DOI Heft:
No. 5 (August, 1893)
DOI Artikel:Hartley, Alfred: Sketching from nature
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17188#0196
Sketching from Nature
arrange the Turner drawings, he found " in seven suggestions and daintiest realisings of a seemingly
tin boxes in the lower room of the National infinite variety of effects.
Gallery, upwards of 19,000 pieces of paper drawn I may be allowed, perhaps, to draw the attention
upon by Turner in some way or another." of the student to some of those which strike me as
Such were the means adopted by the man who, peculiarly interesting, and I may use the opportu-
I suppose of all others, approached Nature from nity to remark upon the general apathy of the public
the greatest variety of standpoints; and it is in- and of the student as regards this unique collection,
structive, I think, beyond measure to study the Cold stone steps and a clammy cellar-like feeling
s about the underground room in which it is placed
prove a sufficient barrier against the zeal of the
majority of visitors, and while the rooms above are
crowded, these works of Turner's, some of quite
the most interesting he ever did, remain seen by
comparatively few.
Notice the delightful pencil drawings of Rome,
which should be a revelation to the student,
traced with the surest but most delicate hand ; de-
tailed renderings of the closest observation of facts,
truly delightful in their beauty of draughtsmanship.
These exquisite examples of what the pencil is
«^|7- *<Mf capable of are many of them partly washed over
?, i " .»'•/, . with faint tints, and here and there heightened with
. - * Contrasted with the vigour of some of the marine
subjects, they make us marvel at the hand that
'"^iS|ist»r. was able, at will, to sweep in broad masses and
from a sketch by henry g. moon
way in which this master became so :/v/^v^,
great, not only as regards his intimate ^\ V~
knowledge of Nature, but also as
a craftsman of the first order.
Of these 19,000 pieces of paper,
drawn on in some way or another,
you will find hundreds drawn on in
a truly masterly manner ; some are
mere notes, containing but a few
lines, but lines of such vitality as
must have sufficed to conjure up for
the artist vivid memories of the thing
seen, presenting it to him in its
essential aspects. Others, wrought
in many materials—pencil on white
paper, pencil on grey paper height- j
ened with white, pencil lines and
wash, ink lines and wash, water-
colour notes, &c.—give us admirable •; ....
studies of tree forms, of architecture,
of the sea and of shipping ; nothing, s" "f^ «!£vf;*i-£:**'-'' ♦i*^'
indeed, seemed to escape him which <*
by any means might be of service to — ^
him. , '
Yet others, complete not only as -—
sketches but as pictures, masterly from a sketch by henry g. moon
178
v.
arrange the Turner drawings, he found " in seven suggestions and daintiest realisings of a seemingly
tin boxes in the lower room of the National infinite variety of effects.
Gallery, upwards of 19,000 pieces of paper drawn I may be allowed, perhaps, to draw the attention
upon by Turner in some way or another." of the student to some of those which strike me as
Such were the means adopted by the man who, peculiarly interesting, and I may use the opportu-
I suppose of all others, approached Nature from nity to remark upon the general apathy of the public
the greatest variety of standpoints; and it is in- and of the student as regards this unique collection,
structive, I think, beyond measure to study the Cold stone steps and a clammy cellar-like feeling
s about the underground room in which it is placed
prove a sufficient barrier against the zeal of the
majority of visitors, and while the rooms above are
crowded, these works of Turner's, some of quite
the most interesting he ever did, remain seen by
comparatively few.
Notice the delightful pencil drawings of Rome,
which should be a revelation to the student,
traced with the surest but most delicate hand ; de-
tailed renderings of the closest observation of facts,
truly delightful in their beauty of draughtsmanship.
These exquisite examples of what the pencil is
«^|7- *<Mf capable of are many of them partly washed over
?, i " .»'•/, . with faint tints, and here and there heightened with
. - * Contrasted with the vigour of some of the marine
subjects, they make us marvel at the hand that
'"^iS|ist»r. was able, at will, to sweep in broad masses and
from a sketch by henry g. moon
way in which this master became so :/v/^v^,
great, not only as regards his intimate ^\ V~
knowledge of Nature, but also as
a craftsman of the first order.
Of these 19,000 pieces of paper,
drawn on in some way or another,
you will find hundreds drawn on in
a truly masterly manner ; some are
mere notes, containing but a few
lines, but lines of such vitality as
must have sufficed to conjure up for
the artist vivid memories of the thing
seen, presenting it to him in its
essential aspects. Others, wrought
in many materials—pencil on white
paper, pencil on grey paper height- j
ened with white, pencil lines and
wash, ink lines and wash, water-
colour notes, &c.—give us admirable •; ....
studies of tree forms, of architecture,
of the sea and of shipping ; nothing, s" "f^ «!£vf;*i-£:**'-'' ♦i*^'
indeed, seemed to escape him which <*
by any means might be of service to — ^
him. , '
Yet others, complete not only as -—
sketches but as pictures, masterly from a sketch by henry g. moon
178
v.