DOI Heft:
Nr. 155 (January 1910)
DOI Artikel:Mechlin, Leila: Some American figure-painters
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19868#0359
American Figure Painters
American painters have not infrequently lost, them, as a rule, with floral backgrounds. His
through over facility, all that was American in the style and manner are, however, very different from
ateliers of Paris, but there are some notable those of his confreres, and in fact all others. He
exceptions to this rule. Edmund C. Tarbell, paints with a rather dry brush, in a high key, and
Frank W. Benson and Robert Reid, who are all to his pictures frequently have a frosty appearance
be reckoned with the leading American figure which suggests perhaps an almost too obvious
painters, studied in Paris, and at the time when the " atmosphere. They are not human documents,
French impressionists were exerting the strongest but decorative arrangements set forth apparently
influence. All three returned to their native land for no other purpose than to manifest a hitherto
deeply imbued with the theories of light, but not hidden beauty which the painter himself has dis-
one was willing to accept ready-made formulas and covered. So new, moreover, is the discovery that,
each has worked out the problem along an entirely at first, one is tempted to discredit its truth, but
different line. Mr. Tarbell has attained greatest gradually it becomes convincing. To the initiated
success in picturing scenes of home life, neither Mr. Reid's pictures are insistently charming,
humble nor yet stilted, which painters generally Dry colour, laid on with short broken strokes,
have regarded as unpicturesque, if not unpaintable, is characteristic of J. Alden Weir's paintings, but
discovering in those things nearest at hand true neither sunlight nor atmosphere have wiled him
charm and significance. Light and air confined from the more serious problem of depicting beauty
within the four walls of a well furnished room he of human character. Doubtless he loves colour
has learned to interpret, and attractively. When it and knows well how to compose gentle harmonies,
is said that all the Amer-
ican figure painters have
turned illustrators, one
can point to Mr. Tarbell's
pictures in confutation.
Placing no dependence
upon what may be desig-
nated as a literary
interest, and without
forced sentiment, Mr.
Tarbell has produced
paintings both significant
and appealing. He is an
excellent draughtsman
and colourist.
Mr. Benson has devoted
himself largely to the in-
terpretation of outdoor
themes—landscapes with
figures—summer pictures
full of dazzling sunshine
and vivid colour. Often
he pictures the same
people that Mr. Tarbell
has painted, but, as it
were, on holiday. His
brushwork is sprightly and
his canvases are essen-
tially vital.
Mr. Reid has also
shown a preference for
painting in the open, pos-
ing his models in outdoor
light and representing "the yellow flower" by Robert reid
*93
v
American painters have not infrequently lost, them, as a rule, with floral backgrounds. His
through over facility, all that was American in the style and manner are, however, very different from
ateliers of Paris, but there are some notable those of his confreres, and in fact all others. He
exceptions to this rule. Edmund C. Tarbell, paints with a rather dry brush, in a high key, and
Frank W. Benson and Robert Reid, who are all to his pictures frequently have a frosty appearance
be reckoned with the leading American figure which suggests perhaps an almost too obvious
painters, studied in Paris, and at the time when the " atmosphere. They are not human documents,
French impressionists were exerting the strongest but decorative arrangements set forth apparently
influence. All three returned to their native land for no other purpose than to manifest a hitherto
deeply imbued with the theories of light, but not hidden beauty which the painter himself has dis-
one was willing to accept ready-made formulas and covered. So new, moreover, is the discovery that,
each has worked out the problem along an entirely at first, one is tempted to discredit its truth, but
different line. Mr. Tarbell has attained greatest gradually it becomes convincing. To the initiated
success in picturing scenes of home life, neither Mr. Reid's pictures are insistently charming,
humble nor yet stilted, which painters generally Dry colour, laid on with short broken strokes,
have regarded as unpicturesque, if not unpaintable, is characteristic of J. Alden Weir's paintings, but
discovering in those things nearest at hand true neither sunlight nor atmosphere have wiled him
charm and significance. Light and air confined from the more serious problem of depicting beauty
within the four walls of a well furnished room he of human character. Doubtless he loves colour
has learned to interpret, and attractively. When it and knows well how to compose gentle harmonies,
is said that all the Amer-
ican figure painters have
turned illustrators, one
can point to Mr. Tarbell's
pictures in confutation.
Placing no dependence
upon what may be desig-
nated as a literary
interest, and without
forced sentiment, Mr.
Tarbell has produced
paintings both significant
and appealing. He is an
excellent draughtsman
and colourist.
Mr. Benson has devoted
himself largely to the in-
terpretation of outdoor
themes—landscapes with
figures—summer pictures
full of dazzling sunshine
and vivid colour. Often
he pictures the same
people that Mr. Tarbell
has painted, but, as it
were, on holiday. His
brushwork is sprightly and
his canvases are essen-
tially vital.
Mr. Reid has also
shown a preference for
painting in the open, pos-
ing his models in outdoor
light and representing "the yellow flower" by Robert reid
*93
v