DOI issue:
No. 125 (July 1907)
DOI article:Covey, Arthur Sinclair: The Venice Exhibition: Mr. Brangwyn's decorative panels in the British section
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.28252#0033
Mr. Brangwyns Decorative Panels at Venice
of British subjects, but this year Mr. Brangwyn
decided upon “modern Venetian life” as the subject
for the decorations. Two of these, Venetian Com-
merce and Venetian Serenaders, he had completed,
when a request came from the committee that the
subjects should be British in character. In the two
smaller panels the request was complied with, and
Agricultural Labourers and Steel Workers are the
subjects chosen. It is unfortunate that the matter
could not have been left to the artist’s own choos-
ing, as the result is somewhat incongruous.
Of the two Venetian subjects treated, the Venetian
Serenaders is, from a pictorial standpoint, perhaps
the more interesting. To all who have visited the
“ City of the Sea ” this will distinctly recall that
most delightful scene on the Grand Canal which
occurs on any summer’s evening—a barque is
shown full of Italians playing various musical in-
struments, with gorgeous lanterns hung over their
heads, the rays from which are reflected in wrigg-
ling spots of bright colour in the deep blue water
beneath.
Here Mr. Brangwyn has caught the spirit of such
an evening—the light fantastic gaiety is brought
out in the action of the figures as well as the
gorgeousness of his colour. His composition is
alive with quick rhythmic action of the musicians,
and had I the space I might write pages on this
element of Brangwyn’s arrangements It is not
enough for him in any composition to merely show
what the figure is doing. Take, for example, his
Venetian Funeral,\ shown last summer at the
Academy and reproduced in The Studio. The
subject, sombre in its suggestion, depended not at
all upon the particular facial expression of any
figure or upon any incident pertaining to one figure
—a condition upon which a lesser artist would
have depended. The spirit of the thing wholly
relied upon the line and massing of the composi-
tion, and that quality was as strong as was the
technical excellence of the painting. So it is with
this Venetian subject, so contrary in its meaning
to the former one. Here a light musical rhythm
pervades the whole composition, each figure or
“agricultural labourers” by frank BRANGWYN, A.R.A.
17
of British subjects, but this year Mr. Brangwyn
decided upon “modern Venetian life” as the subject
for the decorations. Two of these, Venetian Com-
merce and Venetian Serenaders, he had completed,
when a request came from the committee that the
subjects should be British in character. In the two
smaller panels the request was complied with, and
Agricultural Labourers and Steel Workers are the
subjects chosen. It is unfortunate that the matter
could not have been left to the artist’s own choos-
ing, as the result is somewhat incongruous.
Of the two Venetian subjects treated, the Venetian
Serenaders is, from a pictorial standpoint, perhaps
the more interesting. To all who have visited the
“ City of the Sea ” this will distinctly recall that
most delightful scene on the Grand Canal which
occurs on any summer’s evening—a barque is
shown full of Italians playing various musical in-
struments, with gorgeous lanterns hung over their
heads, the rays from which are reflected in wrigg-
ling spots of bright colour in the deep blue water
beneath.
Here Mr. Brangwyn has caught the spirit of such
an evening—the light fantastic gaiety is brought
out in the action of the figures as well as the
gorgeousness of his colour. His composition is
alive with quick rhythmic action of the musicians,
and had I the space I might write pages on this
element of Brangwyn’s arrangements It is not
enough for him in any composition to merely show
what the figure is doing. Take, for example, his
Venetian Funeral,\ shown last summer at the
Academy and reproduced in The Studio. The
subject, sombre in its suggestion, depended not at
all upon the particular facial expression of any
figure or upon any incident pertaining to one figure
—a condition upon which a lesser artist would
have depended. The spirit of the thing wholly
relied upon the line and massing of the composi-
tion, and that quality was as strong as was the
technical excellence of the painting. So it is with
this Venetian subject, so contrary in its meaning
to the former one. Here a light musical rhythm
pervades the whole composition, each figure or
“agricultural labourers” by frank BRANGWYN, A.R.A.
17