Studio: international art (71.1917)

The late J. W". IVaterhouse, R.A.

it is unlikely that there should be another For emphatically we had in him a personality
worker in art with just the same habit of which was as attractive as it was exceptional,
thought and range of capacities, and it is natural a personality which quite possibly many people
that when death takes an artist so individual were unable to understand but which to many
his disappearance should be felt as a blow for others had a particular fascination. Artistically
which there is no consolation. he belonged to a world of his own creation, and
That is why the recent death of Mr. J. W. he peopled this world with a type of humanity
Waterhouse is so sincerely to be grieved over, that was very rightly related to its surround-
It is no yielding to convention to say of him ings. These beings, the product of his fancy,
that he leaves no successor or that there is no lived in an atmosphere of romance and kept
other artist who strictly aloof from
can fit into his HHHHBHHHHHHflHHflHHRflHH' Mi the materialism of
place. Nor is it modern existence ;
necessary to pay they were invested
insincere tributes with an air of
to his memory and dainty melan-
to write exagger- HVA^HVJN^BjHHpv choly, which, how-
ated compliments ever, was not al-
on his position in Hi lowed to degene-
the art world so HJH9 rate into mor-
as to keep up WKKr; ^.. -■.'•flfcfe |§i bidity, and they
the customary , roamed languor-
obituary tradition. H HjR ously through
It would be diffi- shady groves or
cult to rank him in fields starred
too high as a ^wat'Jm^i vv't'' nowers- No
painter, with a ^^v/ ' ' 't^BBbPjHbL. vAVJ °^ s^ress or
mission which he .7 RBRv, < struggle, no jar-
had indisputably ring note of vio-
the power to fulfil, lent emotion,broke
and as a man with Jfr , the quiet of this
a temperament world ; it was a
which gave a very place apart in
marked character •/ H?J m which life moved
and quality to the MHMMHb^ V^i^v " \ JaVJ placidly and fol-
whole of his pro- HHHHJkS^jMjk VS& \ V*M9h1 lowed a peaceful
duction; and it s• *%^S*^H course and in
would be just as I — which dream-
difficult to suggest people played
where we can look their appointed

STUDY IN OILS BY J. W. WATERHOUSE, R.A. 1 \

for another who parts with no

could reproduce the charm and the distinc- thought for the strenuous realities which seethed

tion of Mr. Waterhouse's work. Men more beyond its boundaries.

masterly in their management of the materials Yet this gentle, restful art was never want-

of the painter's craft, men with a more ing in dramatic significance. One of the best

robust and assertive outlook on life, and characteristics of Mr. Waterhouse's work was

men with a more forcible manner of stating its power to carry conviction and to tell its

their convictions there undoubtedly are, but story persuasively, and one of its finest qualities

to find one with the subtle sympathy of was the subtlety with which the dramatic point

Mr. Waterhouse, or with his sensitiveness of the subject chosen was brought out. Nor

and tender appeal, would be a task to tax was there any lack of force in the mamier of his

the powers of the best-informed student of pictorial statement. As a craftsman in art he

modern art. was admirably accomplished, and his direct.