  Tablecloths, 
sheets,  tea-cloths,  and  napkins  are  of  course  the 
staple  products,  but  the  lace-stitches  can  also  be 
used  for  finer  work.  Several  artists  are  endeavour- 
ing to  design  in  modern  style  for  the  work,  but,  so 
far,  few  of  their  efforts  have  been  very  successful. 
(Of  the  four  examples  reproduced  only  the  lower 
one  on  p.  243  is  modern,  the  others  being  old 
designs  dating  back  some  three  centuries.)  The 
old  simple  geometrical  designs  are  still  the  best 
adapted  to  the  material  used.  C.  H. 

REVIEWS    AXD    NOTICES. 

Indian  Sculpture  and  Painting.  By  E.  B. 
Havell.  (London  :  John  Murray.)  ^3  3^.  net. 
— This  is  a  work  of  exceeding  interest  to  students 
of  Oriental  art.  The  author  has  studied  his  subject 
clo.sely,  and  writes  with  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  magnificent  examples  of  glyptic  art  for  which 
India  b  famous.  His  definitions  of  the  ideals  of 
the  native  sculptor  are  clearly  presented,  and  help 
his  readers  to  a  juster  appreciation  of  the  examples 
which  still  remain  more  or  less  intact  as  a  witness 
of  the  ffisthetic  culture  and  technical  skill  of  the 
craftsman  in  past  ages.  Among  the  excellent 
photographs  with  which  the  work  is  illustrated  is  a 
particularly  interesting  series  from  the  shrine  of 
Borobudilr,  which  Mr.  Havell  considers  to  be  one  of 
the  finest  monuments  of  Buddhist  art  in  the  whole 
of  Asia,  although  it  is  "  an  obscure  and  neglected 
ruin,  the  name  of  which  is  hardly  mentioned  in 
Europe  or  in  Asia."  The  author  laments,  with 
much  justice,  the  ignorance  of  art  students  of 
these  and  other  similar  examples  in  India,  and 
expresses  the  desire  that  reproductions  should  be 
made,  in  order  that  native  art  students  may  have 
the  advantage  of  being  able  to  examine  the  best 
of  their  own  art  "  instead  of  European  casts  from 
'  the  antique,'  "  a  desire  in  which  we  cordially  join 
with  him.  Some  charming  reproductions  of  Indian 
I)aintings  and  miniatures,  together  with  some 
valuable  chapters  on  the  development  of  painting 
in  India,  complete  a  work  of  extraordinary  value 
and  interest. 

Fresco  Painting :  its  Art  and  Technique.  By 
James  Ward.  (London:  Chapman  &:  Hall.)  loj-.  dd. 
net. — That  fresco  painting  should  have  become 
a  lost  art  in  England  has  long  been  a  matter  of 
regret  to  many,  but  fortunately  there  have  been 
of  late  years  signs  of  the  possibility  of  a  true 
revival.  Certain  secrets  of  the  beautiful  craft,  it 
must  be  owned,  still  elude  discovery,  but  experts 


appear  to  be  on  the  right  track,  and  some  of  the 
recent  work  done  in  London  seems  likely  to 
endure.  A  special  cause  for  congratulation  is  the 
fact,  proved  beyond  a  doubt  by  the  author  of 
the  valuable  monograph  on  ancient  and  modern 
mural  decoration,  that  the  dampness  of  the  British 
climate  is  not  wholly  responsible  for  the  decay  of 
the  frescoes  in  the  Houses  of  Parliament  and 
elsewhere,  but  "the  ignorance  of  artists  of  the 
chemistry  of  colours  and  the  after  action  on  them 
of  caustic  lime."  Mr.  Ward's  useful  book  defines 
very  clearly  the  essential  qualities  of  the  best 
ancient,  medieval,  renaissance  and  modern  frescoes, 
describes  the  colours  used,  the  preparation  of  the 
walls  and  methods  of  execution  in  the  past  and 
present.  He  gives  reproductions,  including  several 
in  colour,  of  typical  examples  both  of  fresco-bromo 
or  true  fresco  and  spirit-fresco,  devoting  con- 
siderable space  to  a  searching  examination  of  the 
present  state  of  the  masterpieces  of  Giotto,  Fra 
Angelico,  Benozzo  Gozzoli,  Perugino,  Raphael, 
Ghirlandajo,  Pinturicchio,  and  Michael  Angelo 
that  are  still  in  situ. 

Essex.  Painted  by  L.  Burleigh  Bruhl.  De- 
scribed by  A.  R.  Hope  Moncrieff.  (London  : 
A.  &  C.  Black.)  20s.  net. — As  compared  with  the 
other  "home"  counties,  Essex  is  not  so  well 
known  as  it  should  be  to  those  living  beyond  its 
borders.  It  is  commonly  supposed  to  be  flat  and 
uninteresting  as  a  whole,  but  this  volume,  with 
its  numerous  coloured  illustrations  reproduced 
from  pictures  by  an  artist  who  has  a  keen  eye  for 
the  beautiful,  and  whose  knowledge  of  this  parti- 
cular county  is  perhaps  unique,  should  effectively 
dissipate  this  notion,  and  should  be  instrumental 
in  bringing  the  county  into  more  favourable  repute 
— among  artists  at  all  events.  Flat,  of  course,  it  is 
in  certain  parts — those  that  abut  on  the  metropolis 
and  the  river  more  particularly ;  but  flatness  in 
itself  is  not  a  blemish  to  the  landscape  painter  in 
search  of  atmospheric  effects — witness  the  land- 
scapes of  the  Low  Countries  by  the  great  Dutch 
and  Flemish  masters.  Away  from  the  riverine 
marshes,  however,  the  county  is  pleasantly  undu- 
lating, and  in  the  northern  portion  the  richness 
and  variety  of  the  scenery  long  ago  received  a 
testimonial  in  the  landscape  paintings  of  Constable. 
From  the  historical  and  archa;ological  points  of  view 
again,  as  Mr.  Hope  MoncriefPs  entertaining  record 
indisputably  establishes,  Essex  abounds  in  interest- 
ing associations.  The  volume  is  therefore  to  be 
welcomed  as  a  timely  vindication,  and  we  are  glad 
to  see  it  represented  in  Messrs.  Black's  excellent 
series  of  colour  books. 

MS 


Revieivs  and  A^ofices 


COVER   OF    "AN   EHREN    UND   AN   SIEGEN    REICH"   (MAX   HERZIG,    VIENNA) 

DESIGNED   BY    PROF.    H.    LEFI.ER   &  JOSEF   URBAN 


An  Ehren  und  an  Siegen  Reich.  (Vienna : 
Max  Herzig.)  Salon  ed.  150  Kronen;  Imperial 
Jubilee  Ed.,  1,000  Kronen. — This  magnificent 
work,  which  elicited  general  admiration  when  it 
was  shown  at  the  last  exhibition  of  the  Hagenbund 
in  Menna,  is  at  once  of  historic  and  artistic 
interest — historic  because  of  its  fine  reproductions 
of  pictures  by  talented  artists  representing  a  series 
of  stirring  episodes  in  the  history  of  the  Austrian 
empire,  a  descriptive  account  of  which  is  given  in 
the  text  accompanying  them,  and  artistic  because 
of  the  amount  of  talent  bestowed  on  the  embellish- 
ment of  the  volume,  some  idea  of  which  will  be 
gained  from  the  illustrations  we  give  of  the  cover 
and  title  -  page.  These,  with  other  decorative 
features,  are  the  joint  work  of  Heinrich  T.efler  and 
346 


Josef  Urban,  both  of 
them  well  known  as 
decorative  designers 
of  the  first  rank  in 
Austria.  In  the  case 
of  a  volume  of  this 
character,  with  a  defi- 
nitely historical  pur- 
port, it  was  only 
natural  that  the  orna- 
mental designs  should 
embody  traditional 
elements,  but  while 
this  is  so,  there  is  at 
the  same  time  abun- 
dant evidence  of  the 
originality  for  which 
these  artists  are  noted. 
The  work  is  dedicated 
to  the  Emperor 
Francis  Joseph,  to 
whom  as  its  patron  a 
copy  of  the  larger 
jubilee  edition  was 
presented.  A  similar 
volume  was  produced 
some  time  ago  with 
German  history  as  its 
subject-matter,  and  a 
third  volume  is  con- 
templated in  which 
British  history  will  be 
signalized. 

Drikkehorn  og  Solv- 
toj  fra  Aliddelalder  og 
Renaissance.  Udgivet 
ved  JoRGEN  Olrik. 
(Copenhagen  :  G.  E. 
C.  Gad.) — This  folio  volum.e,  published  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Danish  National  Museum, 
gives  an  account  of  the  important  collection  of 
drinking-horns  and  silver  plate  in  the  museum,  as 
also  of  the  large  accumulation  of  silver  treasure- 
trove  which  has  come  to  the  museum  from 
different  parts  of  Denmark,  consisting  of  a  large 
variety  of  articles,  ornamental  and  useful,  supposed 
to  have  been  hidden  by  their  owners  during  the 
wars  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Some  very  fine 
specimens  of  the  drinking-horns  for  which  Denmark 
(and,  in  fact,  Scandinavia  generally)  is  noted 
are  illustrated,  many  of  them  being  ornamented 
with  elaborate  silver  decoration.  That  the  craft 
of  the  silversmith  was  an  exceptionally  flourishing 
one  in  Denmark  in  Mediaeval  times  is  shown  by 


Reviews  and  Notices 


the  treasure-trove  just  named  and  other  evidence, 
which  points  to  a  fairly  general  use  of  silver  spoons 
in  the  later  Middle  Ages,  until  the  country  was 
visited  by  the  ravages  of  war.  It  is  a  commend- 
able feature  of  the  Danish  law  in  relation  to 
treasure-trove  that  it  encourages  the  preservation 
of  such  finds  in  the  National  Museum,  the  com- 
pensation given  to  finders  being  very  liberal. 

Douris  and  the  Painters  of  Greek  Vases.  By 
Edmond  Pottier,  Member  of  the  French  Insti- 
tute. Translated  by  Bettina  Kahnweiler.  (London  : 
John  Murray.)  75.  dd.  net. — Prefaced  by  a  scholarly 
note  from  the  able  pen  of  Dr.  Jane  Harrison,  this 
excellent  translation  of  M.  Pottier's  essay  appears 
at  a  very  opportune  moment,  when  interest  in 
antique  pictorial  art  has  been  intensified  by  recent 
discoveries.  The  author  has  a  very  thorough  grip 
of  classic  lore,  and  in  spite  of  the  paucity  of 
information  respecting  Douris  and  his  contem- 
poraries, he  has  succeeded  in  calling  up  a  very 
realistic  picture  of  the  artist  craftsman, 

and  to  describe,  as  if  he  had  been  him-  

self  an  habitue  of  a  Greek  workshop,  all 
the  processes  employed  in  the  produc- 
tion of  art  pottery.  Artists  and  students 
of  antiquity  will  no  doubt  delight  in  the 
illustrations  and  detailed  descriptions  of 
the  masterpieces  of  ceramic  art,  that 
reflect  the  characteristics  of  the  art 
paintings  produced  in  the  golden  age  of 
Pheidias  and  Praxiteles  ;  but  the  book 
should  also  make  a  strong  appeal  to 
the  outside  public,  much  of  the  work 
of  Douris  and  his  followers  having  been 
done  for  the  use  of  the  people,  giving 
scenes  from  their  daily  life. 

T/i€  Architecture  of  the  Renaissance  in 
Italy.  By  Willi.^m  J.  Anderson.  4th 
edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  (London  : 
B.  T.  Batsford.)  \is.  6d.  net. — Origin- 
ally published  in  1896  as  the  outcome  of 
a  series  of  lectures  delivered  at  the 
Glasgow  School  of  Art,  this  perspica- 
cious sketch  of  the  Architectural  Re- 
naissance in  Italy  has  earned  a  well- 
deserv-ed  popularity  among  students, 
especially  since  its  revision  and  enlarge- 
ment in  i8g8,  when  in  addition  to  other 
improvements  there  was  appended  a  very 
useful  chart  of  the  principal  Renais- 
sance buildings  in  Italy,  tabulated  in 
chronological  and  topographical  order. 
That  the  work  still  maintains  its  popu- 
larity   is   .shown   by    the   demand   for  a 


fourth  edition,  the  preparation  of  which  has  been 
entrusted  to  Mr.  Arthur  Stratton  of  King's 
College,  who  has  found  it  unnecessary  to  make 
any  considerable  alterations  in  the  text,  but  has 
materially  increased  the  value  of  the  work  to  the 
student  by  adding  many  photographs  and  measured 
drawings.  The  collotype  plates,  which  are  a 
unique  feature  of  the  book,  are  also  much  more 
numerous  than  in  previous  editions,  but  in  spite 
of  this  large  accession  of  new  material  the  price 
of  the  volume  remains  the  same. 

From  the  office  of  the  Munich  weekly  journal, 
"  Jugend,"  we  have  received  a  small  quarto  volume 
containing  3,000  black  and  white  reproductions  of 
pictures  by  artists  of  various  nationalities  (chiefly 
German)  which  have  appeared  in  colours  in  that 
periodical  during  the  past  thirteen  years.  The 
reproductions  though  small  (there  are  nine  and 
occasionally  more  to  a  page),  are  remarkably 
clear.     The  price  of  the  book  in  cloth  is  3  marks. 


TITLE' PAGE     OF 


EHREN    UND    AN     SIEGEN   REICH  "     (MAX 
HERZIG,    VIENNA) 
DESIGNED    HV   PROK.    H.    LEFLKR  &   JOSEF    URIiAN 


T 


The  Lay  Figure 


HE  LAY  FIGURE:  OX  A  BLOT 
UPON   CIVILISATIOX. 


"  I  WANT  to  get  away  into  the  country," 
said  the  Art  Critic,  "  to  some  place  where  artists 
will  cease  from  troubling  and  even  critics  can 
be  at  rest.     Where  can  I  go  ?  " 

"  Surely  there  are  plenty  of  places  where  you  can 
hide  yourself  and  hear  not  even  the  faintest  mur- 
mur from  the  Art  world,"  laughed  the  Man  with 
the  Red  Tie.  "  Seek  out  some  stronghold  of  the 
Philistines  and  consort  with  them  ;  Art  will  not 
trouble  you  there." 

"  But  I  do  not  want  to  associate  with  Philis- 
tines," protested  the  Critic.  "  The  Philistine 
would  only  make  me  yearn  for  Art  as  a  sort  of 
antidote  to  his  blatant  want  of  taste.  I  want 
Nature,  pure  and  unsophisticated,  frank,  free 
Nature ;  and  I  want  to  sit  at  her  feet  and  learn 
from  her  how  I  can  best  judge  Art." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  scoffed  the  Man  with  the  Red 
Tie.  "  Nature  is  everywhere  ;  you  need  not  go 
far  to  find  her." 

"  But  the  Philistine  is  everywhere,  too,"  com- 
plained the  Critic,  "  and  he  gets  in  my  way 
wherever  I  go.  He  intrudes  offensively  between 
me  and  Nature,  and  I  am  perfectly  certain  that 
nothing  will  ever  make  him  realise  how  bitterly 
I  hate  his  interference." 

"  Who  are  the  Philistines  ?  "  broke  in  the  Practi- 
cal Man.  "  How  do  they  come  between  you  and 
Nature?  Talk  plain  English  for  a  change  and 
explain  what  you  mean." 

"  The  Philistine,  as  he  appears  to  me,"  said  the 
Critic,  "  is  that  annoyingly  practical  person  who 
thinks  that  his  schemes  and  his  ideas  are  the  only 
things  in  the  world  that  matter.  He  looks  upon 
Art  as  a  kind  of  immoral  eccentricity  unworthy 
of  any  serious  attention  and  upon  Nature  as  a 
useless  idler,  who  is  to  be  flouted  and  outraged  in 
every  possible  way." 

"What  are  you  talking  about?"  cried  the 
Practical  Man.  "The  Philistine,  as  you  call  him, 
goes  his  own  way,  and  Nature,  I  suppose,  goes 
hers.     Where  can  they  clash  ?  " 

"  Can  you  not  give  us  an  illustration  ?  "  asked 
the  Man  with  the  Red  Tie.  "  I  am  afraid  cur 
friend  cannot  understand  you  when  you  talk  in 
parables." 

"  Well,  what  better  illustration  can  I  give  than 
that  of  the  advertiser  who  plasters  the  whole 
countryside  with  notices  of  his  wares  ?  "  replied  the 
Critic.  "  The  advertiser,  I  suppose  you  will  ad- 
mit, is  an  e-xtremely  practical  person,  always  on  the 
248 


look-out  for  chances  of  asserting  himself ;  he  is  to 
me  the  typical  Philistine  who  caring  nothing  for 
the  feelings  of  decent  people  comes  unblushingly 
between  me  and  Nature  and  robs  her  of  her  charm 
to  serve  his  own  sordid  ends." 

"  The  advertiser's  notices  are  only  intended  to 
tell  the  public  where  they  can  get  the  things  they 
want,  and  naturally  he  puts  them  where  they  are 
likely  to  be  seen,"  said  the  Practical  Man.  "  Surely 
you  cannot  blame  him  for  understanding  the 
fundamental  principles  of  business  and  for  merely 
exercising  his  common  sense." 

"  I  do  blame  him  ;  I  blame  him  very  seriously," 
returned  the  Critic,  "  when  he  makes  the  exercise 
of  his  common  sense  a  matter  of  offence  to  me.  I 
cannot  take  a  railway  journey  now  without  being 
irritated  by  a  hideous  notice-board  whenever  I 
want  to  look  at  some  particularly  charming  piece 
of  scenery.  It  is  an  annoyance  from  which  it  is 
impossible  to  escape  at  home  or  abroad.  Look  at 
the  fringe  of  advertisements  beside  the  English 
railways ;  look  at  the  hedge  of  notices  which  shuts 
in  the  line  from  Boulogne  to  Paris  ;  look  at  the 
staring  letters  which  grin  disgustingly  from  this  cliff 
or  that  mountainside.  Are  not  these  things  an 
interference  between  me  and  Nature ;  are  they 
not  objectionable  and  unnecessary  —  are  they 
not  in  fact  a  serious  blot  on  what  we  call  our 
civilisation  ?  " 

"  You  are  too  sensitive  !  "  sneered  the  Practical 
Man.  "  If  there  were  anything  in  what  you  say 
people  would  object.  They  would  write  letters  of 
complaint  to  the  papers,  and  I  am  sure  that  public 
opinion  would  soon  put  a  stop  to  any  real  abuse 
of  advertising." 

"  The  papers  you  must  remember  live  by  adver- 
tisements and  therefore  would  scarcely  publish 
letters  of  that  sort  for  fear  of  offending  their  best 
supporters,"  laughed  the  Man  with  the  Red  Tie, 
"  so  there  is  no  chance  of  organising  public 
opinion  in  that  way." 

"  But  there  is  a  very  vehement  public  opinion 
agamst  this  very  real  abuse  of  advertising,"  said 
the  Critic,  "and  a  great  many  people  would  be 
ready  to  echo  my  complaint.  But  what  is  the 
remedy  ?  I  do  not  know.  Perhaps  it  would  do 
some  good  to  tax  the  owner  of  the  land  on  which 
these  notice-boards  are  stuck  up.  I  am  sure  no 
one  could  say  that  the  value  of  his  land,  as  a  place 
for  displaying  advertisements,  has  been  enhanced 
by  any  exertions  of  his  :  what  has  he  done  that  he 
should  profit  ?  He  is  enjoying  an  unearned  incre- 
ment anyhow,  and  he  might  well  be  made  to  pay 
for  it."  The  L.\y  Figure, 


"THE   DINING-ROOM   AT   OFFRAN- 

VILLE,"        F  =  OM     THE     OIL     PAINTING     BV 

JACQUES     EMILE     BLANCHE. 


T 


Modern  Inferior  Painting 


HE  PROBLEM  OF  MODERN 
INTERIOR  PAINTING.  BY 
T.   MARTIN   WOOD 


The  man  of  genius  is  not  fastidious.  Far  from 
searching  with  pain  for  beauty,  he  cannot  escape 
its  presence  until  he  goes  blind.  And  the  paradox 
is  not  to  be  rejected  that  the  same  scene  is  a 
different  one  for  every  painter,  confronting  him 
with  his  own  problems,  and  above  all  assuming 
the  complexion  of  his  mind,  whether  classic  or 
common-place. 

If  Charles  Lamb  had  been  a  painter  I  think  he 
would  have  been  an  interior  painter, — he  had  the 
genius  for  being  indoors.  And  yet  something  of 
this  genius,  this  sense  that  indoors  the  world  is 
quite  different  from  what  it  is  out-of-doors,  counts 
too  in  the  constitution  of  a  landscape  painter  ;  for 
to  whom  does  nature  offer  such  a  cup  as  to  him 
who  steps  out  into  the  sunlight  from  a  room  ? 
But  with  the  sun  coming  through  the  window  we 


are  conscious  that  nature  environs  us  indoors  as 
much  as  out,  transforming  the  moment  while 
attuning  us  to  it ;  and  it  is  this,  if  anything,  which 
lives,  this  music — preferring  the  word  to  poetry — of 
the  moment,  for  that  lives  in  art  which,  born  of  a 
moment,  continues  for  ever  the  spirit  of  the 
moment  in  which  it  was  born.  Who  could  fail 
to  be  attracted  to  M.  Blanche's  picture  of  The 
Dining  Room  at  Ofirativille,  in  which  the  very 
happiness  of  nature  itself  seems  descending  to  the 
breakfast  table  ?  We  are  not  separated  from  the 
spring  morning  by  the  French  windows ;  all  things 
are  lyrical  indoors  as  well  as  out,  and  the  light  on 
cups  and  tea-spoons  is  as  silvery  as  the  dew. 

Interior  painting  deals  with  the  pervading  air  of 
a  room,  and  often  the  more  hygienic  the  less  ro- 
mantic, for  a  dusty  atmosphere  brings  mystery  and 
the  charm  of  it ;  dust  itself  being  but  the  poudre 
d'amour  on  the  face  of  faded  things.  It  is  with 
old  and  curious  and  beautiful  things  that  so  many 
of  the  modern  interior  painters  are  dealing.     But 


"THE  CHINTZ  COVER" 

XLVII.     No.  198.— September,  1909. 


BV   J.    E.    IlLANCHE 

251 


Modern  Interior  Painting' 


the  true  artist  to  some  extent  does  not  even  choose 
his  subjects.  Objects  of  art  are  at  hand  in  which 
beauty  has  already  been  consciously  achieved  ;  then 
why  not  add  beauty  to  beauty — that  of  a  thing  itself 
to  the  interpretation  of  it  in  a  picture,  which  com- 
memorates it  and  makes  us  further  conscious  of  it  ? 

Old  things  are  reminiscent  of  past  associations ; 
such  associations  themselves  can  be  carried  into 
the  picture,  though  the  art  of  doing  this  is  the 
rarest  of  all.  It  was  done  by  Charles  Conder,  it 
is  still  done  by  Mr.  James  Pryde  and  one  or  two 
others,  masters  not  only  of  the  aspect  of  things  but 
somehow  of  their  secrets,  of  that  for  which  we 
generally  turn  to  literature.  But  analysis  of  the 
legitimate  literary  quality  in  such  art  is  in  itself 
a  subject 

Often,  as  in  M.  Bracquemond's  Interieur  chez  le 
Graveur  or  M.  Blanche's  Chintz  Cover,  the  painting 
is  the  pure  expression  of  a  painter's  pleasure 
in  his  problem,  but  the  latter,  like  Hammers- 
hoi's  Old  Fiafio,  is  modern  in  something  besides 
the  nature  of  the  problem.  It  is  full  of  a  human 
interest,  created  by  inference  alone  where  older  art 
would  have  felt  the  introduction 
of  a  figure  to  be  necessary.  And 
this  kind  of  inference  has  been 
made  so  consciously  and  success- 
fully only  in  present  times,  to  a 
lately  acquired  responsiveness  in 
the  modern  mind. 

In  the  paintings  of  Hammers- 
hoi,  the  modern  Danish  painter, 
the  room  that  is  painted  is  gener- 
ally quite  empty,  but  the.  partly- 
opened  door  is  eloquent  of  some- 
one that  went  out.  The  painter 
is  a  poet ;  we  find  ourselves  won- 
dering what  vanished  presence  is 
reflected  still  in  the  empty  room, 
in  the  things  preferred  and  arranged 
there,  ever)'thing  in  the  room,  as 
in  any  great  interior  painting,  bear- 
ing witness  before  all  to  the  life 
that  has  been  lived  in  it.  This  is 
why  a  studio-arranged  interior  is 
the  least  interesting  of  all  interior 
paintings,  because  the  least  human. 
One  thing  is  here  and  another  there 
for  the  sake  of  an  effect,  but  this 
effect,  whatever  else  it  may  give 
the  picture,  cannot  give  it  the 
spiritual  and  dramatic  interest 
occasioned  by  the  casual  disarray 
in  any  living  room.  After  all,  it 
252 


is  the  human  associations  which  are  behind  every- 
thing that  are  eloquent  to  the  painter  with  the 
gift  of  painting  the  interior  of  a  room.  Of  course 
all  true  painters  love  things  for  themselves.  We 
doubt  very  much  whether  a  painter  could  paint 
perfectly  in  his  picture  a  piece  of  good  porcelain 
if  he  did  not  love  its  surface  for  itself.  It  gives 
a  fine  painter  pleasure  to  paint  almost  anything, 
for  the  possibilities  in  everything  appeal  to  his  art. 
Might  it  not  almost  be  made  a  test  as  to  the 
worthiness  or  unworthiness  of  any  object  to  form 
part  of  the  furniture  of  a  room,  whether  it  would 
be  accepted  or  rejected  by  a  painter  of  genius  for 
representation  in  his  picture  ? 

In  studying  the  character  of  the  resistance  an 
object  offers  to  the  light,  and  in  this  connection 
regarding  the  shapes  of  things  as  partly  determining 
their  colour  ;  in  painting  effects  with  transcendental 
forgetfulness  of  their  causes,  modern  painting 
enters  into  its  kingdom.  And  it  is  as  painting 
becomes  subtler  in  its  appreciation  of  an  infinity 
of  variation,  where  the  untrained  eye  would  see  no 
variation,  that  it  approaches  finish. 


'THE   LETTER 


BY   W.    W.    RUSSELL 


'DRAWING   ROOM   AT   OFFRANVILLE" 
BY   JACQUES    Ii;MILE   BLAxNCHE 


SIR    ARTHUR   BIRCH    IX   HIS   STUDY" 
BY   WILLIAM    ORPEN 


(By  permission  of 
John  J.  Cowan y  £sf/.) 


THE   OLD   PIANO."     BY 
VILHELM    HAMMERSHOI 


Modern  Interior  Painting 


In  the  old  Dutch  interior  paintings,  in  their  still 
life  paintings — for  these  two  go  together — we  feel 
the  pleasure  which  the  painters  took  in  each  little 
incident  they  painted.  How  they  loved  to  make 
everything  so  very  real  though  all  on  a  doll's  house 
scale.  They  were  like  children  with  a  doll's  house. 
It  has  significance,  perhaps,  that  the  present  return 
to  all  this  interior  incident  began  in  Mr.  William 
Rothenstein's  The  Doll's  House.  Mr.  Rothenstein 
had  to  go  on  to  other  things,  for  a  true  artist 
scarcely  directs  himself.  Perhaps  Mr.  Orpen  has 
expressed  himself  best  in  interior  painting,  because 
of  his  pleasure  in  glasses  and  picture  frames,  in 
papers  and  trays,  in  sunny  spaces  of  wall  and 
bright  things  shining  from  the  shadows,  in  the 
curiously  pale  and  rainbow  gleams  of  old  porce- 
lain— and  above  all,  because  his  art  is  so  evidently 
the  expression  of  his  pleasure  in  these  things,  his 
and  their  owner's — for  he  paints  the  portraits  of 
collectors,  I  believe,  for  the  sake  of  their  collections. 
He  has  shown  this  pleasure  in  art  which  is  also 
expressive  of  the  purest  pleasures  of  painting  itself. 

Mr.  Walter  Russell  has  more  than  once  been 
attracted  by  the  problem 
of  light  coming  through 
large  windows,  invading 
the  room  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  contrast  between 
the  indoor  and  out-of-door 
values  becomes  almost 
hypothetical.  But  this 
excess  of  light  multiplies 
rather  than  diminishes  the 
difficulties ;  the  flowers 
near  the  window  greet  it, 
it  flashes  pleasantly  upon 
them  ;  but  it  wars  upon 
the  kind  of  beauty  in- 
trinsic to  interior  objects 
seen  in  a  partial  light. 

To  take  pleasure  in  a 
kind  of  surface  beauty, 
which  is  only  to  be  found 
indoors,  as  the  old  masters 
took  pleasure  in  it,  and 
yet  to  be  compelled  to 
lose  sight  of  it,  to  dissolve 
it  all  into  tones,  and  out  of 
these  to  reconstruct  it  all 
over  again  with  a  miracu- 
lous incorporation  of  the 
light  of  which  it  is  partly 
made  —  this  is  the  pro- 
blem of  modern  painting. 
256 


By  embracing  truths  which  were  beyond  ancient 
vision,  which  are  impossible  to  realize  by  ancient 
methods,  this  is  how  the  not  yet  complete  history 
of  interior  genre  desires  to  complete  itself.  To 
preserve  the  right  relationship  of  the  whole 
scheme  of  values,  the  picture  must  be  conceived 
not  in  parts — which  admit  of  easy  elaboration — 
but,  once  for  all,  as  a  whole.  This  condition 
it  is,  of  course,  that  makes  the  difficulties  in 
obtaining  that  finish  of  touch  -in  detail  which 
seems  as  essential  to  the  true  expression  of  these 
things  as  it  might  be  out  of  place  in  an 
"  impression  "  of  the  wind-driven  sea.  It  is  an  "  im- 
pression," as  with  a  sea  piece,  but  if  of  anything 
at  all,  of  surfaces  precise  and  smooth,  to  which 
in  the  end  the  paint  must  accommodate  itself. 
Many  canvases,  of  course,  give  a  very  charm- 
ing rendering  of  the  precious  quality  of  detail, 
at  the  expense  of  all  sense  of  atmosphere  and 
harmony.  It  might  almost  be  said,  I  think, 
that  harmony  and  the  sense  of  atmosphere  go 
together,  that  they  are  scientifically  inter-dependent, 
the  result  of  the  same  law  in  the  phenomenon  of 


THE   QUIET   ROOM 

(/«  the  fosscssion  of  Lc, 


BY    V.    HAMMERSHOI 


'■li  Bonuh-k,  Esq.) 


LNTERIEUR    CHEZ    LE    GRAVEUR" 
BY    PIERRE    BRACQUEMOND 

7^ 


~    2d 


H  pq 


^  5 


Arthur  Street  on 


vision.  The  eye  embracing  a  whole  scene  is 
appealed  to  by  a  general  sense  of  colour,  but  if 
first  one  object  is  looked  at  and  then  another,  the 
colour  of  each  one  of  them  is  seen  as  a  separate 
sensation.  With  such  separate  sensations  we  have 
the  beauty  of  contrast  so  greatly  desired  of  the 
primitives,  and  inevitably  impressionism  evolved 
towards  the  art  of  Whistler,  hovering  at  the  very 
border  of  purely  musical  and  harmonic  expression. 
The  precision  of  the  Dutchmen  enabled  them 
to  excel  with  the  beauty  of  surfaces  in  the  most 
trifling  things,  things  which  you  cannot  make 
mystic.  It  is  perhaps  those  whose  failure  is  with 
the  beauty  of  this  world  who  plunge  into  mysticism. 
The  old  ideal  of  a  realism  perfectly  finished  and 
intelligible  is  not  usurped,  but  supplemented  by 
the  desire  for  the  sensation  of  space  and  air. 
But  the  hands  of  the  modern  painter  are  embar- 
rassed with  a  knowledge  which  makes  everything 
mysterious.  The  edges  of  things  evade  him,  and 
he  has  always  found  it  impossible  for  him  to 
paint  what  he  sees  with  receipts  still  in  his  hand 
for  the  old  things.  T.  Martin  Wood. 


A 


N  ARTIST  FROM  AUSTRALIA: 
MR.   ARTHUR    STREETON. 


The  career  of  Mr.  Arthur  Streeton 
affords  an  admirable  illustration  of  the  way  in 
which  a  man  of  clear  artistic  conviction  and 
vigorous  individuality  can  make  for  himself  a 
position  of  distinction  in  the  art  world  without 
having  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  any  systematic 
traming.  The  artist  who  is  self-taught,  who  has, 
that  is  to  say,  acquired  the  necessary  knowledge 
of  the  practical  details  of  his  profession  by  his  own 
exertions,  is  apt  to  develop  in  a  manner  that  is 
more  or  less  une.xpected.  He  has  no  ready-made 
system  of  working  provided  for  him  by  masters 
who  make  it  their  business  to  smooth  the  student's 
way  to  a  complete  knowledge  of  craftsmanship;  he 
lias  no  opportunity  offered  him  of  profiting  by 
the  experience  of  men  who  have  reduced  executive 
processes  to  rule,  and  who  can  prescribe  exactly 
the  methods  he  should  employ  to  express  his  ideas 
and  impressions.  He  learns  no  school  tricks  and 
no  time-saving  devices  which  enable  him  to  attack 


"LA   SALUTE,    VE.NICE" 


BY  ARTHUR   SIREKTON 

259 


Arthur  Streeton 


the  more  abstruse  problems  of  art  whUe  he  is  still 
little  more  than  a  beginner.  He  has  to  find  out 
everything  for  himself,  to  construct  his  own  system, 
to  build  his  foundation  of  technical  knowledge  in 
his  own  way,  and  upon  this  foundation  to  base  the 
manner  of  expression  which  is  to  be  his  throughout 
his  life. 

But  though,  no  doubt,  self  education  involves 
some  loss  of  time  for  the  student,  because  he  has 
to  hunt  out  unassisted  all  the  short  cuts,  instead  of 
having  them  pointed  out  to  him  by  a  master  who 
knows  the  whole  of  them  by  heart,  it  encourages  in 
him  a  very  valuable  habit  of  self  reliance  and  an 
entirely  personal  attitude  towards  the  principles  of 
artistic  practice.  Best  of  all,  it  gives  full  scope  to 
his  individuality  and  saves  him  from  the  risk  of 
having  his  instincts  conventionalised.  In  a 
school  there  is  necessarily  a  clearly  defined  course 
of  training  to  which  every  student  has  to  conform, 
and  this  conformity  is  apt  to  limit  in  after  life  the 
powers  of  initiative  which  these  students  naturally 


possess,  and  to  incline  them  to  work  by  rule  rather 
than  by  inspiration.  It  takes  much  strength  of 
character  to  enable  an  artist  to  break  away  from 
the  dogmas  which  have  been  imposed  upon  him 
by  an  art  school  and  to  allow  him  to  be  frankly 
himself:  the  memory  of  the  things  he  was  told  to 
do  when  he  was  too  young  and  too  inexperienced 
to  have  much  will  of  his  own  has  a  surprising  power 
to  affect  him  in  his  maturer  years,  even  though 
with  a  wider  understanding  of  his  craft  he  has  come 
to  recognise  that  many  of  these  things  are  actually 
prejudicial  to  his  art  and  interfere  with  his  proper 
development. 

In  Mr.  Streeton's  case  there  has  certainly  been 
nothing  to  hamper  the  evolution  of  his  personality. 
From  the  first  he  has  been  free  to  work  out  his 
artistic  destiny  in  the  way  that  seemed  best  to  him, 
and  to  choose  the  course  in  art  which  was  most  in 
accordance  with  his  temperament.  He  was  born 
in  Australia — at  Melbourne  in  1867 — and  in 
Australia  he  remained  until  he  was  thirty  years  old. 


"SAN  GEREMIA,  VENICE" 
260 


KY  ARTHUR  STREETON 


SYDNEY    HARBOUR."     FROM   THE   OIL 
PAINTING   BY   ARTHUR   STREETON 


Arthur  Street  on 


"THE   RIALTO,    VENICE'' 

SO  that  he  had  not  only  no  art  school  teaching,  but 
also  none  of  that  education  by  association  which  is 
possible  to  the  youth  who  in  European  cities  has 
ample  opportunities  for  studying  and  comparing 
the  works  of  the  masters  of  all  periods.  But 
during  these  thirty  years  he  was  making  himself  an 
artist  of  a  very  notable 
type  by  the  best  possible 
mode    of    training  —  in-  r 

cessant  contact  with  and 
study  of  nature — and  he 
acquired  in  this  way 
shrewd  habits  of  observa- 
tion and  sound  methods 
of  direct  and  significant 
execution  which  have 
ser\ed him  admirably  ever 
since. 

It  must  be  noted,  how- 
ever, that  at  this  period  of 
his  life  he  was  not  entirely 
without  artistic  compan- 
ionship. He  was  one  of 
a  small  group  of  able 
young  Australian  artists, 
all  enthusiastic  students 
of  nature,  and  his  associa- 
tion with  these  men,  who 
were  well  able  to  sym- 
pathise with  him  in  his 
262 


aims,  was  no  doubt  help- 
ful, because  it  enabled 
him  to  measure  his  work 
against  theirs,  and  be- 
cause it  brought  him  into 
a  surrounding  where 
frank  and  kindly  criticism 
of  his  efforts  was  to  be 
expected  as  a  matter  of 
course. 

An  eminently  practical 
outcome  of  this  associa- 
tion was  a  kind  of  open- 
air  studio,  an  artist's 
camp  in  which  he  spent 
several  years  with  Tom 
Roberts  and  Charles 
Conder,  and  worked  per- 
sistently out  -  of  -  doors, 
gaining  steadily  in  com- 
mand over  the  practical 
details  of  craftsmanship 
and  learning  surely  how 
to  look  at  nature  under 
all  sorts  of  aspects.  The  pictures  he  painted  at 
this  time  have  a  singular  attractiveness,  a  vivid 
and  decisive  actuality  which  is  remarkably  con- 
vincing. They  bear  the  stamp  of  an  indisputable 
sincerity  and  of  frank  unquestioning  faith  in  the 
sufficiency  of  nature  as  a  guide,  and  they  are  dis- 


BY   ARTHUR  STREETON 


I,    PALACES    ON    THE    GRAND  C.VNAL,    VENICE' 


BV    AKTHUR   STREETON 


"HAY    BARGES    ON   THE  THAMES."    from 
THE    OIL    PAINTING  BY  ARTHUR    STREETON. 


Arthur  Street  on 


"BAMUOROUGH   CA^TI  i;  ' 

tinguished  by  a  brilliant  directness  of  statement 
which  proves  clearly  how  sure  he  was  of  himself 
even  at  that  early  stage,  and  how  well  his  instincts 
served  him  in  his  choice  of  methods  of  expression. 
These  qualities  in  his  art  were  promptly  recognised 
when  he  began  to  show  his  paintings  in  European 
galleries.  Art  lovers  will  remember  the  excellent 
impression  made  by  the  canvases  he  contributed 
to  the  exhibition  of  Australian  art  which  was 
held  some  years  ago  at  the  Grafton  Galleries. 
His  first  Academy  picture,  too — Golden  Summer, 
which    was   at    Burlington    House    in    1891 — was 


awarded  an  honourable 
mention  at  the  Paris  Salon 
in  1892,  and  was  bought 
by  a  well-known  collector, 
Mr.  Charles  Mitchell,  of 
Jesmond  Towers. 

It  was  not  until  1897 
that  Mr.  Streeton  decided 
to  leave  his  home  in 
Australia  and  to  establish 
himself  in  London.  For 
five  or  six  years  previously 
he  had  been  working  in 
New  South  Wales  and 
had  got  together  a  con- 
siderable collection  of 
pictures  which  he  ex- 
hibited at  Melbourne 
before  his  departure.  On 
his  way  to  Europe  he 
visited  Cairo,  proposing  to  spend  a  week  there,  but 
Egypt  so  fascinated  him  that  he  remained  for  five 
months  painting  assiduously  and  turning  to  full 
account  the  artistic  opportunities  which  were  so 
amply  available  in  these  new  surroundings.  He 
added  further  to  his  experiences  by  spending 
a  month  at  Naples ;  and  when  at  last  he  arrived 
in  London  he  had  considerably  widened  his  out- 
look and  had  begun  very  definitely  that  evolution 
in  his  practice  which  has  produced  such  remark- 
able results  during  the  last  ten  years. 

The   effect    upon    his   art   of    this    move   from 


BY    ARTHUR    STREETON 


"THE   GRAND   CANAL,    VENICE" 


BY   ARTHUR   STREETON 
265 


o 
Pi 

fe  Qi 


Arthiiy  Street  on 


Australia  to  England  has,  indeed,  been  as  marked 
as  it  has  been  interesting.  Directly  he  came  to 
London  he  began  quite  perceptibly  to  feel  the 
influence  of  the  stylists  in  painting,  and  under  this 
influence  he  became  conscious  that  he  possessed 
decorative  instincts  which  as  yet  he  had  hardly 
attempted  to  develop.  So  upon  his  robust 
actuality  he  grafted  in  a  very  individual  way 
refinements  and  subtleties  of  expression  which 
increased  the  delicacy  and  charm  of  his  work 
without  diminishing  its  power.  He  gave  more 
attention  to  the  adjustment  of  the  details  of  his 
design  and  to  the  working  out  of  a  consistent 
scheme  of  pictorial  arrangement,  and  he  learned 
more  surely  the  value  of  intelligent  suggestion 
in  his  transcription  of  nature's  facts.  He  added, 
in  fact,  to  his  art  just  that  touch  of  restraint  and 
just  those  qualities  of 
orderly  contrivance 
which  were  necessary  to 
make  its  vitality  fully 
effective,  and  to  give  to 
its  masculine  originality 
the  right  degree  of 
Eesthetic  interest. 

For  the  last  ten  years 
there  has  been  no  inter- 
mission in  this  process  of 
development,  and  there 
has  been  no  pause  in 
Mr.  Streeton's  progress 
towards  that  position  in 
the  front  rank  of  British 
artists  to  which  he  is 
entitled  by  virtue  of  his 
unusual  ability.  He 
has  matured  steadily, 
thoughtfully,  and  with 
a  sense  of  responsibility 
that  deserves  admiration ; 
and  he  has  acquired  a 
complete  control  over 
his  resources  without 
sacrificing  any  of  those 
essential  characteristics 
which  have  from  the 
first  accounted  for  the 
attractiveness  and  the 
unusual  distinction  of 
his  achievement.  He  has 
exhibited  much  at  the 
Academy,  the  New  Gal- 
lery, and  many  other 
galleries  in  this  country 


and  abroad,  and  his  work  has  always  more  than 
held  its  own  wherever  it  has  been  shown.  In  1906 
he  went  out  to  Australia  and  had  exhibitions  of 
his  pictures  at  Melbourne  and  Sydney,  in  both 
of  which  cities  he  was  welcomed  with  enthusiasm 
and  received  the  most  practical  proof  of  the 
opinion  that  was  held  there  of  his  powers. 
Several  of  his  paintings  were  purchased  for  the 
art  galleries  of  the  different  states,  and  he  had  a 
host  of  private  buyers  besides. 

He  returned  to  London  at  the  end  of  1907, 
and,  in  January  1908,  was  married  to  Miss  Nora 
Clench,  the  well-known  violinist,  and  shortly  after 
he  went  for  some  months  to  Venice,  where  he 
painted  a  series  of  pictures  which  are  in  many 
respects  the  most  important  he  has  as  yet  produced. 
It    is     decidedly    instructive    to    compare     these 


"CLAIR   DE    LUNE   SUR    LES   TABLES    D'UNE   TAVERNE    ROMAINE 


(Sec  tiext  arlicU) 


BV    MARIO    DE    MARIA 
267 


Italian  Art  at  tJie  Venice  International  Exhibition 


^"enetian  canvases,  the  finely  felt  study,  T/ie  Rialio, 
the  dignified  Three  Palaces,  the  poetically  suggested 
San  Geremia,  and  La  Salute,  and  the  splendidly 
spacious  Grand  Canal,  with  his  admirably  decor- 
ative Hay  Barges  on  the  Thames,  and  with  his 
expansive  and  expressive  landscapes  Australia 
Felix  and  Sydney  Harbour,  or  with  that  delightful 
piece  of  impressive  design,  the  Bamborough  Castle. 
By  this  comparison  it  can  be  seen  how  rightly 
adaptable  he  is  and  how  judiciously  he  responds 
to  the  spirit  of  the  place  in  which  he  is  working. 
His  Australia  Felix,  which,  by  the  way,  has  just 
been  awarded  a  bronze  medal  at  the  Salon  des 
Artistes  Frangais,  is,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
singularly  happy  as  a  record  of  the  Australia  he 
knows  so  well ;  but  the  acuteness  of  vision  which 
makes  this  picture  supremely  memorable  gives  not 
less  authority  to  his  Venetian  and  English  subjects, 
and  accounts  equally  for  their  brilliant  power. 
Mr.  Streeton,  indeed,  is  an  artist  with  a  natural 
equipment  which  will  ser\-e  him  well  in  any 
situation,  and  the  habits  of  self-reliance  which  he 
has  acquired  by  the  manner  of  his  training  make 
possible  to  him  the  highest  type  of  achievement, 
because  he  has  no  conventions  to  cramp  his 
freedom  of  action.  W.  K.  \\'est. 


I 


TALIAN  ART  AT  THE  VENICE 
INTERNATIONAL  EXHIBITION. 
BV  VITTORIO   PICA. 


The  chief  attraction  of  the  eighth  International 
Art  Exhibition  of  Venice,  and  without  the  slightest 
doubt  that  which  has  obtained  the  unanimous  suf- 
frage of  admiration  and  esteem  of  public  and  critics 
alike,  consists  of  the  groups  of  individual  exhibits 
by  a  few  amongst  the  most  characteristic  Italian 
painters  of  the  present  day,  to  each  of  whom  has 
been  assigned  an  entire  room  or  adequate  wall 
space. 

Though  we  may  admire  at  this  exhibition  the 
subtle  and  profound  charm  of  the  art  of  Besnard, 
the  Frenchman,  the  fantastic  power  of  Franz  Stuck, 
the  German,  the  plastic  vigour  of  Zorn,  the  Swede, 
the  realistic  methods  of  Kroyer,  the  Dane,  the 
evocative  and  illuminating  work  of  Glaus,  the 
Belgian,  these  great  foreign  artists  are  so  well 
known  in  their  various  pictorial  manifestations  to 
the  readers  of  The  Studio,  that  I  think  it  will 
be  more  opportune  for  me  to  speak  to-day  of  the 
Italian  artists  who  figure  prominently  in  Venice. 

The  most  complete  individual  collection  among 
the  Italians,  and  the  one  before  which  the  crowds 


"  LE  cable' 
268 


BY   ETTORE   TITO 


"LES   DUNES" 
BY   ETTORE   TITO 


Italian  Art  at  the  l^eiiice  International  Exhibition 


seem  to  linger  with  the  greatest  pleasure,  is  that  of 
Ettore  Tito,  who  exhibits  forty-five  pictures,  large 
and  small.  Tito  is  a  keen  obser\-er  of  ^'enetian 
life,  a  brilliant  colourist,  sensuous  and  emotional, 
unsurpassed  as  a  draughtsman,  excelling  in  popular 
subjects,  and  full  of  vivacity  and  brio. 

Another  typical  exponent  of  modern  Venetian 
painting,  free  and  dashing,  is  Guglielmo  Ciardi,  who 
excels  in  landscapes  and  sea  pieces.  He  generally 
turns  for  inspiration  to  the  ancient  and  glorious 
Queen  of  the  Adriatic,  and  reproduces  now  with 
delicacy,  now  with  vigour,  the  perennial  beauties  of 
the  City  of  the  Lagoons,  or  the  varied  aspects  of 
sea,  lakes,  rivers,  mountains  and  plains  of  Italy, 
from  the  extreme  north  to  the  remote  south  of  the 
peninsula.  Side  by  side  with  Guglielmo  Ciardi,  who 
though  now  close  on  sixty-seven  is  still  hard  at  work 
and  full  of  energy,  we  must  mention  his  son  and 
daughter,  Beppe  and  Emma, 
worthy  offspring  of  their  father. 
Beppe  Ciardi  exhibits  a  lu- 
minous and  powerful  Alpine 
scene,  also  a  perfectly  charm- 
ing picture  of  children  at  play 
in  a  meadow,  while  Emma 
Ciardi  shows  two  poetically 
suggestive  Italian  villas  peopled 
with  seventeenth-century 
figures,  a  genre  of  which  she 
has  made  quite  a  speciality. 
Of  Mario  de  Maria,  who  for  so 
many  years  preferred  to  be 
known  by  the  romantic  pseu- 
donym of  'Marms  Pictor,"  I 
have  already  more  than  once 
had  occasion  to  speak  to  the 
readers  of  The  Studio.  As  I 
have  told  them,  I  consider  him 
to  be  one  of  Italy's  most  expres- 
sive and  original  painters,  one 
of  whom  Italy  is  justly  proud. 
Of  his  imagination,  often  weird 
and  whimsical,  of  the  peculiarity 
of  his  style  and  principal  tenden- 
cies, of  his  elaborate  technique 
and  enlightenment,  we  have 
evidence  in  the  numerous  can- 
vases portraying  so  many  dif- 
ferent subjects  and  impressions 
that  now  so  worthily  represent 
him  in  Venice. 

Hard  by  the  two  Venetians, 
Tito  and  Ciardi,  the  Bolognese, 
De    Maria,    and   the    Ligurian, 
270 


Cesare  Tallone,  whose  ability  as  a  portraitist  is 
represented  by  works  of  unequal  merit,  are  the 
Tuscan,  Francesco  Gioli,  the  Triestian,  Girolamo 
Cairati,  and  the  Sicilian,  Ettore  de  Maria-Bergler. 
One  and  all — whether  in  oils  or  pastels — they 
have  depicted  the  different  well-defined  charac- 
teristics of  Italy  from  north  to  south. 

The  Roman  painter,  Camillo  Innocenti,  stands 
pre-eminent.  He  was  requested  by  the  jury  of  the 
Exhibition  to  make  a  special  exhibit  of  his  works 
— a  great  distinction,  as  he  is  still  a  comparatively 
young  man.  Of  such  a  high  tribute  Innocenti 
was  well  worthy,  as  he  is  without  question  the 
most  brilliantly  endowed  of  the  young  artists 
whose  talents  have  been  discovered  and  en- 
couraged by  the  biennial  exhibitions  in  Venice. 
We  admire  in  him  the  infinite  variety  and  deli- 
cacy,   the    ability   he   shows    in    reproducing    his 


liV    AklUKO    .NUCl 


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Italian  Art  at  tlic   rciiicc  lutcniatioiial  Exhibit  ion 


jOLEII.    II  HIVEK 


conceptions,  the  directness  with  which  he  presents 
the  picturesqueness  of  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  people,  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  women, 
the  charm  and  intimacy  of  family  life,  with  ever- 
varying  and  graduating  progression  of  colour  and 
kaleidoscopic  effects. 

Besides  those  already  mentioned  there  are 
four  celebrated  Italian  painters  who  have  died 
during  the  last  ten  years — Pasini,  Fattori,  Signo- 
rini  and  Pellizza.  Alberto  Pasini  was  a  very  clever, 
conscientious  painter,  who  sought  his  inspiration 
from  the  East.  He  brought  out  in  his  paintings  the 
particular  atmosphere  of 
the  Orient.  Giovanni 
Fattori,  although  at  times 
uneven  and  erratic,  and 
perhaps  too  prolific,  was 
always  original,  vigorous 
and  insinuating  ;  his  chief 
aim  was  to  express  with 
his  brush  the  instanta- 
neity  of  life  in  movement. 
Telemaco  Signorini  was  a 
realistic,  sincere  and  con- 
vincing painter.  During 
his  long  career  he  culti- 
vated figure  as  well  as 
landscape  painting  and 
etching.  He  had  a  very 
facile  pen,  which  he  used 
most  dexterously  in 
artistic  polemics,  and 
although  perhaps  less 
spontaneous,  less  original 
272 


i  n  controversy  than  Fattori, 
he  showed  himself,  never- 
theless, powerful  and 
thoroughly  at  home  amid 
all  the  conflicting  ele- 
ments of  argument  regard- 
ing technique,  &c. 

Giuseppe  Pellizza,  of 
Volpedo,  who  died  by  his 
own  hand  in  1907,  before 
reaching  the  age  of  forty, 
and  who  has  already  been 
the  subject  of  a  notice 
in  The  Studio  (October, 
1908,  pp.  65,  et  seq.), 
was  one  of  the  band  of 
enthusiastic  and  faithful 
followers  of  the  division- 

l,lU.-!lLl'IE    lELl.IZZA  .      .  ,       .  ,  ,  , 

istic  technique,  the  school 
of  Seurat  and  Signac, 
which  he  in  common  with  Segantini,  Morbelli, 
Grubicy,  Previati,  Lionne  and  Balla  did  not  follow 
unreservedly.  However,  at  the  Venice  exhibition 
the  outcome  of  his  novel  technique  and  naturalistic 
tendency  is  brought  into  prominence  in  a  series 
of  canvases,  large  and  small,  which  conquer  our 
admiration  by  their  exquisite  poetical  sentiment. 

The  work  of  the  other  Italian  painters  is  distri- 
buted throughout  the  various  rooms  allotted  to 
each  province  of  Italy.  Among  the  Venetians  I 
must  mention  Bezzi,  who  sent  in  a  beautiful  winter 
scene  with  snow  effects,  in  which  is  found  all  the 


'  LE    CALME 


BY    GLGLIELMO   ClARDI 


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Italian  Art  at  the  Venice  International  Exhibition 


exquisite  delicacy  of  his  poetical  fancy.  Fragiacomo 
exhibits  two  pictures,  of  considerable  interest 
though  not  perhaps  among  his  happiest  efforts  ; 
Costantini,  a  charming  rural  scene,  in  which  he 
expresses  with  masterly  skill  the  solitude  of  the 
dim  twilight ;  Chitarin,  an  autumnal  landscape, 
showing  fine  effects  of  light ;  and,  among  the 
younger  men,  Lino  Selvatico,  with  a  graceful 
portrait  of  the  beautiful  Contessa  Morosini ;  Zanetti- 
Zilla,  and  Scattola.  Prominent  among  the  bc-t 
known  draughtsmen  is  Martini,  with  a  series  of 
masterful  illustrations  for  Poe's  works. 

In  the  Lombardy  School  I  must  name  besides 
Carcano,  Gola,  Mentessi,  Bazzaro  and  Belloni, 
who  maintain  their  high  reputation  with  works  of 
pronounced  merit,  Carrozzi,  with  two  very  large 
mountain  views  of  remarkable  perspective ;  Grubicy, 
with  three  small  pictures  in  which  clouds,  land  and 
water  are  admirably  delineated  under  the  mobile 
play  of  light  and  shade ;  Mariani,  who  with  two 
scenes  full  of  liveliness  and  vivacity,  transports  us 
into  the  feverish  surroundings  of  the  Casino  of 
Monte  Carlo;  Rizzi,  who  gives  an  excellent  portrait 


of  his  wife;  and  Chiesa,  with  a  festive  triptych  full 
of  sun  and  infantile  grace. 

Of  the  Piedmontese  group,  besides  Grosso  with 
his  dexterously  painted  Society  portraits  and 
sketches,  and  Maggi,  with  his  snow  scenes,  the 
following  painters  are  conspicuous :  Giani,  with 
two  tender  female  figures  of  romantic  expression  ; 
Tavernier,  with  a  broad  flowery  expanse  of  meadow- 
land  ;  and  two  young  artists  who  are  exhibiting  in 
Venice  for  the  first  time — Carena,  who  sent  up  a 
beautifully  modelled  nude  figure  delicately  tinted  ; 
and  Casorati,  who  made  a  great  impression  with 
his  two  groups  of  wrinkled  old  women  and  fresh 
young  girls  full  of  expression  and  contrast. 

Among  the  Tuscans,  Romagnolis  and  Emilians; 
a  special  word  of  praise  is  due  to  Gioli,  Tommasi, 
Graziosi,  Discovolo,  Majani,  Lori,  Lloyd,  Protti, 
and  Miti-Zanetti ;  and  among  the  Neapolitans, 
Campriani,  Migliaro,  Casciaro,  Caputo,  De  Sanctis 
and  Pratella  are  conspicuous. 

Special  praise  also  is  due  to  the  Roman  group, 
as  besides  the  fine  pictures  of  Innocenti,  already 
alluded  to,  and  Sartorio's  sketch  for  a  magnificent 


"  I.E  JARDIN    DE    l'aMOUR' 
274 


BY    EMMA   CIARDI 


Ifaliaii  Art  at  the  J'eiiice  liitcniational  Exhibition 


"  POESIE    1)  HIVBR 


EV    BARTOLOM.MEO    \i\LZZ\ 


decorative  frieze  for  the  great  new  hall  of  the  vases  by  Lionne ;  a  female  figure  by  Noci,  besides 
Italian  House  of  Parliament,  there  are  two  noble  excellent  works  by  Coleman,  Carlandi  and  Ricci. 
portraits   by   Mancini ;    two    very  interesting    can-  As   for    Italian   sculpture,   which  as  a    rule   has 


'  NIAGES    BLAXCS  '' 


BY   BEI'PE   CIARDI 


Architectural  Gardening. —  /  V/. 


won  such  well-deserved  triumph  in  former  Vene- 
tian exhibitions,  it  is  this  year  on  the  whole  some- 
what disappointing  and  insignificant,  in  spite  of  the 
majestic  classic  "high  relief"  exhibited  by  Ca- 
landra,  some  good  busts  by  D'Orsi,  Jerace, 
Ximenes,  Alberti  and  Bazzaro,  and  some  exqui- 
sitely modelled  figures  of  animals  by  Bugatti, 
Tofanari  and  Brozzi,  and  some  groups  by  Trou- 
betzkoi,  Apolloni,  Origo,  Ciusa,  Andreotti, 
Nicolini,  Nono,  Pellini,  Graziosi,  Prini,  Camaur, 
Cataldi,  Ugo  and  Sortini. 

Italians  may  well  feel  elated  at  the  great  strides 
which  decorative  painting  has  made  in  Italy  during 
the  last  few  years.  This  is  strikingly  exemplified 
at  this  Exhibition,  notably  in  the  works  by  Sartorio, 
Galileo  Chini  and  Plinio  Nomellini.  V.  P. 

ARCHITECTURAL  GARDENING. 
—VII.  WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS 
AFTER  DESIGNS  BY  C.  E. 
MALLOWS,  F.R.I.B.A.,  AND  F.  L. 
GRIGGS. 

In  the  previous  notes  on  this  subject  one  of  the 
principal  intentions  has  been  to  show  by  the  illus- 
trations as  well  as  by  the  letterpress  the  close 
relationship  that  should  exist,  in  a  good  scheme, 
between  the  house  and  garden,  and  particularly  in 


those  portions  of  the  garden  immediately  adjoining 
the  house.  This  should  be  evidenced  not  only  in 
things  pictorial  (such  as  the  grouping  of  the  strictly 
architectural  portions  of  the  gardens  with  the 
main  building)  but  also  in  the  equally  important 
questions  relating  to  the  disposition  and  general 
arrangement  of  the  whole  in  order  to  secure  the 
maximum  amount  of  convenience  and  simplicity 
in  the  practical  working.  There  is  also  to  re- 
member the  added  interest  and  charm  which  a 
studiously  contrived  garden  plan  will  give  to  the 
living  rooms  it  adjoins. 

The  design  shown  in  the  perspective  view  of  a 
riverside  house  and  garden  on  the  opposite  page, 
and  the  plan  in  explanation  of  it  on  this  page,  have 
been  specially  designed  to  illustrate  some  of  these 
points.  A  casual  glance  at  the  sketch  might 
prompt  the  question  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
this  view  illustrates  the  subject  of  these  notes  at 
all,  but  a  reference  to  the  plan  will  show  that  the 
garden,  so  far  from  being  a  subsidiary  part  of  the 
general  plan,  is  the  dominant  factor  in  the  design, 
and  controls  the  planning  of  the  house  as  it  should 
in  a  scheme  for  a  summer  residence. 

This  house  has  been  designed  to  meet  the 
special  requirements  asked  for  in  a  house  and 
garden  used  principally  in  the  summertime,  and 
proposed  to  be  built  on  the  banks  of  a  well  known 
river.     Here  the  life  would,  in  favourable  summers. 


7/,V////M/777/J7777r^/7n7r77^777^^^/Z77-  '/777//M  '/// 


{L  c^  ^^.    Q 


276 


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ArcJiitectitral  Gaydeiiiiig. — VII. 


be  spent  chiefly  out-of-doors,  and  the  principal 
amusements  centred  on  the  river,  and  general  out- 
door sports  and  pastimes.  Therefore  it  is  desirable 
that  the  greatest  possible  advantage  should  be  taken 
of  the  water  and  of  the  surroundings  of  the  water, 
and  of  the  interest  which  the  landscape  itself  lends 
to  the  whole.  But  it  is  also  necessary  to  remember 
that  while  the  fullest  advantage  should  be  gained 
from  these  things,  it  should  not  be  gained  at 
the  expense  of  the  comfort  and  privacy  of  the 
house  dwellers.  The  river  is  a  public  one,  and  the 
problem  that  requires  solving  is,  obviously,  how  to 
keep  all  the  advantages  just  referred  to  with  the 
maximum  amount  of  privacy  within  the  boun- 
daries of  the  garden. 

As  the  site  has  a  gentle  slope  to  the  riverside, 
an  advantage  is  gained  at  once  by  setting  the 
house  back  from  the  immediate  banks  of  the  river 
and  forming  a  water-garden  between  the  two.  In 
this  garden  the  river  water  can  be  diverted  directly 
with  great  effect  by  a  simple  connection  as  shown 
in   the  centre   of  the   sketch.     By   enclosing   the 


garden  with  a  screen  wall  on  one  side  all  the 
necessary  amount  of  privacy  is  secured  from  the 
river.  The  ground  floor  of  the  house,  being 
higher  up  on  the  bank,  raises  the  living  rooms 
well  out  of  sight  from  the  river,  and  yet  gives 
all  the  advantages  of  the  river  from  the  rooms  as 
well  as  a  clear  view,  from  the  principal  windows, 
of  the  landscape  beyond.  The  water  garden  sunk 
in  front  of  the  house  in  this  manner  would  also 
form  a  pleasant  foreground,  with  its  boundary  lines 
partly  formed  on  each  side  by  the  pergolas  in  front 
and  the  conservatory  on  one  side  and  loggia  or 
open-air  living  room  on  the  other.  All  this  upper 
level  would,  of  course,  have  the  full  benefit  of  the 
river  and  landscape. 

Another  gain  from  this  arrangement  of  the  plan 
on  the  natural  levels  of  the  site  is  that  all  the 
living  rooms,  both  external  and  internal,  are  raised 
high  above  highwater  mark,  giving,  as  just  men- 
tioned, across  the  wide  river,  fine  views  of  the  distant 
scenery.  The  principal  windows,  it  will  be  seen  on 
reference  to  the  view,  are  placed  in  the  centre  of 


GARDEN   COURT 

278 


DESIGNED   AND    DRAWN    BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.  R.I.B.A. 


PLAN   OF    HOUSE   AND   GARDEN    WITH    OI'EN-AHl 
LIVING   ROOMS.     BY   C.    E.   MALLOWS,   F.R.I. B.A. 


A)'cJiitcctHral  Gardening. — /  Y/. 


LOGGIA  AND   AI'PROACH 
DESIGNED    AND    DRAWN    BY    C.    E.    MALLOWS,    F.R.I. 


the  garden,  and  look  through  the  wide  break 
between  the  pergolas  on  each  side.  At  the  level 
of  the  water  garden  itself  an  open  arcade  or 
walk  runs  round  the  four  sides,  and  is  inter- 
rupted only  by  the  central  archway  from  the 
river  and  the  boathouse  on  the  opposite  side. 
This  lower  level  forms  an  almost  complete 
cloister,  oblong  in  shape,  the  central  space  or 
"garth"  being  occupied  by  water  and  flowers. 
Under  the  small  terrace  between  the  bay  win- 
dows the  boathouse  is  placed,  and  access  to  the 
garden  from  the  upper  level  is  obtained  by  the 
steps  arranged  on  each  side  of  this  small  terrace 
and  the  bridge  opposite. 

This  scheme  illustrates,  perhaps  as  clearly 
as  any  in  this  series,  the  idea  that  the  term 
"  Architectural  Gardening  "  is  intended  to  con- 
vey, viz.,  the  arrangement,  within  preconceived 
and  definite  architectural  lines,  of  the  garden  in 
relation  to  the  house. 

The  same  central  idea  in  design  of  square 
bays  with  a  recessed  space  between,  is  shown 
on  page  278  in  the  design  for  a  garden  court. 
In  this  plan  the  lower  part  of  the  central  space 
is  occupied  by  an  open  loggia,  which  serves  the 
280 


double  purpose  of  a  garden  entrance  linking 
together  the- drawing-  and  dining-rooms,  and  also 
of  an  open-air  living-room.  As  the  sketch  in- 
dicates, an  important  part  of  this  plan  is  the 
treatment  of  the  water,  which  is  arranged  as  a 
square  pond  placed  on  the  centre  line  of  the 
loggia.  This  water  being  on  the  south  side  of 
the  house  would  form  a  cool  and  pleasant  space 
with  its  reflections  of  the  house  and  trees  and 
flowers,  viewed  from  the  shade  of  the  loggia,  on 
hot  summer  days. 

In  a  matter  of  important  detail  one  of  the 
pleasantest  and  certainly  one  of  the  most  useful 
features  in  an  English  garden  is  (or  rather  should 
be,  for  the  point  is  nearly  always  ignored  or 
forgotten)  an  outdoor  sitting-  or  living-room 
where  meals  can  be  served  and  enjoyed  in  com- 
fort. When  some  attention  has  been  given  to 
this  point,  the  provision  made  is  such  that  it 
is  usually  quite  inadequate,  and  those  who  wish 


Civ 

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A   GARDEN    ENTRANCE   AND   APPROACH 
DESIGNED  AND    DRAWN    BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,  F.R.I 


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to  take  their  meals  out  of  doors  are  either  driven 
to  windy  and  exposed  corners  of  the  house,  or  to 
the  making  of  temporary  provision  in  the  shape 
of  unsightly  tents  or  structural  additions  to  the 
house  in  the  shape  of  unattractive  verandahs 
where,  when  in  actual  use,  most  of  the  people 
who  would  use  it  are  found  outside,  because  of  its 
tightness  in  planning. 

In  spite  of  the  English  climate,  and  with  all  its 
drawbacks,  gardens  are  used  a  great  deal  for  sitting 
in,  badly  planned  and  arranged  for  that  purpose  as 
they  usually  are.  In  a  carefully  planned  and  con- 
structed loggia  breakfast,  at  least,  would  be  possible 
in  the  open  air  during  the  greater  part  of  the  year, 
and  during  summer  months  nearly  all  the  family 
meals  could  be  taken  there,  to  the  great  gain  not 
only  of  pleasure  but  of  comfort  and  health. 
The  greatest  care  in  the  planning  of  such  spaces 
is  necessary,  however,  not  only  in  regard  to  their 
size,  position  and  aspect,  but  also  as  to  their 
relation  to  the  domestic  working  of  the  house  on 
the  one  hand  and  to  the  garden  on  the  other. 

The  plan  on  page  279 
shows  an  endeavour  to 
illustrate  one  method  of 
accomplishing  this.  The 
loggia  in  this  scheme  is 
on  the  north-east  side  of 
the  dining-room,  and  is, 
in  fact,  but  an  extension 
of  it  in  the  garden.  In 
this  way  it  can  be  made 
to  serve  the  double  pur- 
pose of  a  garden  room 
and  as  a  convenient  ad- 
journing place  for  after 
dinner,  smoking  and 
coffee.  It  will  be  seen 
that  this  space  is  planned 
so  as  to  be  readily  ac- 
cessible to  the  kitchen 
service  and  independent 
of  approach  from  the 
dining-room.  It  has,  as 
touching  its  connection 
with  the  garden,  the 
benefit  of  two  pleasant 
vistas,  one  looking  down 
the  narrow  paved  path 
between  two  hedges 
shown  in  the  sketch  on 
page  280,  and  the  other 
looking  down  the  length 
of  the  pergola.  This 
282 


plan  may  serve  to  indicate  some  of  the  practical 
and  pictorial  advantages  of  the  open  -  air  living- 
rooms,  and  to  show  one  way  in  which  they  can 
be  made  interesting  and  attractive  parts  of  the 
general  scheme. 

Another,  and  quite  a  different  plan,  is  shown 
by  the  view  on  page  284,  called  "  A  Garden 
Entrance."  Here  the  loggia  takes  a  position  on 
the  east  side  of  the  dining-room,  and  opens  from 
it  between  two  bay  windows,  the  southern  one  of 
which  is  shown  in  the  sketch.  That  portion  of  the 
space  next  the  house  is  recessed  and  protected, 
whilst  the  other  portion  has  the  benefit  of  three 
different  vistas  in  the  garden. 

The  drawing  on  page  281  represents  the  entrance 
front  of  a  north  country  house,  as  it  would  appear 
from  a  small  oval  pool  enclosed  by  yew  hedges 
round  which  the  drive  circles.  The  enclosing 
hedge  being  open  at  either  end  does  not  interrupt 
a  view  down  the  drive  from  the  house,  and  at  the 
same  time  gives  interest  to  what  is  otherwise  so 
often  a  drear)-  expanse  of  gravel. 


PLAN   OF   HOUSE   .\XD   GARDEN 


DESIGNED   BY   C.    E.    M.ALLOWS,    I.  R.I.I!. 


A   SUFFOLK    HOUSE   AND   CLOISTER 
DESIGNED    AND    DRAWN    BY    F.   L.   (iRIGGS 


Architectural  Garden  ills'. — /  //. 


The  plan  on  page  282  shows  a  scheme  of  house 
and  garden  \vhere  an  endeavour  has  been  made  to 
contrive  a  series  of  set  pictures  from  each  of  the 
principal  rooms  and  at  the  same  time  to  arrange  a 
serviceable  outdoor  living-room  which  should  also 
form  a  part  of  the  pergola  in  the  centre  of  the 
flower  garden,  and  in  addition  is  the  garden  entrance 
to  the  hall,  dining-  and  drawing-rooms.  This  out- 
door living-room  is  placed  in  the  centre  line  of  the 
staircase  so  that  from  this  a  view  is  obtained 
through  the  loggia  and  the  length  of  the  pergola  to 
the  landscape  beyond.  On  the  occasions  when  the 
loggia  or  garden  entrance  is  used  for  meals,  over- 
flow parties  could  extend  to  the  pergola  as  far  as 
necessary,  whilst  the  shade  from  the  pergola  would 
not  in  any  way  obstruct  the  access  of  light  to  the 
principal  rooms  or  to  the  loggia.  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  end  windows  of  both  the  dining-  and 
drawing-rooms  look  on  to  grass  glades  planned 
through  the  orchards  on  each  side, 
whilst  a  different  picture  alto- 
gether, of  flowers  and  flagged  paths,  . 
is  given  to  both  rooms  through 
the  windows  on  the  long  sides. 

In  the  general  conception  and 
arrangement  of  a  garden  scheme 
it  is  often  desirable  that  it 
should  include  provision  for  some 
places  of  shade  in  direct  connec- 
tion with  the  house  and  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  is  possible  to  gain 
access  to  the  more  important  parts 
of  the  garden  without  discomfort 
either  in  summer  or  in  winter. 

One  of  the  most  effective  ways 
of  accomplishing  this  end  is  by 
the  intelligent  placing  of  loggias 
and  open-air  living  rooms  as  just 
described,  but  another  and  still 
more  beautiful  and  practical 
method  is  by  an  arrangement  of 
covered  walks  in  cloistered  form. 

These  can  be  planned  in  imme- 
diate contact  with  the  house,  as 
shown  opposite  in  the  sketch  of 
a  courtyard  garden,  where  the 
connecting  walk  is  indicated  to  the 
left  of  the  sketch,  or  the  cloister 
can  be  treated  as  an  independent 
feature  in  itself,  and  made  to  form 
a  serviceable  part  in  a  scheme  of 
conservatories  and  glasshouses. 

The  drawings  on  pages  283  and 
285  show  parts  of  a  house  and 
284 


garden  supposed  (for  the  purposes  of  this  article)  to 
be  remodelled  from  a  farmhouse  and  adjacent  barn  ; 
plenty  of  such  opportunities  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Eastern  counties,  the  barn  and  a  high  enclosing 
wall  forming  backgrounds  for  two  sides  of  the 
quadrangular  cloister.  In  the  drawing  on  page  283 
is  shown  a  central  bay  on  which  all  the  inexpen- 
sive ornament  the  house  receives  is  centred,  which 
is  immediately  opposite  the  summer-house  (a  com- 
panion feature  in  the  scheme)  shown  opposite. 
The  thatched  roof  of  the  barn  is  brought  down 
lower  to  form  a  covering  for  the  cloister  on  that 
side,  and  is  continued  along  the  wall.  The  garden 
itself  is  crossed  by  flagged  paths,  bordered  with 
Virginia  stock,  and  at  the  crossing  in  the  centre  is 
a  sundial.  In  a  garden  such  as  this  shade  and 
shelter  and  cosiness  would  be  gained  at  once, 
and  the  pleasure  a  garden  affords  could  be 
enjoyed  on  more  days  of  the  year. 


GARDEN    ENTRANCE 


DESIGNED  AND   DRAWN    BY   r.   L.    GRIGGS 


ArcJiitectural  Gardening. — VII. 


SKETCH    DESIGN    FOR   A   COURTYARD   GARDEN 


BY   C.    E.    MALLOWS,    K.  R.I.B.A. 


jaS8^gf^SS3B^f^[jgjije»aji»«g&^^'^'' 


A   CLOISTER  AND   SUMMER    HOUSE 


DESIGNED   AND    DRAWN    BY    F.    L.    GRIGGS 


The  National  Competition  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 

appearance  from  any  things  of  the  same  kind 
that  had .  been  seen  before.  There  was  a  wel- 
come sanity  about  the  general  tone  of  the  work 
at  South  Kensington  this  year,  and  a  fairly  high 
level  of  accomplishment,  both  in  design  and 
craftsmanship,  but,  nevertheless,  looking  at  the 
exhibition  as  a  whole,  it 
is  impossible  to  help 
agreeing  in  some  mea- 
sure with  the  views 
expressed  in  the  report 
of  the  judges  in  the 
pottery  section.  They 
complain  of  the  paucity 
and  poverty  of  the 
designs  for  domestic 
articles  —  which  were 
confined  this  year  to 
plates,  cups  and  saucers 
— and  regret  that  the 
attention  of  the  students 
trated  almost  exclusively 

fashion  to  call  "  art "  pottery.  This  tendency 
was  noticeable  also  in  other  sections  of  the 
National  Art  Competition.  The  things  that 
most  of  the  students  design  and  make  are  too 
ornate  and  too  expensive  for  common  use,  and 


DESIGN  FOR  SILVER 

BROOCH 
BY   EVELYN   E. 

FRANK    (LEEDS) 


seems  to    be   concen- 
upon    what   it   is   the 


DESIGN    FOR    NECKLET    AND    PENDANT 

BY   ETHEL   M.    CHARNLEV   (LEICESTER) 


THE  NATION- 
AL COMPE- 
TITION OF 
SCHOOLS  OF 
ART,    1909. 

If  we  may  judge  by  the 
exhibition  of  the  National 
Art  Competition  works 
held  at  South  Kensington 
last  month  the  "  New  Art  " 
craze  of  a  few  years  ago 
no  longer  influences  our 
young  designers.  Of  eccen- 
tricity there  was,  indeed, 
very  little  trace  in  the 
exhibition,  and  although 
originality  was  not  lacking, 
there  was  evidence-in  much 
of  the  work  shown  that 
the  designers  had  aimed 
at  fitness  and  at  what  they 
regard  as  beauty,  rather 
than  at  the  production 
of  objects  whose  chief 
quality  was  difference  in 
286 


DESIGN    FOR   SILVER   SUGAR-BASIN 


BY   CLARENCE   V.    FRAYN    (BRADFORD) 


The  National  Competition  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 


insufficient  attention  is  given  to  the  production 
of  objects  with  qualities  of  simplicity  and 
beauty,  independent  of  costly  materials  and 
elaborate  workmanship. 

It  is  unfortunate,  of  course,  that  at  the 
present  time  the  beauty  of  simple  things  does 
not  appeal  to  the  majority,  and  that  the  market 
for  them  is  therefore  limited,  but  it  should  be 
the  object  of  the  artist-designer  to   endeavour 


DESIGN  FOR  DECORATED  HAND- 
MIRROR 
BY  FLORENCE  GOWER  (REGENT 
STREET  POLYTECHNIC) 


to  elevate  the  standard  of  popular  taste, 
and  already  there  are  signs,  faint  enough 
to  be  sure,  of  improvement  in  this 
direction.  And  nothing  can  do  more 
to  further  this  improvement  than  the 
development  of  beauty  in  the  objects 
of  ordinary  use,  the  things  we  see  and 
handle  and  have  about  us  in  our  daily 
life.  "  Have  nothing  in  your  houses 
that  you  do  not  know  to  be  useful  or 
believe  to  be  beautiful "  was  a  ma.\im 
that  Morris  impressed  again  and  again 
upon  the  members  of  the  Birmingham 
Society  of  Art  and  School  of  Design 


DESIGN   FOR   ENAMELLED  SILVER   HAIRCOMB 

BY  HERBERT  SHIRLEY  (BIRMINGHAM,  VITTORIA  STREET) 


when  he  delivered  in  their  presence  that  admirable 
address  known  as  "The  Beauty  of  Life,"  which 
deserves  to  be  read  and  studied  by  every  artist. 

Although  in  craftsmanship  and  design  the 
general  level  of  the  National  Art  Competition 
E.xhibition  was  as  high  as  last  year,  or  even  higher, 
it  contained  nothing  so  fine  as  the  best  examples 
of  1908.  There  was,  for  instance,  nothing  among 
the  pottery  to  compare  with  the  bowls  and  pots 
in  silver  and  ruby  lustre  that  Mr.  C.   E.  Cundall 


DESIGN    FOR   NECKLET  AND   PENDANT  SET  WITH   STONES 

BY   ALICE   M.    CAMWKLL   (BIRMINGHAM,    MARGARET  STREET) 

287 


The  National  Coiupetitioii  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 


given  to  Mr.  Silas  Paul,  of  Leeds,  for  a 
steel  presentation  trowel  accompanied 
by  a  leather  case  with  metal  fittings. 
It  is  difficult  to  agree  with  the  judges 
concerning  the  beauties  of  Mr.  Paul's 
trowel,  the  "excellent  design,  great  taste 
and  masterly  execution  "  of  which  they 
praise  in  the  report.  The  compara- 
tive freedom  from  eccentricity  of  the 
National  Art  Competition  works  was 
nowhere  more  marked  than  in  the 
jewellery,  among  which  were  few,  if 
any,  pieces  that  could  not  be  worn. 
This  is  more  than  can  be  said  for  some 
of  the  jewellery  exhibited  in  London 
during  the  past  three  or  four  years  by 
French  artist-craftsmen,  whose  exquisite 
skill  has  too  often  been  devoted  to  the 
production  of  ornaments  fitter  for  the 
showcases  of  museums  than  the  head 
or  neck  of  a  woman.     Among  the  hair- 


DESIGN  FOR  POTTERY  PANEL 

BY  REGINALD  T.  COTTERILL  (BURSLEM) 


showed  last  year,  or,  in  another  section,  with 
the  beautiful  enamels  contributed  by  Miss 
Kathleen  Fox  and  other  students  of  the  Dublin 
School  of  Art.  Among  the  works  in  metal 
shown  this  year  the  elegance  of  the  sugar-basin 
in  silver  with  a  plain  glass  bowl,  by  Mr.  Clarence 
V.  Frayn  of  Bradford,  deser\-es  high  commen- 
dation. The  highest  award  made  by  the 
examiners    in   this   section  is   the    gold    medal 


DESIGN    FOR   TILES 

BY   DENISB   K.    TCCKFIELD   (KINGSTON-ON-THAMES) 

288 


MODEL   OF   TURKEY    FROM    NATURE 

BY  ERNESTS.  STAINTON  IBIRMINGHAM,   MARGARET  ST.) 


combs  in  the  National  Art  Competition  Exhibi- 
tion one  of  silver,  with  enamel  roses  and  foliage 
round  a  centre  opal,  by  Miss  Carrie  Copson, 
and  another  of  pierced  silver  with  foliage  in 
green  enamel,  by  Mr.  Herbert  Shirley,  deserve 


The  National  Coiiipctition  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 


DESIGN    FOR   EMBOSSED   LEATHER  TOBACCO-BOX 

BY  ARTHUR  E.  THOMAS  (BIRMINGHAM,  MARGARET  ST.) 


and  several  attractive  door  handles  in  brass  and 
bronze  by  Mr.  John  S.  Clegg,  Mr.  Frank  H. 
Morris,  and  Mr.  Albert  E.  Woffinden  of  Birming- 
ham (Margaret  Street).  Mr.  Frank  Outram  of 
Birmingham  (Margaret  Street)  showed  some  fire- 
dogs  in  wrought  iron  with  brass  inlay.  Other 
good  examples  of  metal  work  were  the  enamelled 
christening  cup  by  Miss  Effie  Luke,  of  Dublin, 
the  vase  in  copper  and  silver  by  Mr.  Lelant  Black, 
of  Islington  (Camden),  and  a  copper  bowl  of 
distinction  by  Mr.  Alfred  M.  Wright,  of  Birming- 
ham (Vittoria  Street). 

One  or  two  of  the  few  examples  of  leather  work 
in  the  exhibition  were  unusually  good.  Perhaps 
the  best  was  the  black  tobacco-box,  with  inscrip- 
tion, by  Mr.  Arthur  E.  Thomas,  of  Birmingham 
(Margaret  Street).  The  hand-mirror  by  Miss 
Florence  Gower,  of  Regent  Street  Polytechnic, 
with  its  quaint  Elizabethan  decoration  in  gesso,  and 
the  vellum  covered  caskets  by  Miss  Rosa  Gibb, 
Miss  Eleanor  M.  Woolmer,  and  Miss  Eva  Batley, 
all  students  at  the  Ipswich  school,  should  be 
noticed  among  other  minor  pieces  of  design  and 
craftsmanship  in  this  section.  With  them,  for  some 
unexplained    reason,    was   shown   a   capital    little 


particular  notice.  Both  were  the  work  of 
Birmingham  (Vittoria  Street)  students. 
Another  good  piece  of  jewellery  from 
Birmingham  (Margaret  Street)  was  Miss 
Alice  M.  Camwell's  necklet  and  pendant 
of  silver,  green  enamel  and  opal.  The 
colour  was  the  least  attractive  feature  of 
Miss  Camwell's  jewellery.  From  Leicester 
came  a  nice  necklet  in  silver  by  Miss 
Annie  M.  Taylor,  and  a  dainty  pendant 
in  gold  and  pearls  by  Miss  Ethel  M. 
Charnle)'.  An  effect  at  once  original 
and  pleasant  was  obtained  by  Miss 
Florence  Milnes,  of  Bradford,  by  the 
combination  in  her  necklet  of  dull  silver 
with  clear,  transparent  and  almost 
colourless  stones. 

The  key,  which  the  hands  ot  the 
craftsman  of  an  earlier  period  trans- 
formed into  a  thing  of  beauty,  still  fails 
to  attract  the  young  metal  worker  of  to- 
day. There  was  not  a  single  key  in 
the  exhibition,  but  there  were  several 
pieces  of  door  furniture,  including  an 
elaborate  lock-plate  in  wrought  iron  by 
Mr.    Albert    E.    Utton   of   Camberwell, 


DESIGN    FOR   LEATHER   BOOK-COVER 

BY   MAUD   B.    S.    BIRD   (BIRMINGHAM,    MARGARET  ST.) 


TJie  National  Competition  of  ScJwols  of  Art,  igog 


DESIGN   FOR  LEATHER   BOOK-COVER 

BY  ROSE   SWAIN    (ISLINGTON,    CAMDEN) 


model  in  plaster  of  a  turkey  cock  from  life  by 
>fr.  Ernest  S.  Stainton,  of  Birmingham  (Margaret 
Street),  that  should  have  been  included  among 
the  work  of  the  sculptor  students. 

The  enamels  were  altogether  inferior  to  those 
of  last   year.     The  best   of  the   enamels    from 


DESIGN    FOR    EMBROIDERED    PANEL 

BY   NONA   PORTEOUS   (LEEDS) 


Dublin  that  were  shown  then  were  not  so  much 
pictures  as  beautiful  pieces  of  colour,  in  the 
arrangement  of  which  the  designers  had  kept 
always  in  view  the  qualities  and  the  limitations 
of  the  material  in  which  they  were  executed. 
This  year  the  students  have  strayed  from  the 
right  path,  and  in  almost  every  instance  their 
work  was  an  attempt  to  emulate  in  enamel  the 
effect  of  pictures  in  oil  or  water  colour.  In 
this  attempt  Mr.  Oswald  Crompton,  of  Sunder- 
land, succeeded  as  well  as  any  with  his  repre- 
sentation of  the  Virgin  appearing  to  Bernadette 
in  the  fields  at  Lourdes.     It  was,  however,  less 


DESIGN    FOR    DECORATED    MIRROR    FRAME 

BY    GERTRUDE    DE    LA    MARE    (REGENT 
STREET   POLYTECHNIC) 


happy  in  other  respects  than  the  plaque  for 
which  Miss  Dora  K.  Allen,  of  Dublin,  has  been 
awarded  a  silver  medal.  The  small  pieces  of 
pottery  shown  in  an  adjoining  case  included  a 
sgraffito  vase  with  a  pleasant  design  based  on 
the  teazle,  by  Mr.  Norman  Walker,   of  Leeds ; 


290 


The  National  Competition  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 


BOOK    DECORATION 


BY    \V.    V.    NORTHEND    (SHEFl'IELD) 


a  nice  bowl,  by  Mr.  George  Goodall,  of  Salford  ; 
a  small  vase,  with  heraldic  lions,  by  Mr.  Albert 
E.  Barlow,  of  the  same  school ;  and  a  lustre  vase, 


was  nothing  of  outstanding  excellence 
or  originality.  The  simple  pattern  of 
interlaced  lines  in  the  cover  shown  by 
Miss  Rose  Swain,  of  Islington  (Camden), 
looked  well  by  the  side  of  the  more 
ornate  designs  in  the  same  group,  and 
the  cover  of  "British  Ballads,"  by  Miss 
Maud  B.  S.  Bird,  of  Birmingham 
(Margaret  Street),  was  attractive,  despite 
the  somewhat  affected  treatment  of  the 
lettering.  The  e.xaminers  praise  in  high 
terms  the  design  for  a  gesso  panel  of 
"  Orpheus,"  by  Mr.  Burman  W. 
Morral,  of  Exeter,  to  which  a  gold 
medal  has  deservedly  been  awarded. 
But  the  colour  — yellow  on  a  mahogany 
ground — was  far  from  pleasant.  Less 
striking  in  pattern  but  better  in  colour  was  another 
work  in  gesso,  a  design  for  the  decoration  of  a 
mirror  frame  by  Miss  Gertrude  De  La  Mare,  of 


il 


DESIGN    FOR   CARVED    WOOD    FRIEZE    FOR    REREDOS 


BV   WILLIAM    E.    ROE   (MANCHESTER) 


by  Mr.  Alfred  Hill,  of  Burslem.  \n  the  pottery 
cases  several  wineglasses  were  shown,  but  in  no 
single  instance  was  the  result  happy.  There  seems 
to  be  no  room  for  the  further  development  of 
design  in  the  wineglass. 

An  admirable  panel  in  pottery,  square  in  shape, 
with  a  medallion  in  the  centre  showing  a  vigorous 
design  in  high  relief  of  a  man  on  a  bare-backed 
horse,  was  contributed  by  Mr.  Reginald  T.  Cot- 
terill,  of  Burslem.  The  tiles  shown  in  this  section 
were  poor  in  comparison  with  those  of  other  years, 
particularly  with  those  of  1907,  but  there  was 
something  attractive  about  the  odd,  archaic-looking 
design  in  red  by  Miss"Denise  K.  Tuckfield,  of 
Kingston  -  on  -  Thames.  The  glazed  and  lustred 
panel,  with  classical  figures  in  relief,  by  Miss 
Mary  E.  Munday,  of  Burslem,  the  lustre  plate  in 
grey,  green  and  purple,  by  Miss  Nellie  Strain,  of 
Oldham,  and  the  design  for  a  holy-water  stoop  by 
Mr.  Albert  Mountford,  of  Burslem,  were  all  above 
the  average  in  quality. 

About  the  bookbindings  there  is  not  much  to 
say.  They  were  in  most  instances  pleasing  in 
design  and  good  enough  in  execution,  but  there 


Regent  Street  Polytechnic.  The  wood  earnings  in- 
cluded a  frieze  for  a  reredos  by  Mr.  William  E.  Roe, 
of  Manchester,  much  better  than  anything  else  of  its 


DESIGN    FOR   LUSTRE   I'OTTERY   PLATE 

BY   NELLIE   STRAIN   (oLDHAM) 

291 


The  National  Competition  of  Schools  of  Art,  igog 


BOOK   ILLUSTRATION 


class,  and  an  oak  firescreen,  in  the  decoration  of 
which  Mr.  William  G.  Donaldson,  of  Carlisle, 
displayed  an  ingenious  development  of  the 
well-known  linen-fold  pattern.  The  designs 
for  lace,  cut  linens  and  embroideries  rarely 
rose  above  mediocrity.  One  of  the  best 
was  the  design  for  a  collar  in  cut  linen, 
by  Miss  Maud  Canning,  of  Aston  Manor. 
Other  good  designs  were  those  for  an  em- 
broidered cut-work  tablecloth,  by  Miss 
Minnie  Jones,  of  Dudley,  which  has  been 
awarded  a  silver  medal,  and  for  a  panel  by 
Miss  N.  Porteous,  of  Leeds. 

Miss  Evelyn  M.  B.  Paul,  of  Islington 
(Camden),  who  gained  a  gold  medal  last 
year  for  her  designs  for  colour  prints,  has 
again  carried  off  an  equally  high  award. 
She  showed  nothing  this  time  of  the 
Rossetti-like  quality  of  her  dusky,  richly 
attired  maiden  of  190R,  but  Miss  Paul's 
work  on  the  whole  is  of  remarkable  promise, 
and  this  promise  was  indicated  perhaps 
more  strongly  in  the  sheets  of  suggestions 
and  sketches  than  in  the  more  finished 
studies  that  represented  her  in  the  recent 
exhibition.  There  was  nothing  else  among 
the  designs  for  colour-prints  to  rank  with 
the  efforts  of  Miss  Paul,  but  mention 
should  be  made  of  the  vigorous  landscapes 
by  Miss  Lillian  Mills,  of  Lambeth,  the 
quaint  elegance  of  the  drawing  of  a  bride 
and  bridegroom,  by  Miss  Vera  Dendy,  of 
the  same  school,  the  floral  calendar  by 
Miss  Constance  Purbrook,  of  West  Ham 
and  the  auto-lithograph  in  colour  of 
292 


Mr.  Alexander  Horsnell, 
of  Chelmsford.  The  book 
illustrations  and  black- 
and-white  designs  were 
better  than  usual.  Mr. 
Frederick  Carter,  of 
Regent  Street  Polytechnic, 
carried  off  for  the  third 
year  in  succession  a  gold 
medal  for  designs  for  book 
illustration  that  showed 
a  distinct  advance  upon 
those  of  1907  and  1908. 
Mr.  W.  F.  Northend,  of 
Sheffield,  also  takes  a  gold 
medal  for  a  piece  of  work 
that  could  be  accom- 
plished probably  by  very 
few  students  or  designers. 
The  printed  copy  of  "The  Rhyme  of  the  Ancient 
Mariner"  was  produced  by  Mr.  Northend  unaided 


BY      ETHEL   WHITAKER   (SCARBOROUGH 


(•       \4i5frcss  rrui}i  uAtm 

O  i/Uu^  AX\A  KiAi';  ijouj-  o-ui- 

okiir  can.  -*"i5'  ImcK  KlgK 

»      arui  Loiu: 

Orip  no  hixthi^  prtrti^ 

joumi^s  cnSL  in.  lovtx5 

^vcr4  u?lsc  rfvw\5  5on  cioti^ 
*      kr\ou> 


^  Kir  LslovtVfes  ivot    •    ' 

"     Prcsour  nvtrcH  Ivitli  y^csu^r 

Sp;  WKj-CS  CO  camx.  \i  stiU  uniuK 
^    In.  diLu(  txlXC  LUi  ru> 

soJCCt-irui- tuJcrvrx{: r 

\'oulhi  i  scuif  lulU  notr 


FOR    ILLUMIN.VTED    NL4NUSCRIPT 

BY    WILL    MELI.OR   (.M.\.N'CHESTER) 


The  National  Competition  of  Sc hoots  of  Art,  igog 


DESIGN  FOR  POSTER  BY    WILLIAM  S.    BROAPHEAU   (SHEFFIELD 

by  any  other  hands.    He  designed  the  illustrations, 
decorative    borders,     initials    and    tailpieces,    and 
printed  and   bound  the  volume.     The  pages  are 
printed  in  red  and  black,  and  the  little  illustrations 
are  certainly  creditable.     It  was,  of  course,  hardly 
to  be  expected  that  they  could  realise  for  us  the 
magic  of  Coleridge's  marvellous  verses,  that  have 
yet  to  find  their  real  illus- 
trator.      More    of    our 
younger  artists  might  with 
advantage  try  their  hands 
on   "  The  Ancient    Mari- 
ner," and  give  a  little  rest 
to  Omar  Khayyam.   Other 
illustrations  in  the  exhibi- 
tion  that   are   worthy   of 
praise  were  by  Miss  Enid 
Ledward,  of  Putney,  and 
Miss  Ethel  Whittaker,  of 
Scarborough. 

It  is  perhaps  due,  indi- 
rectly, to  the  influence  of 
Mr.  Brangwyn  that  the 
exhibition  of  the  National 
Art  Competition  con- 
tained so  many  designs 
for  composition  in  which 
the  modern  shipwright, 
wharves  and  docks  are 
the  motives.      Mr.   Leslie  design  iok  au  lu-LinioukAiu 


M.  Ward,  of  Bournemouth,  has  re- 
ceived a  gold  medal  principally  for 
his  designs  of  this  kind,  and  there  were 
others  more  or  less  good  by  Miss 
Dorothy  Bateman,  Miss  Violet  E. 
Hawkes,  Miss  Minnie  P.  Cox,  and  Mr. 
James  A.  Grant,  all  of  Liverpool. 
Mr.  Grant  was  seen  to  greater  advan- 
tage in  his  design  for  a  painted  panel 
in  oil,  with  ladies  in  Watteau  dresses, 
gardens,  fauns  and  cupids.  The  exe- 
cution, light  and  free  in  handling,  and 
in  colour  tender  and  harmonious,  was 
exactly  fitted  to  the  subject.  Some 
of  the  best  work  in  illumination  and 
lettering  came  from  Miss  Mildred 
Armstrong,  of  Newcastle-on-Tyne 
(Armstrong  College) ;  Miss  Ivy  E. 
Harper,  of  Birmingham  (Margaret 
Street) :  Miss  Daisy  Tuff,  of  Islington 
(Camden);  and  Mr.  Will  Mellor,  of 
jManchester.  The  designs  for  printed 
nursery  cotton  hangings,  by  Frank 
Middleton,  of  Regent  Street  Polytech- 
nic, were  quaint  and  amusing,  and  among  the  few 
posters  should  be  mentioned  those  of  Mr.  William 
S.  Broadhead,  of  Sheffield  ;  Mr.  Harold  Dearden, 
of  Rochdale,  and  Miss  Winifred  Fison,  of  the 
Royal  Female  School  of  Art. 

Work  in  sculptured  marble  is  rarely  to  be  seen 
at  the  National  Art  Competition  exhibitions,  and 


BY    ALEX.    IIORS.NELL    (CIIELMSFORU) 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architecture 


R 


ECEXT  DESIGNS  IX  DOMES- 
TIC   ARCHITECTURE. 


>  \ 


MODELLED   DESiGN    FOR    WALL   FILLING 

BY   SAML'EI.   HEATON    (SHIPLEY 


rarer  still  is  an  example  of  such  competence  as 
the  panel  for  a  chimney-piece,  by  Mr.  Harmon  J. 
Cawthra,  of  Leeds.  The  modelling  from  the  life 
fairly  maintained  the  higher  standard  reached  in 
recent  years,  and  there  was  obsers-- 
able  a  welcome  tendency  to  work  on 
a  larger  and  bolder  scale  than  for- 
merly. The  drawing  and  painting 
from  the  living  model  appeared 
generally  to  have  retrograded  rather 
than  advanced.  One  of  the  best 
pieces  of  painting  in  the  exhibition 
was  an  admirable  still-life  study  in 
oil  by  Miss  Hilda  S.  \\'edekind,  of 
Beckenham.  \\'.  T.  Whitley. 


WoRMLEV  M.iNOR,  of  which  we  give 
an  illustration  opposite,  has  been  built  near  Brox- 
bourne,  Herts,  from  the  designs  of  Mr.  R.  A. 
Briggs,  F.R.I.B.A.  It  is  situated  in  a  high 
part  of  the  country,  and  the  estate  is  surrounded 
by  a  luxuriant  belt  of  trees.  The  house  con- 
tains five  reception  rooms  and  a  hall,  and 
twelve  bed  and  dressing  rooms.  The  windows 
for  the  most  part  are  sash  windows,  but  those 
to  the  staircase  and  corridor  are  muUion  windows 
with  iron  casements.  The  walls  externally  are 
faced  with  red  bricks,  and  the  roofs  were 
covered  with  tiles  from  the  Hailey  Brick  Com- 
pany. The  principal  external  doors  are  of  oak, 
the  rest  of  the  woodwork  being  painted  white. 
Mr.  John  Bentley,  of  Waltham  Abbey,  was  the 
general  contractor.  The  drawing  which  we 
reproduce  was  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Academy 
this  year. 

Our  next  illustration  is  a  view  of  the  en- 
trance forecourt  of  a  house  just  finished  from 
the  designs  of  Mr.  E.  J.  May,  F.R.I.B.A.  This 
house,  which  is  situate  at  Bramshott,  near  Hind- 
head,  is  built  of  red  brick  with  tile  hanging  and 
tile  roof.  All  the  external  woodwork  is  oak  left  to 
weather  to  a  silver  grey,  and  oak  is  also  largely 


Among  recent  accessions  to  the 
Scottish  National  Gallery  at  the 
Mound,  Edinburgh,  of  which  Mr. 
James  L.  Caw  is  director,  is  a  fine 
landscape  painting  by  Sir  W.  Fettes 
Douglas,  a  former  President  of  the 
Royal  Scottish  Academy.  This  work 
was  purchased  at  Christie's  by 
Messrs.  Wallis  &  Sons  on  behalf  of 
the  gallery  for  a  small  sum.  Three 
water-colours  by  the  same  painter, 
purchased  at  another  sale,  have  also 
been  added. 
294 


JK    MARBLE    I'ANEL    FOR    CHI  M.NEY-PIEC  E 

BY    HERMON    J.    CAWTHR/V  (LEEDS) 


Recent  Desisfus  in  Domestic  Architecture 


THE   MA.NOK   HOUSE,    WORMLEY,    HERTS. 


K.    A.   BRIGGS,    F.R.I.B.A  ,    ARCHITECT 


used  internally.      This   drawing   also    was   in   the      we   give    two  views  on   pages  296   and    297,   has 

recent  Royal  Academy  exhibition.  been  designed  by  Mr.  Stanley  Hamp  (of  Messrs. 

The  house  at  Gerrard's  Cross,  Bucks,  of  which      Collcutt  &  Hamp)  for  a  beautiful  site  at  Gerrard's 


vie '-.2'' <'''-'    K 


■^tfnt'J'K^o'i'' 


HOUSE   AT    BRAMSHOTT  CHASE,    HINDHEAD,    SURREY 


E.   J.    MAY,    F.R.I.B.A.,    ARCHITECT 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architecture 


•M-.'JZ^'^: 


kiZLi 


HOUSE  AT   GERRARD"s   CROSS,    Bl'CKS. 


STANLEY   HAMP,    ARCHITECT 


Cross,  from  which  extensive  views  can  be  obtained,  be  panelled  with  oak.  The  side  next  the  drawing- 
It  has  been  designed  for  an  artist,  and  the  studio  room  is  made  movable,  so  that  the  two  rooms  can 
(shown  at  the  left  of  the  drawing  above)  has  be  used  as  one  large  reception  room.  The  flooring 
been  so  arranged  that  at  any  future  date  it  can  be  all  through  this  room  is  to  be  of  polished  oak. 
used  as  a  garage.    The  hall  and  dining-room  are  to  Old    red,    sand-faced    bricks    are   to   be  used  for 


'^:^^-^ 


/T^K' 


GROUP   OF   COTTAGES   AT    BEACONSFIELU,    BUCKS. 
296 


STANLEY   HAMP,    ARCHITECT 


Recent  Designs  in  Domestic  Architecture 


facings,  with  rough  cast  and  old  tiles  for  the  roof. 
The  window  frames  and  half  timber  work  will  be 
of  English  oak.  The  garden  falls  rapidly  from 
the  terrace  towards  the  lawns  and  rose  garden. 

Mr.  Stanley  Hamp  has  also  designed  the  group 
of  cottages  illustrated  on  the  opposite  page.  These 
cottages  are  intended  for  the  employees  on  an 
estate  near  Beaconsfield,  Bucks,  and  the  accommo- 
dation consists  of  two  living  rooms  and  three 
bedrooms  to  each.  The  half  timber  work  is  to  be 
of  English  oak,  and  the  roof  is  to  be  covered  with 
old  tiles  from  barns  which  have  been  pulled  down 
on  the  estate.     The  contract  price  for  these  cottages 

Howe  Combe,  Watlington,  Oxon,  illustrated  on 
page  298,  is  built  in  a  combe  of  the  Chilterns 
overlooking  Howe  Hill  on  the  road  from  Watling- 
ton to  Oxford.  Its  position  was  selected  and  the 
planning  largely  influenced  by  the  desire  that  all 
important  windows  should  command  picturesque 
views  of  valley  and  hill.  Externally,  the  design 
follows — in  material  at  all  events — methods  tradi- 
tional to  the  district,  the  walls  being  faced  with  a 


HOUSE  AT  GERRARD's  CROSS,  BUCKS      STANLEY  HAMP,  ARCHITECT 


mixture  of  grey  and  brown  flints  quoined  and  dia- 
pered with  red  bricks — a  combination  which  quickly 
weathers  to  the  tint  of  older  buildings.  Hand  made 
Leicestershire  tiles  have  been  used  for  the  roofing. 
All  the  arches  over  the  windows  are  of  tile,  and  the 
recessed  arch  over  the  porch  has  voussoirs  and  key 
of  the  same,  this  material  being  also  used  in 
patterns  where  emphasis  was  considered  desirable. 
Tile  "  straights  "  are  u.sed  over  all  lead  soakers,  and 
this,  a  thoroughly  practical  expedient,  effects  a 
more  pleasing  junction  between  wall  and  roof  than 
the  stepped  lead  cover  flashings  commonly  em- 
ployed. The  internal  treatment  is  of  the  simplest, 
but  care  has  been  bestowed  upon  all  points  of 
constructive  interest,  the  fireclay  enamel  sur- 
rounds for  fireplaces,  with  the  decorative  panels, 
having  all  been  made  from  the  architect's  drawings, 
as  have  all  mantels  and  other  fitments,  such  as 
book-cases,  sideboard,  etc.  The  door  furniture  of 
iron,  "  sherardised "  and  armour  bright,  was  also 
designed  by  the  architect  to  harmonise  with  case- 
ment fastenings  of  the  same  material,  the  latter 
being  copies  of  old  examples.  The  entrance 
door  has  bronze  furniture  also  speci- 
ally designed  for  its  position.  Leaded 
lights  and  metal  casements  are  used 
throughout  the  main  building.  The 
floors  of  the  principal  rooms  are  of  oak, 
the  remainder  (except  the  offices,  which 
are  tiled)  being  of  wood  blocks  on  the 
ground  floor  and  on  the  upper  floors  of 
narrow  width  deal.  The  external  pavings 
are  of  brick,  those  in  the  more  impor- 
tant parts  being  of  two-inch  bricks  laid 
herring-bone  fashion.  The  work,  in- 
cluding drive,  garden  walls,  lodge  and 
entrance  gates,  was  designed  and  car- 
ried out  for  A.  H.  Pawson,  Esq.,  by 
Mr.  T.  Frank  Green,  A.R.LB.A.,  of 
London,  the  general  contractors  being 
Messrs.  Hacksley  Brothers  of  Welling- 
borough.   


Arts  and  Crafts  Exhibition 
SociETV.  —  Under  the  presidency  of 
Mr.  Walter  Crane,  this  Society,  founded 
in  1888,  held  annual  exhibitions  during 
the  first  three  years  of  its  existence  ; 
but  from  the  beginning  of  the  late  Mr. 
\\'illiam  Morris's  presidency  (1893-96) 
the  exhibitions  have  been  triennial. 
Thus,  though  the  Society  is  more  than 
twenty  years  old,  its  forthcoming  exhibi- 
tion to  be  held  at  the  New  Gallery  in 
297 


Recent  Desims  in  Domestic  Arcliitecture 


HOWE   COMBE,    WATLINGTON,    OXOM 


T.    FRANK  GREEN,    A.R.I.B.A.,    ARCHITECT 


January  next  will  only  be  the  ninth  of  the  series. 
This  will  consist  of  contemporary  work  in  design 
and  handicraft  (limited  to  the  last  twenty  years 
and  not  having  been  previously  shown  in  London), 
such  as — Designs,  cartoons  and  working  draw- 
ings, decorative  painting,  hand-woven  textiles, 
tapestry,  embroidery,  lace,  stained-glass,  table- 
glass,  metal-work,  jeweller)-,   enamels,  goldsmiths' 


and  silversmiths'  work,  pottery  and  tiles,  modelled 
and  carved  work,  plaster-work,  cabinet-work  and 
furniture,  book-decoration,  black-and-white  design, 
calligraphy  and  illumination,  printing  and  book- 
binding, wall-papers,  leather-work,  and  other 
kinds  of  work  at  the  discretion  of  the  Committee. 
The  receiving  day  will  be  Tuesday,  December  28, 
1909. 


HOWE    COMBE,    WATLINGTON  :    THE    I'ARLOUK 


studio-  Talk 


COVER    OF    ILLUMINATED     TROrHY     AND     ROLL    OF     HONOUR.       DESIGNED    AND 

EXECUTED   BY   S.    POOLE.       GOLD    TOOLING   BY    MISS  A.    SHEPHERD.       BOUND   AT 

THE  CEDRIC   CHIVERS   BINDERY,    BATH 

STUDIO-TALK. 
(From  Our  Oivn  Correspondents.) 

LONDON. — At   the   last    Election    of    the 
Royal  Academy,  Mr.  J.  J.  Shannon,  who 
became  an  A.R.A.  in  1897,  was  elected 
full  Academician  in  place  of  the  late  Mr. 
Gregory.    His  first  impor- 
tant picture  at  the  Royal 
Academy  was  exhibited  in 
i88r,  three  years  after  his 
arrival    in    England  from 
America,  in  which  country 
he   was    born,   the    inter- 
vening period  being  spent 
at  the  South  Kensington 
Schools.    

On  this  page  we  give 
an  illustration  of  the 
covers  of  an  illuminated 
trophy  and  roll  of  honour, 
presented  to  the  Council 
of  the  Shakespeare  Fes- 
tival, Stratford-on-Avon, 
by  Cedric  Chivers,  Esq., 
J.P.,  of  Bath.  The  "  Roll 
of  Honour"  is  intended 
to  perpetuate  the  names 
of  winners  in  the  old 
English  games  and  sports, 
held  at  the  annual  festival.  three  enamels  on  copper  in  silver  frame 


It  is  in  book  form,  bound 
in  purple  levant ;  in  the 
outer  cover,  is  inlaid  a 
"vellucent"  (colour  under 
transparent  vellum)  panel, 
bearing  the  arms  of  Strat- 
ford. The  surrounding 
gold  tooling  is  by  Miss 
Alice  Shepherd.  The  two 
covers  are  appropriately 
decorated  on  the  inside, 
the  work  being  also 
covered  with  transparent 
vellum,  tooled  and  inlaid 
with  mother-of-pearl.  The 
book  itself  is  made  up  of 
pages  of  vellum,  on  which 
will  be  engrossed  the 
prize  winners'  names  from 
year  to  year.  The  work 
has  been  designed  and 
executed  by  Mr.  Samuel 

Poole,  and  carried  out  at  Messrs.  Chivers'  bindery 

at  Bath.  

We  also  reproduce  a  set  of  three  enamels  on 
copper  in  a  silver  frame,  by  Ernestine  Mills,  which 
was  among  the  most  notable  efforts  in  this  medium 
in   the    last   Academy.      A    drawing.    Sunset,    by 


BY    ERNESTINE    MILLS 
299 


H 

W 

CO 

^; 


studio-  Talk 


Mr.  Allan  Barraud  gives 
by  a  method  of  black- 
and-white  drawing  which 
is  the  artist's  secret,  an 
unusually  skilful  render- 
ing of  effect. 


The  Chapel  of  the  As- 
cension, Bayswater  Road, 
grows  towards  comple- 
tion. Two  large  and  three 
small  paintings  have  just 
been  added  to  its  walls 
from  the  hand  of  Mr. 
Frederic  Shields,  being 
the  fruit  of  his  past  year's  labours. 


The  Great  National  Loan  Exhibition,  or  the 
Pageant  of  Old  Masters  as  it  has  been  called, 
which  is  being  organised  with  a  view  to  augmenting 
the  National  Gallery  funds  for  the  purchase  of 
works  of  art,  and  which  is  to  be  held  at  the 
Grafton  Galleries,  promises  to  be  as  uniquely  repre- 
sentative as  it  should  be.  The  committee  includes 
the  Keepers  of  the  National,  the  National  Portrait 
and  Tate  Galleries,  the  First  Commissioner  of  Works, 
the  Vice-President  of  the  International  Society  and 
several  members  of  the  Royal  Academy,  besides 
the  Presidents  of  the  Royal  Scottish  Academy,  the 


BY   GEORGE   RUSHTON 

Royal  Society  of  Painters  in  Water-colours  and 
the  Royal  Society  of  British  Artists,  the  Officers 
of  the  National  Art  Collections  Fund  and  many 
others. 

We  reproduce  on  this  page  three  examples  of 
decorative  work  by  Mr.  George  Rushton,  principal 
of  the  Ipswich  School  of  Art.  The  two  panels  below 
were  worked  in  coloured  relief,  that  of  Bacchus 
and  the  Nymph,  in  which  the  predominating  colours 
are  blue  and  gold,  being  modelled  upon  a  pro- 
jecting surface  and  placed  upon  carved  figures  at 
the  end  of  a  room  in  a  private  house ;  while  the 
other   was   executed    for    a    passenger    steamer's 


'BACCHUS   AND  THE   NYMPH''    (I'ANEL   IN   COLOURED    RELIEF) 


BY   GEORGE   RUSHTON 


,X        "ROMAN    boats"    (PANEL    IN   COLOURED    RELIEF) 


BY^GEORGE   RUSHTON 
301 


Studio-Talk 


'**  111*?*"!  miuju  junn^Biwpi— >BSiii»iji|»g»tm 


"virtue  thrusting  evil  from  the  path  of  youth,"  and   "  INDIAN  FAMINE  RELIEF"  :  TWO  PANELS  FORMING  PART 
OF  A  MEMORIAL  TO  THE   LATE   RIGHT   HON.    SAMUEL  SMITH  AT  LIVERPOOL,    CHAS.   J.    ALLEN,   SCULPTOR 


smoke-room.  The  panel,  called  The  King,  in 
which  reds  and  greens  form  the  colour  scheme,  was 
executed  for  a  theatre  staircase. 


Mr.  D.  S.  MacColl  is  greatly  to  be  congratulated 
on  his  recent  departures  in  hanging  at  the  Tate 
Galler)-.  An  important  innovation  is  the  hanging  of 
drawings  in  water-colour  and  pencil,  etchings  and 
lithographs  in  the  one  room,  No  V.,  which  has 
been  cleared  for  this  purpose.  Recent  acquisitions 
are  the  water-colours  by  William  Muller  left  by 
Lady  Weston,  and  etchings  by  Whistler,  Muirhead 
Bone,  D.  Y.  Cameron  and  Frank  Short,  lithographs 
by  Mr.  Charles  Shannon,  a  pencil  portrait  of  Mr. 
Henry  Newbolt  by  William  Strang,  and  eight 
plates  by  Wilkie,  presented  by  Sir  J.  C.  Robinson 
through  the  National  Art  Collections  Fund.  Mr. 
Muirhead  Bone  is  represented  partly  by  his  beauti- 
ful plate  of  St.  Jafnes'  Hall,  which  was  reproduced 
in  this  magazine  some  time  back.  The  fine  ex- 
amples of  H.  B.  Brabazon's  water  colours  are  also 
among  the  valuable  works  of  the  modern  school 
now  to  be  seen  at  the  Tate.  '  Room  V.  contains, 
too,  the  notable  studies  in  sanguine  by  Alfred 
Stevens  for  his  Isaiah,  the  cartoon  itself  of  Isaiah 
for  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  being  in  an  adjacent  room. 


LIVERPOOL. — A  general  appreciation  or 
the  late  Right  Hon.  Samuel  Smith,  who 
strenuously  supported  many  schemes  of 
world-wide  range,  productive  of  benefits 
to  his  fellow-men,  led  to  a  public  subscription  for  a 
memorial  to  be  erected  in  Sefton  Park.  The  recent 
unveiling  of  the  memorial  by  the  Lord  Mayor  of 
Liverpool  was  attended  by  a  large  gathering 
of  other  prominent  citizens.  The  memorial  con- 
sists of  a  polished  red  granite  obelisk  60  ft.  high  on 
a  pedestal,  the  architectural  details  being  designed 
by  Messrs.  Willink  &  Fluckness.  The  two  panels 
here  reproduced,  representing  Virtue  thrusting 
Evil  from  the  Path  of  Youth,  and  Indian  Famine 
Relief,  which,  together  with  a  medallion  portrait 
and  a  descriptive  tablet,  occupy  the  four  sides  of 
the  pedestal,  were  all  designed  and  modelled  by 
Mr.  Charles  J.  Allen,  and  cast  in  bronze  by  Mr. 
A.  B.  Burton,  of  Thames  Ditton.  H.  B.  B. 

BIRNHNGHAM.— Our  coloured  illustra- 
tion on  the  opposite  page  recalls  an 
interesting  incident  in  the  recent  visit 
of  their  Majesties  the  King  and  Queen 
to  Birmingham,  when  the  Lord  Mayor,  on  behalf 
of   the  city,  presented  to  the   Queen  a  beautiful 


NECKLACE  PRESENTED  TO  HER  MAJESTY 
QUEEN  ALEXANDRA  BY  THE  CITY  OF 
BIRMINGHAM.  JULY  7.  1909.  DESroNED  «nd 
EXECUTED  BY  ARTHUR  J.  GASKIN  »N0  MRS.  GASKIN. 


5^- 


Studio-Talk 


necklace  designed  and  executed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Arthur  Gaskin.  Our  illustration  is  reproduced 
from  an  autochrome  photograph  taken  by  Mr. 
Harold  Baker,  of  Birmingham.  The  necklace, 
consisting  of  chain  and  pendant,  is  executed  in 
1 8  carat  pale  gold,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  is  a  very 
delicate  piece  of  workmanship.  The  exquisite  hue 
of  the  two  large  cabochon  sapphires  at  the  centre 
of  the  chain  and  pendant  supplies  the  dominant 
note  in  the  colour  scheme.  Around  the  sapphires 
are  emeralds,  pearls,  and  pink  topaz,  while  small 
diamonds  set  in  trefoils  add  little  points  of  light  to 
the  ornament  as  a  whole.  Mr.  Gaskin,  we  need 
hardly  mention,  is  head-master  of  the  special 
school  for  jewellers  and  silversmiths  in  Vittoria 
Street. 

PARIS. — After  a  retirement  of  several  years, 
during  which  time  he  has  devoted  him- 
self exclusively  to  his  art,  M.  Charles 
Milcendeau  has  made  his  reappearance 
before  the  Parisian  public,  in  an  exhibition  at  the 
Dewambez  Galleries  of  an  entire  series  of  most 
interesting  pictures.     One  knows  well  that  M.  Mil- 


cendeau has  always  possessed  the  reputation  of 
being  an  untiring  and  a  conscientious  recorder  of 
different  aspects  of  life,  and  certain  of  his  works, 
so  minutely,  and  yet  again  at  times  so  boldly, 
executed,  are  pre-eminent  in  respect  of  their  sin- 
cerity of  observation  and  their  unfaltering  technique. 
For  long  he  devoted  his  talent  to  the  portrayal  of 
the  peasant  life  of  La  Vendue,  but  now  he  returns 
with  the  fruits  of  a  few  years'  sojourn  in  Spain — 
not  the  Spain  of  the  tourist,  but  a  Spain  poor,  sad, 
melancholy,  with  rugged  barren  landscapes  and  an 
indigent  population,  but  all,  notwithstanding,  full 
of  character.  A  very  charming  feature  of  these 
pastel  drawings  of  Milcendeau  is  the  absence  of 
trickery  and  conventionality;  he  never  makes  it 
his  deliberate  aim  to  be  seductive,  though  he 
frequently  succeeds  in  arousing  our  sympathy  and 
enthusiasm  by  the  great  strength  which  betrays 
itself  in  his  work. 

Among  recent  works  to  which  M.  Eugene 
Bejot  has  given  his  signature,  the  two  plates  here 
reproduced  are  particularly  notable  as  recording 
those  aspects  of  Paris  with  which  he  is  so  much 


"KAMILLE   ESPAGNOLe' 


HAKl.F.S    MII.CKNPKAU 


studio-  Talk 


enamoured,  and  which  he  knows  so  well.  The 
one  entitled  Port  Saitit-Nicolas  represents  a  part 
of  the  Seine  just  below  the  Louvre  where  the 
little  steam  boats  are  constantly  loading  and  dis- 
charging their  cargoes,  while  further  off,  forming  a 
fine  sweep,  the  Institute  building,  the  quays,  and 
"  La  Cite  "  unfold  their  splendid  outlines.  From 
the  point  of  view  of  the  graver's  technique,  this  is 
admirable  in  its  strength  and  precision  ;  and  the 
tree  in  the  foreground  is  executed  with  that  assur- 
ance which  belongs  to  the  greatest  masters.  The 
view  of  Le  Pont  Mirabeau  is  an  equally  fine  plate. 
By  means  of  black-and-white  alone  the  artist  has 
succeeded  in  giving  us  in  an  eminent  degree  the 
impression  of  colour,  of  shimmering  water,  of 
sparse  vegetation,  and  of  a  vast  expanse  of  sky 
interspersed  with  tenuous  clouds. 


M.  Santiago  Rusinol  is  the  ^lamlex  par  excellence 
of  Spanish  gardens — those  wonderful  gardens  in 
which  one  knows  not  whether  one  ought  to  admire 
most  the  handiwork  of  man — seen  in  such  things 
as  the  marble  masonry,  the  statuary  and  vases — or 
the  work  of  nature.     In  any  case  nothing  in  M. 


Rusinol's  work  is  finer  than  the  resourceful  way  in 
which  he  manages  to  extract  beauty  from  these 
two  elements,  both  of  which  have  provided  him 
with  motives  for  many  notable  canvases.  It  was 
about  a  dozen  years  ago  that  M.  Rusinol  exhibited 
at  the  Bing  galleries  his  first  series  of  Spanish 
garden  pictures,  and  aroused  our  enthusiasm  by  the 
poetic  sense  which  he  revealed  in  common  with 
other  gifts.  And  since  then  this  Spanish  painter's 
panels  have  become  for  many  one  of  the  chief 
attractions  at  the  National  Society's  Salon.  These 
admirable  Spanish  gardens — those  of  the  Balearic 
Islands,  of  Cordova  and  of  Seville — have  no  longer 
any  secret  to  yield  up  to  Rusinol ;  at  one  time  he 
permits  us  to  penetrate  the  mysteries  of  groves 
where  box  and  yew  surround  some  old  moss- 
covered  vase ;  at  another  time  we  get  a  glimpse  of 
Majorca  with  its  masses  of  orange  trees  in  full 
flower.  Everywhere  and  always  Rusinol  is  in  the 
truest  sense  of  the  word  an  artist ;  he  is  a  man  of 
much  culture  and  rare  taste,  as  is  once  more  proved 
by  the  beautiful  work  reproduced  on  page  308, 
the  dignified  ordering  of  which  will  be  appreciated 
by  all.     M.  Rusinol  besides  being  a  painter  is  also 


'PORT    NICOLAS,    PARIS"   (ETCHING) 
306 


(By  fcrmissioii  of  Messrs.  James  Council  b'  Sons] 


BY   EUGENE   BEJOT 


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'L'ESCALIER    (JARDIN    D'ESPAGNE)' 
BY   SANTIAGO   RUSINOL 


Studio-Talk 


a  poet  of  much  talent,  and  one  who  has  played 
an  important  part  in  the  renaissance  of  Catalan 
literature  and  art. 


The  Socidte  Nationale  des  Beaux  Arts  has  again 
organised,  this  year,  an  interesting  retrospective 
exhibition  in  the  charming  eighteenth -century 
pavilions.  This  consists  of  portraits  of  women  who 
lived  in  the  days  of  the  three  French  Republics,  that 
is  at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  (after  1789), 
in  1848  (second  Republic),  and  after  1872.  Of  the 
first  period  we  have  a  few  remarkable  examples, 
such  as  the  admirable  portrait  of  the  Marquise  de 
Pastoret,  by  David  (1748 — 1825),  into  which  this 
classical  painter  has  put  so  much  life  and  reality. 
Baron  Gros  is  also  represented  by  portraits  of  the 
actress  Mile.  Meseray  and  Afme.  Luaen  Bonaparte, 
which  show  us  typical  beauties  of  that  period. 
Greuze  is  represented  by  the  portrait  of  his  wife, 
Mme.  Vigee-Lebrun  by  portraits  of  herself,  and 
Mme.  de  Talleyrand  Prudhon  by  a  portrait  of 
Mme.  Mayer.  Among  the  less  known  artists, 
Mme.  Labille-Guiard,' with  the  portrait  q{  Duchesse 
tTAiguillori,  Antoine  Vestier,  with  one  of  Mme. 
de  Genlis,  ].  B.  Isabey,  with  a  portrait  of  Clemen- 


tine de  Reiset  and  Heinsius  with  a  portrait  of  Mile. 
Bazin,  are  very  interesting.  The  little  works  of 
Boilly  are  also  representative  of  the  period ; 
they  charm  by  their  admirable  perfection.  With 
the  Republic  of  1848,  we  find  the  romantic  school 
in  full  bloom,  but  the  works  of  Delacroix,  Dev^ria, 
Henri  Lehmann,  Ary  Scheffer  are  not  amongst  the 
best  of  this  period.  Of  the  first  years  of  the  third 
Republic  we  have  also  a  few  good  portraits,  such 
as  a  head  of  a  girl,  by  Beraud,  works  by  Bracque- 
mond  pere,  Carolus-Duran,  John  Sargent,  Carriere, 
Delaunay,  Hebert,  Gervex,  and  especially  Manet 
with  three  beautiful  portraits,  all  unnamed. 


In  all  periods  painters  have  found  themselves 
lured  to  depict  the  fleeting  and  transitory  aspects 
of  the  life  of  Paris,  her  streets,  her  theatres  and 
her  restaurants.  Among  those  who  have  done 
very  personal  work  of  this  nature,  one  must  give  a 
place  to  M.  Jean  Lefort.  In  his  Concert  des 
Ambassadeurs  one  finds  him,  not  indeed  in  the 
expression  of  it,  but  rather  in  the  idea  itself,  hark- 
ing back  to  the  traditions  of  Toulouse  Lautrec  and 
Constantin  Guys.  The  artist  has  depicted  with 
consummate  ability  the  appearance  of  the  crowd 


"concert  des  ambass.\deur» 


BY  JEAN    LEFORT 


studio-  Talk 


"  l'allee  des  acacias  " 


BY  JEAN   LEFORT 


of  spectators  seen  from  the  back  with  the  stage  in 
the  distance.  The  other  painting  which  we  repro- 
duce renders  with  much  truthfuhiess  a  charming 
and  graceful  vision  of  the  Allee  des  Acacias. 


In  the  exhibitions  organised  by  them  at  their 
galleries  in  the  Rue  Richepanse,  MM.  Bernheim 
give  proof  of  the  utmost  eclecticism.  Certainly 
that  with  which  they  brought  their  season  to  a  close 
must  be  reckoned  among  the  most  interesting  of 
the  year.  It  was  an  exhibition  of  the  works  of 
Forain,  who  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  most 
captivating  personalities  in  French  art,  and  a  worthy 
descendant  of  Daumier  and  the  powerful  carica- 
turists of  the  school  of  1840.  It  is 
above  all  in  caricature  that  Forain's 
reputation  has  been  made;  for  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been 
castigating  the  politicians  in  power  just 
as  Daumier  did  Louis  Philippe  and  his 
Ministers,  and  that  with  a  wealth  of  in- 
vention, a  sharpness  of  satire,  and  an 
ingeniousness  of  verbal  comment,  such 
as  no  one  before  him  has  possessed.  Cut 
Forain  is  at  the  same  time  a  painter  of  a 
most  robust  order ;  in  the  austere  realism 
of  certain  of  his  canvases  he  approaches 
very  closely  to  Degas.  H.  F. 


BERLIN. — The  admirable  portrait  of  the 
German  Emperor  by  Mr.  Philip  Laszld, 
which  we  are  enabled  by  courtesy  of 
the  Berlin  Photographic  Company  to 
reproduce  in  colours,  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the 
artist's  most  successful  achievements.  In  addition 
to  this  portrait  of  His  Majesty,  Mr.  Laszlo  executed 
at  the  same  time  portraits  of  the  Empress  and 
other  members  of  the  Imperial  family,  and  the 
exhibition  of  all  these  portraits  at  Schulte's  gallery 
was  one  of  the  notable  events  of  the  past  season. 


The  Berlin  Royal  Arts  and  Crafts  Museum  has 
arranged  an  exhibition  of  furniture  trimmings  with 


The  next  Autumn  Salon  will  have  as 
special  features  an  exhibition  of  Italian 
Art  and  the  works  of  the  German  painter, 
von  Marees. 
310 


SOFA-RECESS   IN   A   LADY  S   BOUDOIR 

DESIGNED   BY   PAUL  THIERSCH,    AND    FR.\ULEIN    FELDKIRCHER 
{Exhibition  of  Furniture  Trimmings,  Berlin.^ 


PORTRAIT  OF  H.I.M.  THE  GERMAN 
EMPEROR.      BY    P.    A.    LASZLO. 


Studio-Talk 


BEDROOM  DESIGNED  BY   PROF.    FRANK   SEECK 

{Exhibition  of  Fiimilure  Trimmings,  Berlin) 


the  idea  of  infusing  fresh  life  into  a  somewhat  lagging 
industry.  This  undertaking  is  sure  to  achieve  its 
purpose,  as  the  fabrics  on  view  offer  an  interesting 
study  and  are  presented  in  an  exceptionally  ap- 
propriate setting.  The  architect,  Paul  Thiersch, 
has  erected  within  the  beautiful  state-hall  of  the 
museum  a  kind  of  peristyle  containing  different 
rooms,  an  altar-niche  and  a  funeral  decoration,  to 
prove  the  utility  and  fine  effect  of  such 
modern  textiles  applied  to  interior  deco- 
ration, and  many  exhibits  are  besides  laid 
out  in  single  cases.  Modern  manufac- 
turers have  recognised  the  necessity  of 
adapting  such  wares  to  the  simpler  and 
more  constructive  style  of  our  day ;  they 
have  produced  braids,  tassels  and  fringes 
after  designs  by  well-known  craftsmen.  A 
collection  of  historical  trimmings  from  the 
Middle  Ages  down  to  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury convinces  one  of  the  excellence  of  old 
textiles,  especially  those  of  the  seventeenth 
and  eighteenth  centuries.  They  are  dis- 
tinguished by  lightness,  richness  of  design 
and  interesting  technique,  which  makes 
but  slight  use  of  the  wooden  filling. 
Modern  trimmings  have  profited  by  the 
teachings  of  the  past,  and  at  the  same 
time  answer  the  demands  of  our  day. 
In  their  modest  colouring  and  cleverly 
adapted  design  they  appear  desirable  com- 


pletions of  the  furniture,  and  good  substitutes 
for  friezes  and  borders.  Objections  will  certainly 
be  made-  by  friends  of  stone  or  wooden  wall 
ornaments,  but  these  woven  or  plaited  additions 
are  of  great  solidity,  and  can  improve  a  plain 
style  as  well  as  enhance  elegance.  The  different 
rooms  offer  welcome  object  lessons.  Professor 
Bruno  Paul,  the  manysided  craftsman,  upholds 
his  reputation  for  distinguished  and  solid  taste 
by  a  room  in  grey  velvet  with  trimmings  in 
green  and  black,  and  by  a  fine  choice  of  single 
articles.  Professor  Franz  Seeck  has  designed 
a  very  neat  and  bright  bedroom  in  sand-colour, 
with  wall-borderings  of  olive  satin  set  in  narrow 
braids  of  black  with  silver  and  gold.  The  sofa 
recess,  after  the  design  of  the  architect  Paul 
Thiersch  and  Fraulein  Feldkircher,  with  its 
intense  notes  of  ochre  and  blue,  is  intended  to 
carry  a  strong  colour  accent  into  an  interior  of 
reserved  tenor.  Director  Dr.  Jessen  and  superior 
craftsmen  like  Professor  Schulze-Naumburg,  the 
Berlin  Municipal  Weaving  School,  some  emi- 
nent architects  and  technical  teachers,  as  well  as 
various  first-class  manufacturers,  have  co-oper- 
ated to  create  this  original  and  useful  exhibition. 


The  Berlin  Joiners'  Guild  has  been  holding  in 
the  extensive  buildings  of  the  Zoological  Garden 
an  exhibition  of  interior  decoration  and  Berlin 
wood  fabrics,  which  is  proving  one  of  the  strongest 
attractions  of  this  summer  season.  The  valuation 
of  our  artisans  has  been  somewhat  neglected  by 


RECEPTION    ROOM  DESIGNED   BY   PROF.    BRUNO    PAUL 

(Exhibition  aj  Furniture  Trimmings,  Berlin) 


Studio-  Talk 


plus  rigoureuse  de  la  forme." 


"  couR  ensoleillee"  by  marcel  jefferys 

the  successes  of  leading  craftsmen,  and  the  effect 
of  such  a  show  as  this  is  to  restore  the  proper 
balance.     An  almost  inexhaustible  suite  of  com- 
plete appartments  and  single  rooms  demonstrates 
the  preference  for  historical  styles,  but  shows  at  the 
same  time  the  strong  in- 
fluence of  modern  ideas. 
This  clearly  traceable  fea- 
ture ought  to  generate  in 
our   leading  furniture 
makers  a  friendly  attitude 
towards  progressive  ideas. 
Good  technique  and  good 
taste    are    fully     demon- 
strated, and  the  whole  is 
so  sumptuously  arranged 
that  the  pecuniary  success 
seems  well  deserved. 

J-J- 

BRUSSELS.— 
Among  the 
young  artists 
whose  talents 
have  been  brought  to  our 
notice  through  the  recent 
and  numerous  art  exhibi- 
tions, one   must  mention 

among    the    foremost    M.  "  fabrique  incendiee' 

314 


Marcel  Jefferysof  Brussels. 
He  contributed  a  large 
number  of  works  in  great 
variety  to  the  Salons  of 
Liege,  Brussels,  Paris,  and 
lastly  to  that  of  the  Ind^- 
pendants  de  Bruxelles, 
works  which  attracted 
attention  by  their  brilliant 
colouring,  their  fine  exe- 
cution and  the  enthusiastic 
spirit  in  which  they  were 
conceived.  As  M.  Octave 
Maus  wrote  in  L'Arf 
Moderne :  "  Par  le  con- 
traste  des  ombres  et  les 
lumieres,  par  la  justesse 
des  relations  tonales,  par 
I'exacte  observation  des 
refiets,  M.  Jefferys  affirme 
un  temperament  de 
peintre  que  nous  avons 
deja  signale  et  qui 
trouvera  son  expression 
definitive  dans  une  etude 


The  large  bronze  group,  Za  Liitte  equestre,  by 
Count  J.  de  Lalaing,  which  was  greatly  admired  in 
the  last  Salon  de  Bruxelles,  has  been  set  up  at  the 


BY    MARCEL  JEFFERYS 


'LA  LUTTE  EQUESTRE" 
BY  J.  DE  LALAING 


Studio-Talk 


ICO.      Lt-ur^   Amis.      !>i'i)9.' 


Mons.  G.  Devreese  with  the  execution  of  a  plaquette 
bearing  the  double  portrait  of  the  directors,  which 
we  here  reproduce.  Several  reproductions  of  M. 
Devreese's  talented  work  have  already  appeared  in 
The  Studio,  and  this  last  piece  from  the  hands  of 
the  Belgian  sculptor — of  whose  work,  by-the-bye, 
the  Mus^e  du  Luxembourg  already  possesses  an  im- 
portant ensemble — in  no  way  falls  short  of  the  high 
standard  of  his  previous  achievements.         F.  K. 


M 


UNICH. — The  Kunstverein  of  Munich 
recently  held  an  exhibition  of  land- 
scapes in  water  colour  by  Fritz  Bequer 
de  Latour,  their  subjects  being  derived 
partly  from  England  and  Paris  and  partly  from  the 
artist's  native  homeland,  the  country  of  the  Rhine. 
In  the  midst  of  the  crowd  of  oil-paintings  with  which 
the  Kunstverein  is  from  time  to  time  inundated 
these  mature  and  delightful  drawings  of  Bequer's 
left  a  very  agreeable  impression.     They  were  all  of 


entrance  to  the  Bois'de  la  Cambre,  the  fashionable 
promenade  of  the  capital.  The  work  is  of  very 
striking  allure,  and  in  composition  most  cleverly 
conceived.  It  is  rather  a  pity,  perhaps,  that  its 
position,  albeit  chosen  by  the  artist  himself,  does 
not  allow  of  the  group  being  sufficiently  isolated. 
Had  it  been  mounted  on  a  rather  higher  pedestal 
and  on  a  site  that  would  have  permitted  of  its 
silhouette  being  seen  from  all  sides,  one  would 
have  had  a  better  opportunity  of  appreciating  the 
felicitous  disposal  of  the  masses  and  the  spaces, 
and  the  essential  lines  of  this  remarkable  group. 


The  authorities  of  the  town  of  Brussels  without, 
as  is  the  usual  custom,  having  recourse  to  the 
lottery  of  a  public  ballot,  have-  confirmed  for  a 
further  period  of  nine  years  MM.  Kufferath  and 
Guide  in  their  appointments  as  directors  of  the 
Theatre  royal  de  la  Monnaie.  The  life  of  Brussels 
is  so  inextricably  bound  up  with  that  of  the 
The'atre  de  la  Monnaie  that  all  that  concerns  the 
latter  has,  as  some  one  has  very  truly  remarked,  all 
the  importance  of  an  official  civic  occurrence.  The 
expression  of  sympathy  and  approbation  towards 
the  artist-directors  has  met  with  warm  support  on 
all  sides.  Their  friends  and  admirers,  as  a  mark 
of  the  affectionate  esteem  in  which  they  hold  the 
directors,  and  with  a  desire  to  commemorate  in 
tangible  form  the  first  period  of  MM.  Kufferath 
and  Guide''s  fraternal  collaboration,  entrusted 
316 


^-:::1i 


rL.VjUETTE,  BV  RUDOLF  BOSSELT 


PLAQUETTE:    "WINTER   SPORT" 

BY   FRITZ  CHRIST,    MUNICH 


"THE  DRACHENFELS;  MOON- 
LIGHT." FROM  THE  WATER-COLOUR 
BY  FRITZ  BEQUER   DE  LATOUR. 


Studio-Talk 


regarded  as  the  highest  attainment  in  the  water- 
colour  technique  at  the  present  time.  Wherever 
possible  he  utilizes  the  characteristic  property  of 
water  colour — its  transparency — and  laying  one  pure 
colour  over  another  instead  of  mixing  them  achieves 
in  this  way,  along  with  clarity  of  tone,  great  depth 
and  illuminative  power. 


PRIN'CE  REGENT  LEOPOLD  MEDAL,  BY  HUGO  KAUFMANN 

quite  modest  dimensions, 
but  in  spite  of  this  they 
held  their  own  amid  their 
surroundings  by  virtue  of 
the  admirable  qualities 
which  distinguished  them 
— a  straightforward,  honest 
technique  from  which  all 
trace  of  cheap  artificiality 
is  absent,  and  a  refined  and 
sincere  attitude  towards 
nature — an  attitude  in  pur- 
suance of  which  the  aim 
is  not  exclusively  to  repro- 
duce the  subjective  impres- 
sion but  to  pay  due  regard 

to  the  objective  aspect  of  things.  At  the  same 
time  Bequer  de  Latour  is  far  from  being  a  painter 
who  selects  a  pretty  bit  of  scenery  merely  in  order 
to  please.  His  innate  good  taste,  which  his  visits 
to  England  and  Paris  have  been  instrumental  in 
disciplining,  has  always  kept  him  from  that. 


Bequer  de  Latour  received  his  training  as  an 
artist  at  Diisseldorf,  Munich  and  Paris,  and  for  the 
last  two  years  he  has  been  working  in  England. 
He  is,  as  already  indicated,  a  native  of  the  Rhine 
country,  his  home  being  Coblenz.  He  is  devoting 
himself  exclusively  to  the  water-colour  medium, 
and  endeavouring  to  secure  for  it  greater  favour 
among  artists — a  laudable  undertaking,  but  one 
which  in  presence  of  the  almost  tyrannical  sway 
of  the  oil  medium  is  not 
likely  to  prove  easy  of 
accomplishment. 


In  that  branch  of  art 
which  is  concerned  with 
the  production  of  medals 
and  plaquettes  Germany  is 
behind  England  and  France, 
for  she  is  without  the  tra- 
dition which  these  coun- 
tries possess  both  in  respect 
of  the  technical  methods 
associated  with  the  art  and 
in  regard  to  its  apprecia- 
tion   among   connoisseurs. 


CONFIRMATION    MEDAL,    BY    HEINRICH   WADERE 


The  works  included  in  the  exhibition  comprised 
many  di\'erse  themes,  such  as  the  Champs  Efysees, 
Westminster  Abbey,  Marxburg  on  the  Rhi7ie  and  the 
Chapter  House.  In  the  drawing  of  The  Drachenfels, 
now  reproduced  in  colours,  the  artist  has  completely 
realised  the  romantic  sentiment  of  a  moonliglu 
night  on  the  Rhine,  and  yet  has  avoided  that 
sweetness  and  affectation  which,  as  a  rule,  render 
Rhine  pictures  so  unpalatable.  He  has  a  whole- 
some contempt  for  that  bravura  method  of  work 
and  that  mania  for  elimination  which  are  so  often 


FRANZ  VO.N  LENBACH  MEDAL,   I)Y  I'ROF.  HERMANN    HAHN 


Studio-  Talk 


MEDAL    "ST.    GEORGE" 


BY    MAX   DASIO 


Much  as  this  is  to  be  deplored  (especially  in  the 
interests  of  the  creative  artist),  it  is  equally  difficult 
to  see  how  any  improvement  can  be  brought 
about.  In  Germany  the  erroneous  belief  is  still 
widely  entertained  that  for  the 
purposes  of  portraiture  the 
medal  is  proper  only  to 
crowned  heads,  generals,  and 
other  great  men  ;  there  is  no 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  in 
point  of  worth  it  is  equal  to 
the  painted  portrait  and  at 
the  same  time  is  far  more 
enduring ;  least  of  all  has  it 
dawned  upon  the  German 
people  at  large,  how  incom- 
parably more  valuable  a  medal 
or  a  plaquette  must  be  as  a 
record  to  hand  down  to 
posterity  than  a  photograph, 
which  soon  becomes  faded,  and  never  perhaps  had 
any  artistic  merit 


or  are  entrusted  to  the  medal  factories, 
in  which  art  receives  much  less  than  her 
due.  It  is  therefore  very  gratifying  to  find 
that  generous  support  and  encouragement 
for  the  medallist  is  forthcoming  from  a 
private  individual,  a  man  possessed  of  a 
keen  sympathy  for  art  and  who  has 
spared  no  efforts  to  induce  German  sculp- 
tors to  interest  themselves  in  medal  work, 
who  has  liberally  supported  their  achieve- 
ments and  secured  for  them  an  increasing 
patronage  among  the  public.  This  gentle- 
man is  Herr  Georg  Hitl,  formerly  pro- 
prietor of  a  Bavarian  Minting  establishment. 


It  is  from  the  series  of  medals  and  plaquettes 
published  by  Herr  Hitl  that  the  accompanying 
illustrations  have  been  se- 
lected. To  discuss  in  detail 
all  the  works  of  this  character 
which  have  made  their  appear- 
ance under  his  auspices  would 
carry  us  too  far,  and  these 
few  examples  must  suffice  to 
show  the  broad  eclecticism 
which  animates  this  generous 
patron  of  the  medallic  art. 
Besides  the  artists  represented 
in  these  reproductions,  his 
collection  comprises  works 
by  various  other  men  promi- 
nent in  modern  German  art, 
such  as  Ludwig  Habich, 
Josef  Kowarzik,  Theodor  von  Gosen,  Benno 
Such  being  the  condition  of      Elkan,   Georg  Wrba,   Paul  Sturm,   C.   Starck  and 


CHRISTMAS 

BY    GEORG    ROMER 


things  the  artist  who  has  devoted  himself  to  this 
class  of  work 
has  found  him- 
self making 
perpetual  sac- 
rifices  and 
rarely  reaping 
any  compensa- 
tion in  return 
from  the  pub- 
lic ;  for  such 
few  commis- 
sions as  are 
given  by  the 
State  and  other 
public  bodies 
nearly  always 
fall  into  un- 
worthy hands 
320 


others.    Prof.  Rudolf  Bosselt  of  Diisseldorf,  besides 


lEWISH    MARRIAGE   MEDAL 


BY   H.    WADERE 


Studio-Talk 


a  marriage  medal  and  several  others,  has  contri- 
buted one  which  serves  as  a  title  or  emblem  for 
the  series.  Some  years  ago  Bosselt  won  the  first 
prize  in  a  competition  for  a  baptismal  medal, 
organised  by  the  Kultusministerium  of  Prussia. 
One  could  have  wished  that  Prof.  Hermann  Hahn 
had  been  represented  in  the  series  by  further 
examples  besides  his  Lenbach  medal — for  instance, 
the  plaquettes  dedicated  to  the  architects  Alfred 
Messel  and  Stadtbaumeister  Hoffmann.  The  late 
Franz  Christ,  of  Munich,  in  addition  to  an  admirable 
Schiller  medal,  contributes  to  the  series  a  plaquette 
dedicated  to  Winter  Sport ;  the  obverse,  showing 
the  goddess  of  winter  riding  on  a  polar  bear,  is 
admirable,  but  the  reverse  betrays  a  leaning  to 
that  affectation  and  sweetness  of  manner  which  the 
later  Munich  school  are  so  fond  of,  but  which  is 
not,  on  that  account,  any  the  more  appropriate  to 
the  essential  character  of  the  medal.  Hugo  Kauf- 
mann's  medals  are  among  those  which  show  a 
laudable  endeavour  to  emphasize  those  points 
which  express  clearly  the  purpose  of  the  medal 
without  recourse  to  supplementary  means.  It  is 
a  pity  his  beautiful  Goethe  medal  is  not  in  the 
series.  Prof.  Heinrich  Wader^,  of  Munich,  is 
represented  by  a  confirmation  token  and  marriage 
and  ordination  medals,  in  which  the  chief  point  of 
interest   is  the    reverse,  the  obverse,   representing 


biblical  figures,  being  somewhat  too  academic  in 
treatment,  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that 
herein  he  had  not  an  altogether  free  hand. 


In  the  work  of  the  artists  above-mentioned  there 
is  traceable  the  influence  of  the  French  medallists, 
from  whom  something  has  undoubtedly  been 
learnt  by  the  Germans,  especially  in  regard  to  the 
technique  of  bronze  casting  and  machine  reduction. 
Two  artists,  however,  have  to  be  named  who  are 
not  to  be  classed  in  this  category — Georg  Romer 
(Florence)  and  Max  Dasio  (Munich),  whose  par- 
ticularly expressive  technique  either  recalls  — 
Dasio's  especially — the  coins  and  engraved  gems  of 
the  Greeks  and  Romans  or  follows  a  wholly  inde- 
pendent line.  Both  these  artists  are  endeavouring 
to  revive  the  old  steel  die  process.  If  that  could 
be  done  it  would  be  a  good  thing,  and  no  doubt 
collectors  would  pay  especial  attention  to  examples 
produced  by  this  method.  H.  E.  K. 

DRESDEN.  — The  Grosse  Aquarell- 
Ausstellung  in  the  Academy  Building 
on  the  terrace  is  a  good  deal  more 
comprehensive  than  its  name — Water- 
colour  Exhibition — would  imply.  In  fact,  no  colour- 
technique  has  been  ruled  out  except  pure  oils. 
Water  colours,    body    colours,   pastels    and   even 


"THE  ELBE  AT  DRESDEN' 


BY  WILHELM  CLAUS 
321 


studio-  Talk 


"THE   OLD    RESERVOIR 


BY    PROF.    FRANZ   HEIN 


paintings  in  tempera,  so  long  as  the  medium  work  in  which  the 
employed  was  water,  have  been  hung.  The  awk-  colour  or  pastel,  its 
wardness  of  the  exhibition 
halls  has  been  well  over- 
come by  the  Dresden 
architect,  Martin  Pietzsch, 
who  has  laid  out  and 
decorated  a  surprisingly 
pleasant  series  of  rooms, 
where  ordinarily — unless 
special  efforts  of  this  kind 
are  made — badly  lighted 
and  ungainly  shaped  halls 
are  the  plague  of  exhibi- 
tion committees. 


nique  proceeds  clearly  on 
water  or  body  colour 
lines,  vie  in  spirit,  con- 
ception and  general  char- 
acter with  the  work  of 
the  painter  in  oils.  These 
are  the  paintings  —  can- 
vases I  had  almost  said 
— which  are  enclosed  in 
heavy  frames  with  no 
mount  intervening  be- 
tween frame  and  picture, 
and  the  large  important 
works  of  Von  Bartels, 
Herrmann,  Skarbina,  J. 
Ufer  and  others  are  cer- 
tainly marvels  of  skill. 
It  is  surprising  how  close 
they  can  come  to  the 
effects  of  the  painter  in 
oils.  In  the  end,  however, 
one  likes  to  revert  to  the 
specific  character  of  water- 
delicacy,  its  fleeting  touches. 


Work  on  a  large  scale, 
work  that  in  its  thorough 
finish  and  general  aspect 
competes  directly  with 
the  art  of  the  painter  in 
oils,  occupies  the  main 
hall  with  its  recesses. 
There  are  tempera  pic- 
tures, such  as  a  Self- 
fortrait,  by  J.  Mogk,  and 
Among  the  Pistrian  Hills, 
by  Dora  Hitz,  which  can- 
not be  distinguished  from 
oil  paintings,  and  there 
are  many  other  pictures 
which,  though  their  tech- 
322 


BY   H.    LEFLER   AND  J.    URBAN 


(By  permission  of  Messrs.  Gerlach  if  Wiedling,  Vienna) 


Studio-  Talk 


excellent  work,  amongst 
which  that  by  the  late 
R.  von  Alt  and  the  beau- 
tiful, delicate  miniature- 
like art  of  \V.  Hampel, 
particularly  struck  me. 
Setting  aside  all  rules,  the 
Austrians  have  been 
allowed  to  hang  a  series 
of  etchings  in  colour  — 
not  to  the  improvement 
of  the  general  effect. 


SWEDISH     IIOML-sLOJD     SOCIETV's      EXHIBIT     AT     THB     STOCKHOLM     EXHIBITION. 

FURNITURE     DESIGNED      BY     CHR.    ARBO,    AND    EXECUTED    IN    SWEDISH    BIRCH 

BY   HOME-WORKERS    IN    VARIOUS   PARTS   OF   SWEDEN 

{See  Slockholm  Stiidio-  Talk,  page  724) 


its  capricious  way  of  resting  upon   such  portions 
of  the  subject  as  are  particularly  interesting  and 
hurrying  over  the  rest,  are 
brought  out  to  full  advant- 
age.    '■ 


The  Exhibition  is  the 
best  of  its  kind  that  I  have 
seen  for  years,  and  the 
Committee,  consisting  of 
the  Kunstverein  and  a 
number  of  representatives 
chosen  from  the  various 
artists'  societies  of  Dresden, 
are  to  be  sincerely  congrat- 
ulated upon  their  success. 
About  660  pictures  have 
been  hung  out  of  a  total 
of  2,000  submitted  to  the 
jur)',  it  is  said.  It  is  an  in- 
ternational afTair.  Austria 
is  brilliantly  represented,  a 
small  room  being  devoted 
entirely  to  the  fascinating 
colour  illustrations  by  H. 
Lefler  and  J.  Urban.  The 
large  room  contains  much 


Belgium  has  sent  in 
large  effective  paintings 
by  Leempoels,  Van  der 
Waay,  Marcette,  Delau- 
nots,  Baseleer,  Luijten. 
The  recess,  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  the  Dutch  mas- 
ters Mesdag,  Kever, 
Bastert,  Apol,  etc.,  is, 
however,  more  impressive, 
in  spite  of  the  single 
works  being  smaller  and 
less  pretentious.  Among 
Frenchmen     I     note     P. 

Signac,    J.    T.    Raflfaelli,  Gaston    La   Touche,   E. 

Cross,  Vuillard,    Aublet,    Walter  Gay  (whom    we 


SWEDISH     AIII.IED     ART     EXHIBITION,     STOCKHOLM:      THE      YELLOW      COURT. 

FFRDINANO    BOBEKG,    ARCHITECT.      WALL    DECORATION     BY     C.     J.     STENBERG. 

VASES   DESIGNED   BY   F.    BOBERG,    EXECUTED   BY  J.    RINGBERG 

(See  Stockholm  Studio-  Tali,  page  324) 


studio-  Talk 


may  call  a  Parisian  at  least  if  not  a  Frenchman) ; 
among  British  artists  Th.  Shoard,  J.  R.  Reid,  J.  W. 
Hamilton,  R.  W.  Allan,  D.  Y.  Cameron,  Miss 
Jessie  King,  etc.  Maurice  Boutet  de  Monvel  has 
sent  only  one  small  picture,  but  it  is  one  of  the 
best  things  in  the  Exhibition ;  the  same  holds  true 
— it  goes  without  saying — of  the  four  wonderful 
little  paintings  F.  Khnopff  has  contributed  ;  and  I 
must  not  forget  to  mention  Carl  Larsson. 


Fine  Art  Exhibition,  which  we  have  to  do  without 
this  year,  because  the  grounds  are  occupied  by  the 
International  Photographic  Exhibition. 


All  the  many  schools  of  Germany  are  represented 
pretty  well,  above  all  the  Dresden  artists,  as  was 
to  be  expected.  Otto  Fischer,  A.  Fischer-Gurig, 
G.  Kuehl,  E.  Hauptmann,  F.  Beckert,  J.  Ufer, 
are  a  few  of  the  names  selected  at  random,  which 
show  how  well  our  local  artists  are  able  to  hold 
their  own  in  the  general  race.  There  are  one-man 
shows — on  a  moderate  scale — of  F.  von  Lenbach, 
Herman  Prell  and  G.  Kuehl.  The  first  of  these 
might  well  have  been  dispensed  with,  since  none 
but  the  very  late  pastels  have  been  secured  for 
exhibition,  and  Lenbach  does  not  show  up  to 
advantage  in  them.  Taken  altogether,  the  exhibi- 
tion is,  as  I  mentioned  before,  an  excellent  one, 
and  not   a   bad    makeshift  for  the  large,  general 


This  latter  is,  indeed,  a  sight  for  this  year's 
visitors  to  Dresden,  and  a  huge  one  at  that.  The 
show  has  been  preparing  for  many  years,  and  has 
been  laid  out  on  a  carefully-thought-out  and  large 
plan.  Nearly  every  fashion  and  form  of  photo- 
graphy and  every  branch  of  human  activity  in 
which  photography  has  played  a  part  are  shown 
from  the  early  days  down  to  our  own.    H.  W.  S. 

STOCKHOLM. — The  illustrations  we  give 
on  these  pages  from  the  Exhibition  of 
Swedish  Applied  Art  at  Stockholm  are 
intended  to  supplement  those  we  pub- 
lished in  the  article  on  the  exhibition  which 
appeared  in  our  last  issue.  As  our  readers  were 
therein  made  acquainted  with  the  chief  points  of 
interest  in  this  unique  display  of  Swedish  design 
and  craftsmanship,  detailed  comment  on  these 
supplementary  illustrations  is  unnecessary.  We 
are  glad  to  be  able  to  give  some  views  of  the  ex- 
hibition buildings  as  evidence  of  the  resourceful 


DINING   KOOM   IN    FUMIGATED   OAK.      DESIGNED    BY    <    U. ; 
STOCKHOLM.      CARPET    DESIGNED   BY    MRS 


I  IKui  I-M>    AMI    KXElITEIi     1;V    THE    CRAFTSMEN  S    UNION, 
SUTTHOFF   AND   WOVEN    BV  J.    BRUNNSOX 


324 


Art   School  Notes 


PEASANT  INTERIOR  AT  THE  STOCKHOLM  EXHIBITION.      FURNITURE  &•  FABRICS  NEWLY  EXECUTED  FROM  OLD  DESIGNS 


talent  of  their  architect,  Ferdinand  Boberg,  who 
has  done  and  is  doing  so  much  for  the  furtherance 
of  Swedish  architecture  and  the  various  arts  and 
crafts  ancillary  thereto. 

ART   SCHOOL   NOTES. 

LONDOX.— At  the  St.  Martin's  Sketch 
Club  the  summer  season  was  wound  up 
in  the  customary  fashion  by  an  exhibi- 
tion, to  which  each  member  contributed 
a  set  of  works  submitted  in  competition  for  prizes 
awarded  by  Sir  Hubert  Herkomer.  On  the  night 
of  the  exhibition  there  was  a  large  gathering  in  the 
principal  studio  at  St.  Martin's  School  of  Art,  in 
which  the  drawings  and  paintings  were  arranged. 
When  Sir  Hubert  arrived  the  exhibition  room  was 
temporarily  cleared  while  the  judge,  accompanied 
by  the  Head  Master,  Mr.  J.  E.  Allen,  and  the  Club 
Secretary,  Mr.  W.  P.  Robins,  inspected  the  work. 
Sir  Hubert's  examination  was  made  in  the  most 
thorough  fashion,  and  he  found  it  difficult  in  more 
than  one  instance  to  decide  between  two  compet- 
ing sketches — "  judging  pictures  at  the  Academy 
was  nothing  to  it,"  he  jocosely  remarked.  However, 
326 


finally  he  gave  the  first  prize  to  Mr.  Herbert 
W.  Wright,  the  second  to  Mr.  W.  P.  Robins,  the 
third  to  Mr.  F.  A.  Bishop,  and  the  fourth  to  Mr. 
H.  C.  C.  Turner.  A  special  prize  for  decorative 
work  he  gave  to  Mr.  F.  A.  ^^'hincap,  with  honour- 
able mentions  to  Mr.  W.  R.  Reeve  and  Mr.  A.  H. 
Hookham.  The  judging  finished,  the  students 
begged  for  a  speech,  but  Sir  Hubert  unfortunately 
had  prepared  nothing.  Still,  he  would  say  some- 
thing if  they  liked,  and,  asking  their  permission  to 
be  seated,  he  sat  himself  down  on  the  arm  of  a  big 
chair.  

"  Now,"  said  Sir  Hubert,  "  ask  me  something. 
What  do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  ?  "  Some  of  the 
students  asked  for  a  criticism  of  the  work  on  the 
walls,  but  Sir  Hubert  said  that  he  had  already 
looked  at  and  judged  the  work,  and  that  there  was 
not  much  more  to  be  said  about  it.  A  tendency 
towards  seriousness  and  breadth  seemed  to  cha- 
racterise it  generally,  and  he  was  glad  to  see  that 
it  was  unaffected  by  that  curse  of  our  times,  the 
cult  of  ugliness.  "But,"  said  the  famous  artist,  "in 
your  work  you  all  appear  to  have  had  patterns  in 
your  eye.     A  good  pattern  may  be  all  very  well, 


Art  School  Notes 


but  in  any  case  it  is  a  dangerous  thing."  And  he 
went  on  to  tell  them  how  he,  too,  in  his  youth,  had 
had  a  pattern,  and  that  it  had  been  almost  a  life 
struggle  to  get  rid  of  it.  He  was  obsessed  by  Fred 
Walker,  and  the  obsession  blocked  his  way — even 
now  he  was  furious  to  think  of  it — for  he  could 
only  see  in  nature  what  Walker  saw.  It  had 
been  curious  to  him  to  have  seen  recently,  at  the 
Quilter  sale  at  Christie's,  Walker's  Bathers  side  by 
side  with  his  own  Chelsea  Pensioners,  the  picture 
in  which  at  length  he  freed  himself  from  the  bond. 
"  And  yet,"  he  said,  "  I  hated  the  Pensioners  be- 
cause it  was  so  unlike  Walker."  Many  other 
stories,  autobiographical  and  otherwise,  did  the 
artist  tell  the  students,  to  whom  he  confidedthat 
he  had  never  been  able  to  sketch,  and  that  he 
envied  those  who  could,  and  that  his  present 
obsession  was  the  development  of  a  certain  form 
of  black-and-white — the  making  of  a  new  art  out 
of  an  old  one.  Sir  Hubert  told  them  something, 
too,  of  the  history  of  his  house  at  Bushey,  and 
then,  as  if  a  thought  had  struck  him,  said  suddenly, 
"  But  I  can  tell  you  much  better  about  this  in  the 
house  itself.  Come  and  see  it,  come  all  of  you,  as 
soon  as  I  come  back  from  my  holiday  in  Ger- 
many." It  is  perhaps  unnecessary  to  say  that  the 
invitation  was  joyfully  accepted. 


Some  excellent  examples  of  design  and  crafts- 
manship were  shown  at  the  exhibition  held  at  the 
end  of  the  summer  term  at  the  Central  School  of 
Arts  and  Crafts,  Southampton  Row.  The  exhibi- 
tion was  composed  of  works  submitted  in  compe- 
tition for  the  London  County  Council  scholarships 
and  exhibitions,  in  which  for  the  first  time  the 
judges  were  assisted  in  making  the  awards  by  the 
repre-sentatives  of  the  newly  organized  Consultative 
Committees,  composed  of  employers  and  employees 
selected  by  the  various  Associations  and  Trades 
Unions.  In  the  examinations  Sir  George  Frampton, 
R.A.,  Mr.  Charles  Ricketts  and  Mr.  Selwyn  Image 
acted  as  judges,  assisted  by  Mr.  H.  Wilson  and 
Mr.  C.  J.  R.  Smith,  representing  the  Goldsmiths, 
Silversmiths,  Jewellers  and  Allied  Trades,  and  by 
two  delegates  from  the  Committee  on  Book  Pro- 
duction, Mr.  Emery  Walker  and  Mr.  Douglas 
Cockerell.  The  exhibition,  which  included,  among 
other  things,  examples  of  cabinetmakers'  work, 
bookbinding,  jewellery,  pottery,  printing,  engraving, 
stained  glass,  book  illustration,  and  many  kinds  of 
design,  was  admirably  arranged,  but  its  value  was 
discounted  by  the  absence  of  a  catalogue,  and  of 
those  portions  of  the  aggressively  orange-coloured 
labels  that  showed  from  which  school  each  work 


had  come.  And  if  the  exhibition  could  be  kept 
open  for  a  month  instead  of  only  two  or  three  days, 
it  would  be  an  interesting  object  lesson  to  the 
hundreds  of  provincial  students  who  come  to 
London  in  the  autumn  to  see  the  National  Art 
Competition  works 


The  principals  of  the  St.  John's  Wood  Art 
Schools  are  entitled  to  congratulation  on  the 
result  of  the  recent  examination  of  students  for 
admission  to  the  Royal  Academy.  Out  of  a  total 
of  five  from  all  England  they  passed  in  three,  one 
being  the  only  girl  student  admitted. 


At  the  Heatherley  School  in  Newman  Street 
Mr.  Henry  G.  Massey  intends  during  the  coming 
winter  still  further  to  develop  the  Quick  Sketch 
classes  from  the  nude,  by  posing  models  not  singly, 
as  before,  but  in  groups  of  two  and  three.  These 
classes,  which  are  on  the  same  lines  as  the  cours  de 
croquis  in  the  French  schools,  were  so  popular  last 
year  that  many  applicants  were  unable  to  obtain 
admission  to  the  Heatherley  School  in  the  early 
part  of  the  winter.  ^^  •  T.  ^\  . 

BI  R  M  I  N  G  H  A  M.— A  Day  School  of 
Architecture  has  been  founded  at  the 
Municipal  School  of  Art  in  Margaret 
Street  with  the  object  of  providing 
architectural  students  in  the  Midlands  with  a 
thorough  training  in  all  the  branches  of  their 
profession  and  preparing  them  for  the  examina- 
tions of  the  Royal  Institute  of  British  Architects. 
The  school  course  will  be  spread  over  four  or 
five  years.  It  is  intended  that  the  first  two 
years  shall  be  spent  at  day  classes  and  that  they 
shall  take  the  place  of  the  first  two  years  of 
articled  pupilage.  The  latter  two  or  three  years 
will  be  spent  at  evening  classes  and  will  run 
concurrently  with  articled  pupilage.  A  large 
number  of  prominent  architects  in  the  Midlands 
have  promised  to  forego  the  whole  or  a  portion  of 
the  fee  ordinarily  received  by  them  in  the  case  of 
pupils  who  shall  have  attended  the  school.  The 
syllabus  for  the  first  year  includes  lectures  on  archi- 
tectural history,  building  construction,  elementary 
physics  and  geometry;  demonstrations  and  prac- 
tical work  in  stone-masonry,  carpentry  and  brick- 
laying ;  simple  planning,  elementary  design  ;  per- 
spective drawing  and  lettering.  For  the  second 
year,  studies  in  ancient  architecture,  including 
measuring  ;  practical  work  ;  lectures  on  the  historic 
styles  and  on  iron  and  steel  construction,  physics, 
etc. ;  design.     The  third  and  fourth  years  will  be 

327 


Reviews  and  Notices 


devoted  mainly  to  design,  advanced  physics  and 
kindred  subjects.  The  teaching  staff  of  the  School 
of  Architecture  consists  of  Messrs.  J.  L.  Ball 
(General  Director) ;  E.  F.  Reynolds  (Soane  Medal- 
list, 1903);  W.  H.  Bidlake,  M.A.,  A.R.I.B.A. 
(Pugin  Scholar,  1885)  ;  F.  B.  Andrews,  A.R.I.B.A., 
John  B.  Surman,  A.R.I.B.A. 

REVIEWS    AND    NOTICES. 

The  School  of  Madrid.  By  A.  de  Beruete. 
(London  :  Duckworth  &  Co. ;  New  York  :  Charles 
Scribner's  Sons.)  7^-.  6d.  net. — The  gifted  son  of 
a  gifted  father,  Senor  A.  de  Beruete — whose  valu- 
able work  on  the  School  of  Madrid  has  been  well 
translated  by  Mrs.  Steuart  Erskine — has  ably 
carried  on  the  investigations  inaugurated  some  ten 
years  ago  into  what  has  been  aptly  called  the  terra 
incognita  surrounding  Velasquez  and  his  followers. 
The  dominating  personality  of  the  great  Court 
painter  had  practically  swallowed  up  all  lesser 
lights,  but  many  of  the  works  assigned  to  him  are 
now  claimed  to  have  been  produced  by  certain  of 
his  contemporaries,  who,  though  not  exactly  his 
pupils,  were  all  more  or  less  strongly  influenced  by 
him.  His  book,  the  illustrations  of  which  include 
several  pictures  not  before  reproduced,  as  well  as 
much  information  now  for  the  first  time  published, 
carries  on  the  history  of  painting  in  the  Peninsula, 
so  ably  begun  by  his  father  in  his  important 
work  on  Velasquez,  down  to  the  time  of  its  decline 
under  the  alien  influence  of  the  Italian  Luca  di 
Giordano.  The  writer  devotes  the  bulk  of  his 
space  to  the  great  master's  son-in-law,  Juan  Bautista 
Martinez  del  Mazo,  who  has  been  practically  dis- 
covered by  the  Beruetes,  and  to  whom  are  given 
several  celebrated  paintings  hitherto  unhesitatingly 
attributed  to  Velasquez.  Three  of  these  are  cele- 
brated works  belonging  to  London  collections,  and 
with  other  less  well-known  works  are  dissected  by 
the  brilliant  young  Spanish  critic  with  a  discern- 
ment that,  whether  the  opinions  he  advances  be 
endorsed  or  not,  cannot  fail  to  command  respect 
and  attention,  every  point  of  affinity  and  disparity 
between  the  styles  of  the  two  artists  being  so  clearly 
defined. 

Brush,  Pen  and  Pencil.  The  Book  of  Tom 
Browne.  (London  :  A.  &  C.  Black.) — Mr.  Tom 
Browne  is  well  and  favourably  known  to  readers  of 
Punch,  The  Tatler  and  other  English  papers,  by 
his  excellent  humorous  sketches.  The  little 
monograph  on  his  work  contains  many  favourable 
examples,  culled  for  the  most  part  from  various 
periodicals,  and  supplemented  by  some  unpub- 
3'8 


lished  notes  from  his  sketch-book.  The  coloured 
examples  from  his  more  serious  work  do  not  show 
him  at  his  best. 

How  to  Appreciate  Prints.  By  Frantz  Weiten- 
K.\MP.  (London  :  Grant  Richards.)  "js.  6d.  net. 
Very  simple  and  straightforward,  yet  most  difficult 
of  achievement  is  the  aim  of  the  author  of  this 
book,  for  he  makes  no  claim  to  historical  complete- 
ness for  his  work,  but  gives  only  such  data  as 
illustrate  the  principles  he  wishes  to  enforce.  His 
dominant  motive  is  to  enable  authors  to  share  his 
own  keen  delight  in  masterpieces  of  etching,  en- 
graving, and  the  kindred  arts,  and  were  it  possible 
to  communicate  the  critical  spirit  with  which  he 
is  himself  endowed  his  book  would  no  doubt  add 
largely  to  the  number  of  true  connoisseurs.  As  it 
is,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  it  will  be  read  only  by 
those  who  are  already  in  sympathy  with  the  writer's 
enthusiasms,  many  of  whom,  whose  knowledge  is 
not  equal  to  their  taste,  will  welcome  the  clear 
explanations  of  processes  with  which  each  section 
is  prefaced,  and  appreciate  the  numerous  good 
reproductions  of  famous  etchings  and  engravings 
enriching  the  text. 

Stained  Glass  Tours  in  England.  By  Charles 
Hitchcock  Sherrill.  (London  :  John  Lane.) 
7^-.  6d.  net. — In  this  book  the  author  has  done  for 
England  what  he  did  in  a  previous  work  for  France. 
He  conducts  the  reader  through  various  tours  to 
Cathedral  cities  and  other  places  of  interest,  where 
fine  examples  of  stained  glass  may  be  seen.  Mr. 
Sherrill  has  all  an  American's  enthusiasm  for  things 
English,  and  writes  as  interestingly  and  as  sym- 
pathetically about  stained  glass  in  this  country  as 
he  did  in  "  Stained  Glass  Tours  in  France."  The 
various  itineraries  he  maps  out  for  the  reader 
strike  one  as  being  extremely  well  arranged,  and 
apart  from  its  undoubted  charm,  the  work  should 
prove  of  very  practical  value  as  a  guide  book. 

A  Catalogue  Raisonne  of  the  Works  of  the  Most 
Eminent  Dutch  Painters  of  the  Seventeenth  Century. 
Based  on  the  work  of  John  Smith,  by  C.  Hof- 
stede  de  Groot.  Translated  and  edited  by 
Edward  G.  Hawke.  (London  :  Macmillan  & 
Co.)  Vol.  II.  25^.  net. — The  second  volume 
of  Mr.  Hawke's  excellent  translation  of  the  Dutch 
edition  of  the  well-known  Catalogue  Raisonnd  of 
John  Smith,  deals  with  Albert  Cuyp  and  Philips 
Wouverman  and  well  maintains  the  high  level  of 
excellence  of  its  predecessor.  As  in  the  latter,  the 
work  of  the  learned  Hofstede  de  Groot  has  been 
supplemented  by  notices  of  many  pictures  not 
mentioned  by  him,  and  an  index  of  the  painters 
and   engravers  mentioned    in   the    text   has    been 


Reviews  and  Notices 


added.  The  one  thing  that  somewhat  mihtates 
against  the  weight  of  the  conclusions  arrived  at  by 
the  Dutch  editor  is  his  naif  admission  that  he  has 
suppressed  criticism  likely  to  give  offence  to  col- 
lectors, so  as,  to  quote  his  own  words,  "  not  to  risk 
depriving  himself  of  their  co-operation,  without 
which  the  completion  of  the  enterprise  would  be 
to  some  extent  involved  in  doubt." 

The  Arts  Connected  with  Building.  Lectures  on 
Craftsmanship  and  Design  delivered  at  Carpenter's 
Hall,  London.  Edited  by  T.  Rafkles  Davison. 
(London  :  B.  T.  Batsford.)  ^s.  net.— With  the 
laudable  aim  of  stimulating  the  ambition  of  crafts- 
men towards  a  high  ideal  of  attainment  the 
Carpenter's  Company  instituted  the  series  of 
lectures  which,  after  being  delivered  at  "the 
Company's  Hall  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  are 
now,  by  publication  in  permanent  form,  placed 
within  reach  of  a  wider  public.  Thirteen  lectures 
were  delivered  —  three  by  Mr.  Weir  Schultz  on 
"  Reason  in  Building " ;  two  by  Mr.  Voysey  on 
"  Ideas  in  Things " ;  two  by  Mr.  F.  W.  Troup 
on  "  The  Influence  of  Material  on  Design  in 
Woodwork"  and  "External  Leadwork,"  and  single 
lectures  by  Mr.  Guy  Dawber  on  "  Woodwork," 
Mr.  Romney  Green  on  "  The  Influence  of  Tools 
on  Design,"  Mr.  Baillie  Scott  on  "Ideas  in  Building, 
False  and  True,"  Mr.  Charles  Spooner  on  "  House 
and  Church  Furniture,"  Mr.  L.  A.  Turner  on 
"  Decorative  Plasterwork,"  and  Mr.  Starkie  Gard- 
ner on  "  Decorative  Ironwork."  The  papers,  which 
are  illustrated  by  numerous  fine  examples  of  old 
and  contemporary  work  carefully  selected  to  give 
point  to  the  remarks  of  the  lecturer,  teem  with 
thoughts  and  suggestions  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  all  concerned  in  the  arts  and  crafts  connected 
with  building,  and  though  ostensibly  addressed  to 
young  craftsmen  and  students  of  architecture  and 
design,  they  provide  profitable  and  exhilarating 
reading  for  many  who  have  left  their  novitiate 
far  behind. 

Pastel:  A  Treatise  fo7-  Beginners.  By  J.  R.  K. 
Duff.  (London  :  Simpkin,  Marshall,  Hamilton, 
Kent  &  Co.)  \s.  6d.  net.  Mr.  Duff  disclaims  any 
intention  to  teach  artists,  although  he  thinks  that 
those  accomplished  in  other  mediums  may  learn 
from  his  notes  something  about  pastel  to  their 
advantage.  It  is  probable  that  the  artist  may 
learn  something,  and  certain  that  the  student  can 
learn  a  great  deal  from  Mr.  Duff,  who  is  him- 
self a  master  of  the  medium  of  which  he  writes. 
His  book  contains  practically  all  that  the  young 
pastellist  can  learn  by  reading.  The  other  things 
— and  the  best — in  pastel  as  in  all  other  branches  of 


the  arts,  can  only  be  learnt  by  incessant  study  and 
practice.  The  hints  given  by  Mr.  Duff  on  sketch- 
ing from  nature,  and  on  the  outfit  necessary  for  the 
worker  in  pastel,  are  especially  valuable. 

Trees  and  Tree  Drawing.  By  Edward  C. 
Clifford,  R.I. ,  R.D.S.  (London:  George 
Rowney  &  Co.)  is.  A  knowledge  of  the  character- 
istics of  trees  is  of  essential  value  to  the  student 
of  landscape,  who  can  make  good  some  of  his 
probable  deficiencies  in  this  respect  by  studying 
Mr.  Clifford's  manual.  He  gives  careful  and 
elaborate  drawings  of  the  commoner  English  trees 
in  their  summer  garb,  and  separate  studies  of  the 
trunks  and  leaves  of  each.  These  drawings  are 
accompanied  by  descriptions  of  the  families  of  the 
trees  and  of  their  habits  of  growth,  and  the  student 
who  consults  this  book  will  not  be  likely  to  make 
such  blunders  as  that  of  the  painter  of  a  picture 
described  by  Mr.  Clifford,  in  which  young  silver 
birches  were  shown  growing  in  the  shade  of  a 
thick  beech  wood. 

Mr.  D.  J.  Rider,  Bookseller,  London,  has  just 
published,  under  the  title  of  Three  Literary  Lions, 
a  series  of  caricatures  by  Joseph  Simpson,  of 
certain  well-known  London  literary  men.  Mr. 
Simpson  has  earned  for  himself  a  foremost  place 
among  modern  caricaturists,  and  his  reputation  will 
be  well  maintained  by  three  forceful  drawings. 

The  fourteenth  annual  issue  of  Repertoire 
General  des  Collectionnmrs  de  la  France,  com- 
piled and  published  by  E.  Renart,  "libraire- 
expert"  of  Maisons-Alfort,  Seine,  price  15  francs, 
is  a  stout  volume  of  nearly  900  pages,  con 
taining  comprehensive  lists  of  collectors  of  every 
kind  of  object,  scientific,  artistic,  literary,  &c.  ;  also 
of  learned  and  artistic  societies,  museums,  libraries, 
auctioneers,  dealers  in  antiquities  and  second-hand 
books  in  France  and  its  dependencies.  In  the  list 
of  collectors,  pictographic  symbols  are  employed 
to  indicate  the  speciality  of  each.  M.  Renard,  who 
has  also  compiled  similar  directories  for  foreign 
countries,  has  evidently  bestowed  a  prodigious 
amount  of  labour  on  these  publications. 


A  dainty  booklet,  which  those  who  contemplate 
buying  furniture  will  find  interesting  reading, 
comes  to  us  from  the  well-known  establishment  of 
Messrs.  Heal  in  Tottenham  Court  Road.  It  is 
written  by  Mr.  Joseph  Thorp,  who  tells  how,  in 
himself,  a  dormant  a;sthetic  sense,  willing  to 
tolerate  even  mid-Victorian  monstrosities,  became 
in  time  awakened  to  extreme  and  lasting  pleasure 
by  a  close  study  of  the  work  and  methods  of 
Messrs.  Heal  &  Son. 

3*9 


T 


The  Lay  Figure 


HE     LAY     FIGURE:     OX     THE 
VALUE    OF   GARDENS. 


"Would  you  count  gardening  among 
the  Arts?"  enquired  the  Practical  Man,  "I  notice 
that  some  people  talk  about  gardens  as  if  they 
had  a  real  artistic  value;  is  such  a  point  of  view 
reasonable  ?  " 

"Of  course  it  is,"  replied  the  Critic,  "gardening 
is  undoubtedly  an  art,  and  an  important  one  too. 
It  oflfers  very  valuable  opportunities  for  the  e.xer- 
cise  of  ingenuity  in  design  and  for  the  display 
of  trained  taste,  and  it  is  certainly  capable  of 
producing  quite  beautiful  results.  What  more  could 
you  want?" 

"But  surely  it  is  an  unpractical  art,"  objected 
the  Practical  Man;  "what  is  the  use  of  it  and  in 
what  measure  does  it  contribute  to  the  national 
welfare  ?  " 

"  Do  you  look  upon  a  garden  only  as  a  place  in 
which  you  can  grow  cabbages  ? "  interrupted  the 
Man  with  the  Red  Tie.  "  Can  you  not  think  of  it 
as  productive  of  something  else  besides  edibles — 
as  a  source  of  pleasure  to  men  of  refined  minds, 
and  as  a  means  by  which  true  aesthetic  instincts 
can  be  rationally  satisfied  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  think  for  myself  I 
should  be  more  inclined  to  count  the  mere 
pleasure  garden  as  a  waste  of  good  land,"  returned 
the  Practical  Man.  "  The  person  who  appropriates 
for  his  own  enjoyment  ground  which  could  be 
better  employed  is  a  selfish  being,  surely,  and  to 
argue  that  he  is  encouraging  the  art  of  gardening 
by  his  appropriation,  seems  to  me  but  a  lame 
excuse." 

"  Then,  I  gather  that  in  your  opinion  the 
national  welfare  demands  the  suppression  of 
artistic  invention,"  said  the  Critic.  "  If  you 
regard  the  gardener's  art  as  merely  a  waste  of 
good  material,  then  you  would  also  regard  all  other 
forms  of  art  as  wasteful,  purposeless,  and  of  no 
use  to  the  community — that  seems  to  follow  as  a 
matter  of  course." 

"  Well,  when  you  come  to  think  of  it,  all  art 
work  is  unproductive,"  retorted  the  Practical 
Man.  "  It  is  in  a  sense  waste ;  but  it 
cannot  be  urged  against  the  painter  or  the 
sculptor,  like  the  gardener,  that  he  is  wasting 
something  that  is  in  general  demand,  and  that 
can  be  used  for  the  benefit  of  a  large  number  of 
people." 

"Your  argument  would  apply  equally  to  the 
land  which  is  covered  by  our  cathedrals  and  other 
historical  buildings,"  broke  in  the  Man  with  the 
33° 


Red  Tie.  "  Do  you  consider  that  that  land  is 
wasted  ?  "   • 

"  No,  the  two  cases  are  not  quite  the  same," 
replied  the  Practical  Man ;  "  we  are  always  told 
that  such  buildings  are  useful  as  architectural 
examples,  or  that  they  have  associations  which 
justify  their  preservation.  There  is  something  to 
be  said  for  that  contention  and  I  am  quite  willing 
to  accept  it." 

"  But  the  contention  is  equally  applicable  to 
gardens,"  cried  the  Critic,  "or  at  all  events  to 
those  gardens  which  deserve  to  rank  as  illustrations 
of  the  art  of  gardening,  and  there  are  scores  of 
them  in  this  country.  As  an  illustration  of  a 
special  and  valuable  form  of  design,  a  fine  piece 
of  garden  making  is  every  bit  as  worthy  of  preser- 
vation as  the  cathedral  or  historical  building,  which 
you  admit  has  a  right  to  exist.  The  land  which 
that  garden  occupies  is  most  distinctly  not  wasted 
if  it  is  used  for  the  display  of  a  real  artist's  work." 

"  Yet  it  is  of  no  public  benefit,"  argued  the 
Practical  Man,  "  because  it  is  the  property  of  a 
private  owner.  It  gives  pleasure  to  him  and  his 
friends  only,  and  the  community  derives  no  enjoy- 
ment from  it  whatever." 

"  Is  that  not  true  also  of  the  pictures  and  pieces 
of  sculpture  in  a  private  collection  ? "  asked  the 
Critic.  "  Would  you  say  that  these  works  of  art 
should  not  be  preserved  because  they  are  not 
public  property  ?  " 

"  I  believe  that  some  people  look  upon  works  of 
art  as  a  sort  of  national  asset,"  replied  the  Practical 
Man.  "  I  do  not  take  this  view  myself,  but  I  am 
prepared,  as  a  reasonable  man,  to  allow  freedom 
of  opinion  to  others  in  such  a  matter." 

"  Then  you  cannot  deny  it  to  the  lovers  of  the 
art  of  gardening,"  said  the  Critic,  "for  the  gardens 
which  are  artistically  important,  are  as  fittingly  to 
be  reckoned  among  the  greater  possessions  of  a 
nation  as  the  pictures  and  statues  which  are 
treasured  in  public  and  private  collections.  Such 
gardens  owe  their  perfection  to  the  unceasing  care 
of  many  generations  of  art  lovers  and  to  the  con- 
stant attention  of  art  workers  who  have  made 
a  special  study  of  their  subject.  They  are  of 
inestimable  value  as  object  lessons  for  the  designer, 
and  they  serve  as  schools  in  which  the  garden 
makers  and  designers  from  other  countries  can  learn 
how  to  apply  the  principles  of  their  craft.  Any 
economic  change  which  might  cause  the  old  gardens 
to  be  neglected  or  destroyed,  would  be  nothing 
short  of  a  national  disaster.  That  would  be  a 
waste  indeed — a  waste  of  the  artistic  activity  of 
centuries."  The  Lay  Figure. 


N         Studio  international 

1 

S9 


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