DOI Heft:
No. 131 (February, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Frantz, Henri: Victor Hugo's drawings
DOI Artikel:West, W. K.: The photographic work of W. J. Day
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0063
The Photographic Work of W. J. Day
expression of artistic
ideas. The commenta-
tors on modern art move-
ments who still profess
to regard it as a merely
mechanical contrivance,
incapable of any response
to the intentions of the
worker who uses it, are
hopelessly out of date, and
are wasting their energies
in useless opposition to
the development of a form
of practice which is des-
tined in the immediate
future to acquire a very
definite position among
the arts. These critics,
indeed, prove by their
attitude towards photo-
■'britain's bulwarks" from a photograph by w. J. day graphic WOrk that they have
not studied its present-day
characteristics, and have
full of interest, cannot fail to have a salutary not kept themselves acquainted with the changes
influence upon artists. I am far from suggesting in it which have come from recent improvements
any retrogression in the direction of romantic in cameras and plates, and from the more intelligent
formulae and romantic ideals. The Past should use which some of the photographers themselves
remain the Past; art does not travel backwards. are making of their opportunities. The conditions
At the same time we find many an artist, weary of now are very unlike what they were twenty, or even
the fiaysage intime, which has been in such high ten, years ago ; and a very different type of criticism
honour of recent years, beginning to seek anew for must be employed if the art is to be fairly dealt with,
a subject. On such as
these Victor Hugo's draw-
ings must needs have___________
a powerful effect in
pointing out the part im-
agination may play in the
domain of the landscape,
and how that domain
may be extended and
magnified thereby.
Henri Frantz.
THE PHOTO-
GRAPHIC
WORK OF W.
J. DAY. BY
W. K. WEST
Decidedly it is no
longer possible to ignore
the claims of photography
to consideration as a
valuable medium for the atmospheric study from a photograph by w. j. day
47
expression of artistic
ideas. The commenta-
tors on modern art move-
ments who still profess
to regard it as a merely
mechanical contrivance,
incapable of any response
to the intentions of the
worker who uses it, are
hopelessly out of date, and
are wasting their energies
in useless opposition to
the development of a form
of practice which is des-
tined in the immediate
future to acquire a very
definite position among
the arts. These critics,
indeed, prove by their
attitude towards photo-
■'britain's bulwarks" from a photograph by w. J. day graphic WOrk that they have
not studied its present-day
characteristics, and have
full of interest, cannot fail to have a salutary not kept themselves acquainted with the changes
influence upon artists. I am far from suggesting in it which have come from recent improvements
any retrogression in the direction of romantic in cameras and plates, and from the more intelligent
formulae and romantic ideals. The Past should use which some of the photographers themselves
remain the Past; art does not travel backwards. are making of their opportunities. The conditions
At the same time we find many an artist, weary of now are very unlike what they were twenty, or even
the fiaysage intime, which has been in such high ten, years ago ; and a very different type of criticism
honour of recent years, beginning to seek anew for must be employed if the art is to be fairly dealt with,
a subject. On such as
these Victor Hugo's draw-
ings must needs have___________
a powerful effect in
pointing out the part im-
agination may play in the
domain of the landscape,
and how that domain
may be extended and
magnified thereby.
Henri Frantz.
THE PHOTO-
GRAPHIC
WORK OF W.
J. DAY. BY
W. K. WEST
Decidedly it is no
longer possible to ignore
the claims of photography
to consideration as a
valuable medium for the atmospheric study from a photograph by w. j. day
47