International studio (53.1914)

Some Characteristics of Otto Beck's Art

Certain other of the pictures, such as Suf er
Little Children to Come Unto Me, a triptych, and
The Last Supper, also a triptych, are primarily
decorative in character, as announced by the
choice of shapes of the pictures and by the under-
lying symmetry of the grouping, though the sym-
metry is shot through with a play of colour and of
individual character and gesture. Some of the
pictures are purely symbolic, such as The Man of
Sorrows, Hope and Lost Hope, and Spiritus, each a
study in types of character, in the interpretation of
which tone, composition and colour play an essen-
tial part. In He Went up into a Mountain Apart
the Christ is seen in a glory of golden autumn
leaves, whose colours speak of the comfort and
courage the lonely heart searched for and found
in the abundance and strength of nature.
Choice of tone, in each, announces the theme,

ship cannot be gainsaid, and it is not fair to men-
tion the Chicago Society of Etchers in the same
breath with newer and less important organisa-
tions of etchers who have not yet made claim
to special recognition. At this juncture it might
be well to advise more activity to the New York
Society of Etchers, who appear to be in a some-
what comatose condition, due perhaps to the
strain of their opening exhibition. Having barely
attained to short clothes, they need fostering
care to avoid being consigned to an unwept grave.
To return to the Chicago Society, their fifth an-
nual exhibition was marked by prize awards. Wil-
liam A. Levy, of New York, carried off the Figure
prize, Ralph M. Pearson, of Chicago, the Land-
scapeprize, and Ernest D. Roth, of Florence, the
Architecture class. We reproduce his etching on
p. xxxvi, and the other awards will figure later.

which is then taken up, echoed, en-
forced, by all the possibilities of
colour, form, light and dark, plac-
ing and character study. The hour
of the day or night, the state of the
atmosphere, exclosure with its pro-
tecting shadows, its even tones, or
sudden illuminating rays of light,
out-of-doors with its intensities and
its reflected lights, its coloured tones
filtering through foliage, or its
vague embracing shades of night,
these fundamental conditions have
been chosen for their pull upon
one’s feelings, one’s memory.

THE CHICAGO SOCIETY OF
ETCHERS
It is only within recent years
that the bitten plate has made a
successful appeal in America, con-
sequently all existing societies trace
but a few years back; but no simi-
lar organization can claim a bigger
past, whether regarded in length of
service or of meritorious perform-
ance. The name of this society is
somewhat unfortunate, as it would
seem to cover only local talent,
whereas it is a cosmopolitan gath-
ering of American etchers, domi-
ciled at such distant points as Bor-
dighera, London, Paris, Bruges and
Tokyo. When we see active mem-
bers scattered about in this man-
ner, the importance of this fellow-


CHRIST BEFORE PILATE

BY OTTO W. BECK

XXXV