DOI issue:
No. 206 (April, 1914)
DOI article:Slack, Helen L.: Martha Walter, painter of joyous children
DOI article:Luckiesh, M.: Light in art
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43455#0402
Light in Art
painting because the bodies have the roundness of
human flesh and bones. Her work has always
had this “sculpturesque” quality, even back in
1902, when she won the Toppan prize, and in
1908, when she was given the Cresson traveling
MOTHERHOOD BY MARTHA WALTER
scholarship. Her use of colour is delightful, her
treatment of draperies is broad and free, especially
in The Outing; but one never forgets while admir-
ing these, whether in an elaborate gown like that
of Mrs. Patton, or in a little girl’s gauzy muslin
dress, that underneath the beautifully coloured
folds there is, as it were, quivering, palpitating,
human flesh. It is this feeling for form which
gives that unusual vitality to such portraits as
that of Mrs. Parsons, and sets them forever apart.
And so, if it is worth while to see a bit more of
sunlight, to hear more of song and laughter as we
go about our daily work, then Miss Walter’s paint-
ings are worthy our attention. By her daring
use of colour, her bold stroke, her sound feeling for
form, she has brought a strength into American
art which may well give a sudden spur to other
women painters. Her outlook on life has been
broadened by study in France, Holland, Austria
and several other lands, with the result that her
art is now as cosmopolitan as our nation itself.
Her work is not temporary, but is bound to main-
tain its charm, just as long as our old world yields
to the spell of a little child.
Light in art
BY M. LUCKIESH
—Admitting at the outset the artist’s
superior knowledge of the importance of
light, shade and colour in his creations, it should be
of interest to learn how the lighting specialist has
studied these same factors in respect to the light-
ing of art. As a rule art galleries are very badly
lighted. Whether the artist realizes this or not
the writer does not know, but he can state with
conviction born of a knowledge of the possibilities
in lighting, that art is usually badly lighted.
The artist has often shown an antipathy toward
science, seemingly under the impression that art
goes further than the mere scientific mixture and
grouping of colours or shadows and produces effects
beyond scientific explanation. This may be true
to some extent, but not in the main. By no means
does the writer believe that art can be produced
by rule of thumb, by scientific formulae or, in
other words, that it can be manufactured. But
scientific explanations can be presented for many
of the supposedly mysterious effects and that the
lighting of a work of art can make or mar it. Inci-
dentally, it is hoped that the artist will look more
kindly upon the lighting specialist—not the so-
called illuminating engineer—but the scarcer
variety, the lighting artist.
For some time the writer has been studying the
lighting of art, and through the interest and co-op-
eration of several artists has acquired sufficient
courage to form some convictions.
FIG. 4
XLV
painting because the bodies have the roundness of
human flesh and bones. Her work has always
had this “sculpturesque” quality, even back in
1902, when she won the Toppan prize, and in
1908, when she was given the Cresson traveling
MOTHERHOOD BY MARTHA WALTER
scholarship. Her use of colour is delightful, her
treatment of draperies is broad and free, especially
in The Outing; but one never forgets while admir-
ing these, whether in an elaborate gown like that
of Mrs. Patton, or in a little girl’s gauzy muslin
dress, that underneath the beautifully coloured
folds there is, as it were, quivering, palpitating,
human flesh. It is this feeling for form which
gives that unusual vitality to such portraits as
that of Mrs. Parsons, and sets them forever apart.
And so, if it is worth while to see a bit more of
sunlight, to hear more of song and laughter as we
go about our daily work, then Miss Walter’s paint-
ings are worthy our attention. By her daring
use of colour, her bold stroke, her sound feeling for
form, she has brought a strength into American
art which may well give a sudden spur to other
women painters. Her outlook on life has been
broadened by study in France, Holland, Austria
and several other lands, with the result that her
art is now as cosmopolitan as our nation itself.
Her work is not temporary, but is bound to main-
tain its charm, just as long as our old world yields
to the spell of a little child.
Light in art
BY M. LUCKIESH
—Admitting at the outset the artist’s
superior knowledge of the importance of
light, shade and colour in his creations, it should be
of interest to learn how the lighting specialist has
studied these same factors in respect to the light-
ing of art. As a rule art galleries are very badly
lighted. Whether the artist realizes this or not
the writer does not know, but he can state with
conviction born of a knowledge of the possibilities
in lighting, that art is usually badly lighted.
The artist has often shown an antipathy toward
science, seemingly under the impression that art
goes further than the mere scientific mixture and
grouping of colours or shadows and produces effects
beyond scientific explanation. This may be true
to some extent, but not in the main. By no means
does the writer believe that art can be produced
by rule of thumb, by scientific formulae or, in
other words, that it can be manufactured. But
scientific explanations can be presented for many
of the supposedly mysterious effects and that the
lighting of a work of art can make or mar it. Inci-
dentally, it is hoped that the artist will look more
kindly upon the lighting specialist—not the so-
called illuminating engineer—but the scarcer
variety, the lighting artist.
For some time the writer has been studying the
lighting of art, and through the interest and co-op-
eration of several artists has acquired sufficient
courage to form some convictions.
FIG. 4
XLV