DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68073#0421
ENGLISH, EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
395
through this teacher and we may regard him indirectly as a pupil
of Van Loo. Certainly there is a quality in Romney that finds response
in the French painters of the Eighteenth Century.
Lord Gower says in his Romney (London, 1904):
“Apparently the Count made use of his pupil to prepare and grind
his colors and to carve frames for his portraits. Later these color-
grindings must have been of great use to Romney, and the prepara-
tion and mode of laying on the oil colors may account for the excel-
lence and permanency of his paintings, which have stood admirably
and unfadingly the test of time and which are in most cases as fresh
and brilliant, as clear and transparent, as when they left Romney’s
studio nearly a century and a half ago. It is not without interest that
one recalls how all the great Italian and Flemish Masters instructed
their pupils in the preparation of the minutest detail in all things re-
lating to their painting, from the preliminary grinding of the colors
and the laying on of the ground-work of their subject, whether on paint
or canvas; for not only were the great Italian and Flemish old painters
past masters in all that appertained to the technicalities of their art,
but honest and loyal in seeing no detail, however irksome, omitted
which could give permanency and endurance to their creations; hence
those marvels of color, paintings three and four centuries old which
still glow with all the brilliancy of gems and flowers, as radiant as
some noble stained-glass window in some glorious Gothic fane.”
In 1762, when he was but twenty-eight, Romney moved to London
(leaving his wife, son, and daughter) and established himself in the
great city. As a painter of excellent portraits at low prices Romney
soon saved enough money for a visit to Paris, and hard work enabled
him to close his studio and spend two years in Italy. Soon after
his return in 1775, Romney removed from Gray’s Inn to No. 32 Cav-
endish Square, formerly occupied by the painter, Francis Cotes, (who
had died in 1770). A portrait of the Duke of Richmond Reading
launched Romney into fame and fortune. Thenceforward there was
nothing to do but work. Romney became the fashion and ranked
with Gainsborough and Reynolds; and, as his prices were considerably
less than theirs, his studio was never empty of sitters. Romney’s
395
through this teacher and we may regard him indirectly as a pupil
of Van Loo. Certainly there is a quality in Romney that finds response
in the French painters of the Eighteenth Century.
Lord Gower says in his Romney (London, 1904):
“Apparently the Count made use of his pupil to prepare and grind
his colors and to carve frames for his portraits. Later these color-
grindings must have been of great use to Romney, and the prepara-
tion and mode of laying on the oil colors may account for the excel-
lence and permanency of his paintings, which have stood admirably
and unfadingly the test of time and which are in most cases as fresh
and brilliant, as clear and transparent, as when they left Romney’s
studio nearly a century and a half ago. It is not without interest that
one recalls how all the great Italian and Flemish Masters instructed
their pupils in the preparation of the minutest detail in all things re-
lating to their painting, from the preliminary grinding of the colors
and the laying on of the ground-work of their subject, whether on paint
or canvas; for not only were the great Italian and Flemish old painters
past masters in all that appertained to the technicalities of their art,
but honest and loyal in seeing no detail, however irksome, omitted
which could give permanency and endurance to their creations; hence
those marvels of color, paintings three and four centuries old which
still glow with all the brilliancy of gems and flowers, as radiant as
some noble stained-glass window in some glorious Gothic fane.”
In 1762, when he was but twenty-eight, Romney moved to London
(leaving his wife, son, and daughter) and established himself in the
great city. As a painter of excellent portraits at low prices Romney
soon saved enough money for a visit to Paris, and hard work enabled
him to close his studio and spend two years in Italy. Soon after
his return in 1775, Romney removed from Gray’s Inn to No. 32 Cav-
endish Square, formerly occupied by the painter, Francis Cotes, (who
had died in 1770). A portrait of the Duke of Richmond Reading
launched Romney into fame and fortune. Thenceforward there was
nothing to do but work. Romney became the fashion and ranked
with Gainsborough and Reynolds; and, as his prices were considerably
less than theirs, his studio was never empty of sitters. Romney’s