International studio (39.1909/1910(1910))

An Illustrator of Celtic Romance: John P. Campbell

"DUN ANGUS IN A RON ! ACROSS TUB WAVES HE STOLE HER "

tive. Moreover, it may be claimed that they
indicate the coming forward of an illustrator of
marked individuality and distinction, a compara-
tively rare exception of an artist not content to
follow in the wake of his predecessors, however
skilful their work may have been, and whose in-
dependence in thought and practice deserves
special consideration. Such artists, by preserving
their independence and keeping alive the love of
invention, have aided artistic progress and have
produced in their fellows a spirit of wholesome
emulation.

The signature " Seaghan MacCathmhaoil" is
becoming familiar on illustrations principally of
ancient Celtic romance. The author of these is
better known among his friends in his native city
of Belfast by the more familiar if less elusive
and romantic name of John Patrick Campbell.
Mr. Campbell might perhaps be called one of
the products of the recent literary revival of which
Ireland has been the scene, and in which North
and South have joined hand in hand, for the
movement has drawn into its enthusiastic and
energetic circle art, music, craftsmanship, and the
drama. The too early broken threads of the

38

BY JOHN P. CAMl'HEI.L

country's ancient art and culture are being deliber-
ately and consciously knit together; the language,
literature and customs which once were hers are
now being widely studied—a fact which will appeal
to those who desire to see the maintenance of
national characteristics in the productions of any
country.

A movement of this kind in art, literature, and
general culture would tend to produce an illus-
trator such as the one under consideration in full
sympathy with all its best ideals. Mr. Campbell is
purely a product of his native island and of the
" Ulster Fifth, of blossomful sweet-watered glens."
He is a young artist with only a few years' profes-
sional practice, having no experience in other lands,
no London or Paris training. From the time
when, as a schoolboy, he was called on to draw
posters advertising school events, up to the present,
it is sheer hard study and some experience in the-
local school of art that have produced the powerful
individual work we see in his latest productions.

It would be mere irresponsible optimism tc-
claim thai Mr. Campbell's work has reached any-
thing like the heights to which it may attain, and
he himself would be the last to prefer such a claim.