Studio: international art (30.1904)

The Work of S.

Pepys Cockerell

"the infant st. john the baptist"

by t. j. clapperton

OME REMARKS ON THE WORK
OF S. PEPYS COCKERELL. BY
G. ULICK BROWNE.

In criticising any artist or sculptor it is only fair
to endeavour to grasp his ideas, aims, and inten-
tions. With the works of Pepys Cockerell it is
necessary to keep in 'mind that in any design, com-
position, or treatment he appears always to work
consistently and steadily towards a definite object.
Everything tells its own story. The design and
treatment are appropriate to the subject and to the
material. In the design the interest is primarily in
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the conception, then in the lines and in the
composition. In the treatment a general grasp
of form is preferred to a detailed exactitude,
without, however, sacrificing accuracy of an-
atomy. The actual modelling is indicative of
the material—stone, marble, and brick are
treated as a rule with hardness and sharpness,
in some cases almost to severity, which is
evidently preferred in grand, solemn, or religious
subjects to softness and redundancy—the hard-
ness of the Theseus in the Elgin Marbles of
Phidias to the softness of the Hermes of Praxi-
teles, if one may compare small things with
great. Bronze, on the other hand, being a
ductile material, is treated more freely. That
Pepys Cockerell is, however, capable of relax-
ing the severity of his marble, etc., when
necessary, is apparent when he undertakes sub-
jects of a lighter nature. Nevertheless, be the
subject or purpose what it may, the same endea-
vour to attain beauty by rich lines and few of
them, is shown in a marked degree in all the
work he undertakes. His style, if it may be so

handle for a sliding door

by s. pepys cockerell