International studio (23.1904)

Carl Lars son

familiar. He is one of the principal members of
the Society, and holds the office of curator. His
work is distinguished for its good draughtsman-
ship, and when he uses colour it is always with
refinement. His knowledge of costumes is very
extensive, down even to the smallest details of
different periods.
In Mr. Edward C. Clifford, R.I., the Artists’
Society has found the most conscientious of secre-
taries. He is an indefatigable worker for the
renown of the Society, and his work is individualised
by its marked perfection of finish and detail. His
colour sense is good, and some of his garden scenes
with figures are altogether charming. The present
President of the Society, J. Sanderson Wells, R.I.,
is quite one of the most modern of the younger
members, and is noted for his cleverness in flat
colour-work of sporting scenes. Two decidedly
gifted of the younger men are the brothers Walter
and Gilbert Bayes—members of the Sketching
Club only. Walter belongs to the old Water
Colour Society, and does really distinguished
little gems of pictures with quite a suggestion of
old mosaic fineness about them, and worked up as
they are to a pitch of the purest Venetian finish.
Gilbert is one of the rising young sculptors of
London, and models most delightful reliefs at the
Friday evening meetings.
There are, of course, many other talented members
whose work is well known and widely appreciated,
and I should like to write about them, but space
almost limits me to the mention of officers only.
Lenore Van der Veer.

The imaginative and real-
istic ART OF CARL LARSSON.
BY SUNNY FRYKHOLM.
“ It has never been my ambition to gain any
great and complete triumph, but to suggest new
ideas and to point out new lines in art; for this
reason my art cannot be taken as a whole, but
must be judged by a part here and there which has
been finished off.” In these words Carl Larsson,
the Swedish artist, characterises his own art-deve-
lopment. The explanation is, in truth, singularly
fitted as a motto for our treatment of the work of
this genial artist, although these remarks of his were,
perhaps, uttered on the spur of the moment rather
than deliberately, as he is wont to do when referring
to his own work. Such remarks are, however, merely
as the play of sun-rays on a deep lake, which light up
the surface butdo not penetrate thedepthof thewater.
The word-play with which Mr. Larsson amuses the
world, thus resembles a certain part of his art, the de-
picting of reality, and is characteristic of him as a man
uncommonly happy in his home-life and who
spreads around him a sort of sunny atmosphere ;
but under this brilliant surface the closer observer
perceives a far more interesting depth, whence arises
the inspiration which enables him to produce the
more sincere work in which his ideas are allowed
free play. Consequently, in dealing with Carl
Larsson we have, from the very first, clearly to
point out this double-sidedness in his character as
in his art, for it is a trait which always makes itself
conspicuous in his career.
In 1876, Larsson ob-
tained the Royal Medal at
the Academy of Arts of
Stockholm, which is the
highest reward granted by
this educational institution,
and thereupon migrated to
Paris.
Strangely enough, he
held entirely aloof from
the general realistic art-
movement of France of
that time, although it was
eagerly followed by the
other young Swedish art
students who arrived in
Paris about the same time
as he did.
As a child of the lowest
classes of Sweden, “ a