International studio (41.1910)

Harry Eldredge Goodhue

by the medieval artists may be of great assistance in
arriving at a beautiful result. The case is precisely
that of the easel painter who deliberately rejects the
possibilities of a palette filled with the products of
the color shop in favor of employment of but three
standard primary colors. Rightly, from the stand-
point, at least, of his own temperamental needs, Mr.
Goodhue abstains rigidly from many of the mate-
rials and processes used by American contempora-
ries.

The familiar history of the rise, apogee and de-
cline of the art of stained glass in the Middle Ages,
and the Renaissance, unquestionably offers a certain
support to the neo-Gothic parti pris—this without
reference to the broad question of the propriety of
the rivalry between Gothic and Renaissance, which
to some of us who try to be both catholic and eclec-
tic seems to be amusing rather than necessary.

It must, at all events, be admitted as a historical
fact, making due allowance for the magnificence of
some of the stained glass work during the Renais-
sance, that the art of stained glass degenerated
steadily during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth cen-
turies, until it became virtually one of the lost arts,
and that it was restored to dignity only in the age of
Pugin and the Gothic revival in England. It may
also be conceded, without comparison working
either to the detriment or the glorification of Ameri-
can practices, which have introduced an entirely
new note into the art, that under this British im-
pulse, particularly after the first craze for literal
imitation of crudities of early draughtsmanship had
passed, much very admirable glass has been pro-
duced. The potent influence of Burne-Jones and
William Morris has lasted down to this day. Con-
temporary English glass has qualities that entitle it
to at least such an esteem as we accord to the best of
present-day British painting.

Mr. Goodhue has come to be considered an
American representative of the English school of
artists in stained glass. His original impulse, it is
true, was not insular. He started from severe study
wesson memorial wixdow by the harry of the windows of Chartres and other French cathe-

st. Paul's church eldredge drals. His earlier windows lacked the suavity and

Milwaukee, wis. goodhue co. refinement of line and modeling which has become

traditional among the English designers. The con-
attempt is often by no means unsuccessful, given structive genius of the medieval French, their fear-
intelligence, good taste and sanity on the artist's lessness, their sense of architectural logic taught
part. Merely to imitate the crudities of draughts- valuable lessons during the years of investigation
manship of Thirteenth-century glass or sculpture and experimentation prior to the making of the
invites ridicule. The drawing of the figure and its great window at Newport. In this regard Mr.
accessories obviously must accord with recognized Goodhue showed himself at the outset possessed of
academic standards. Use, however, of the very the American's ready sympathy, with the Latin en-
simple materials and technical processes employed thusiasm for logical style—precisely as our foremost

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