Studio: international art (34.1905)

Two Italian Draughtsmen

taneously with a million facts, and leaves us to each venture is an experiment, but the standard of
choose a few dozen which in combination, un- achievement is high, and in etching, at least, if not
hampered by those omitted, reproduce upon the in everything, a man must be judged by his best,
retina of the observer something of the inspiration Mr. East stands, if not alone, at any rate an
which led the artist to his choice. important member of a small band of original

The same comments are naturally suggested by etchers who are striving to show that examples may
another plate with a similar title, A Corner of a be produced in landscape, of a dignified size and
Coppice, though perhaps most connoisseurs will decorative character, with all the merits of smaller
think that the latter is a much finer work of art. plates by other men, and something more, and to

Taking a comprehensive glance at the whole carry forward in this art the banner on which is
group of plates, we feel that their merit lies inscribed beauty, individuality, and freedom,
artistically in their drawing and arrangement, and

technically in the success with which the leading ^pWO ITALIAN DRAUGHT S-
lines are carried through and the heavy bitings I MEN. ALFREDO BARUFFI
accomplished. There is nothing tentative, nothing AND ALBERTO MARTINI. BY

imitative, and nothing poor. The irresistible force *
with which the correct note is struck reminds us OKIO rlCA.

of the certainty of touch of a great violinist. If Italy has succeeded during the last few years
There must, of course, be plates, which have not in emulating other nations in the matter of illus-
been exhibited, in which the artist has failed, for trative reproduction, what has been done in this

way has had but little re-
lation to art, save that of
being its complete nega-
tion. The fault has been
entirely, as must be frankly
confessed, that of the
publishers and magazine-
editors ; for instead of
employing artists specially
qualified to decorate their
pages with some regard
for aesthetic considerations,
they prefer to have recourse
to inferior draughtsmen,
who are intellectually
slovenly; or else, when they
have a genuine desire to
impress their readers, they
turn to some well-known
master of the brush, excel-
lent in his own sphere,
but quite a novice at illus-
trating.

Yet Italy is not destitute
of young artists, who, as
I have more than once
pointed out in my criti-
cisms, if they were wisely
set to work by publishers
and editors, might soon
rehabilitate the art of illus-
tration in their native
country, rendering it worthy

'the edge ok a wood" from the etching by alfred east of a place of honour

137