International studio (44.1911)

The Art of Ernest Haskell

The art of ernest haskell
BY A. E. GALLATIN
Until last spring, when an exhibi¬

tion of his work was held in New York,

Mr. Ernest Haskell’s exquisite and elegant art was
known only to the more discriminating and ob-
serving of amateurs. And to them only through
scattered decorative designs in certain periodicals
and by the artist’s immensely clever and amusing
pastel of Mrs. Fiske and charcoal drawing, tinged
with caricature, of Mr. Whistler, which have been
frequently reproduced. The exhibition proved to
be one of the most interesting and important one-
man shows of the season and introduced to us the

work of a young American artist whose genius is
of the creative order and whose art is most per-
sonal. Rare qualities, indeed!
Just as Whistler to the last was always a student
and an experimenter, so is Haskell, and his point
of view is invariably fresh and engaging. In his
decorations in black and white, pastel portrait
drawings, monotypes, lithographs, etchings, pen-
cil drawings and silverpoints—and examples of all
of these were shown—one is constantly impressed
with the great individuality of the artist, as well

v-



Courtesy oj Berlin Photographic Company, New York
FRITZ ROCKWELL, ESQ. BY ERNEST HASKELL


Courtesy oj Berlin Photographic Company, New York

THE FRUIT SHOP

BY ERNEST HASKELL

as with the style and distinction which dominate
his art. One is also amazed at the versatility of
this man, who has conquered so many media, for,
in addition to those enumerated, Haskell has done
work in oils and in water color, besides some mod-
eling in wax.
In his work in black and white Haskell has exe-
cuted some really notable drawings. His land-
scapes vibrate with light and air and his treatment
of trees and foliage, which are always drawn direct
from nature, is quite extraordinary and comparable
in quality to Maxfield Parrish’s, while the render-
ing of cloud effects is also very beautiful. The
wealth of minute detail employed in these drawings
detracts no more from the general composition than
it does from a drawing by Beardsley or Parrish
or an etching by Dtirer, the design always being
intensely decorative in feeling. The portrait draw-
ings, the majority of them done with pastels, in

XXXII