DOI Heft:
No. 12 (March, 1894)
DOI Artikel:S., E. B.: Studies by a new "character" draughtsman, J. T. Wright Manuel
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17189#0231
Studies by J. T. IV. Manuel
of the personage he portrays and
the whimsical results of frequent
lapses therefrom.
In the drawings by a young artist
who has but lately settled in Lon-
don, we find proof of the influence
of Paris very strongly marked. ^ <Ai
That his admiration for Forain has f i'>^*f JP
influenced his work at times more >).,j^*iHjV
than he himself is probably aware, """wfjf .( fv
is not of the first consequence. For TO Am
granting that he has the power of j \l y-
exact perception, selection, and pre- /\ /—.
sentation which it seems to the pre- \ ,A \\J
sent writer he possesses to a marked \ v j '/'
degree, his style will doubtless soon y/! H *^pH '-/ j / \A
find its own utterance, and that \ W m "j •/ -\ • \ / ■/.•%/ V ..
curiously distinctive cachet of per- \. jf\t '5 / [ \ N \ \
sonality which marks every creator TM % j \ \ I Y/ |( , \
will be fully attained. ^,S\U^W Ub,",,!^ I \
It is invidious to criticise too ,f j , \ \ J ^/
closely or to appraise too highly ./7 j j j ( - ' J . y'
works of which specimens appear / \ I l^S ^s**^
side by side with the analysis or j W ^ /
eulogy. Especially is this the case j \
in a paper appealing to an audience / I
familiar with the technicalities of f from a sketch by j. t. w. manuel
the subject. Therefore, it will /
suffice here to refer to the four J fourj however, need not be taken as a final test.
examples of work which we are __^ . out 0f many dozens they were selected, not
permitted to reproduce. These because they were ideally the best, but because
they seemed to show fairly the average of the
artist's work, and in various practical ways were
adapted for our pages.
Here, if space permitted, we might trace the
convention of Forain—the line that owes its
uality to a brush rather than a pen or stylus of
any kind—back to the everlasting great
S Japan. In the sketch-books of Hoko-
sai, for instance, to name one most
familiar to European students, we have
the effect of movement, of modelling,
and of solidity or lightness in what must
needs be called outline. The apparent
rapidity of such sketches gives the work
freshness, and seems to impart a quality
that might be lost in most laboured
attempts. In this school Mr. Manuel
has elected to work, and that he has
realised its possibilities these sketches
amply prove. Among other of his work
that may possibly occupy literally a pro-
minent position in the future, are some
very clever studies for posters, that catch
no little of the gaiety and insistent appeal
to every passer-by which makes so many
of the hoardings of Paris a delight rather
than an eyesore. The peculiar aggressive-
ness which the advertiser demands is not
so easily infused with art as a bystander
might imagine, hence any worthy recruit is
specially welcome, and in this field the
capable workers are distinctly limited so
far. E. B. S.
2:9
of the personage he portrays and
the whimsical results of frequent
lapses therefrom.
In the drawings by a young artist
who has but lately settled in Lon-
don, we find proof of the influence
of Paris very strongly marked. ^ <Ai
That his admiration for Forain has f i'>^*f JP
influenced his work at times more >).,j^*iHjV
than he himself is probably aware, """wfjf .( fv
is not of the first consequence. For TO Am
granting that he has the power of j \l y-
exact perception, selection, and pre- /\ /—.
sentation which it seems to the pre- \ ,A \\J
sent writer he possesses to a marked \ v j '/'
degree, his style will doubtless soon y/! H *^pH '-/ j / \A
find its own utterance, and that \ W m "j •/ -\ • \ / ■/.•%/ V ..
curiously distinctive cachet of per- \. jf\t '5 / [ \ N \ \
sonality which marks every creator TM % j \ \ I Y/ |( , \
will be fully attained. ^,S\U^W Ub,",,!^ I \
It is invidious to criticise too ,f j , \ \ J ^/
closely or to appraise too highly ./7 j j j ( - ' J . y'
works of which specimens appear / \ I l^S ^s**^
side by side with the analysis or j W ^ /
eulogy. Especially is this the case j \
in a paper appealing to an audience / I
familiar with the technicalities of f from a sketch by j. t. w. manuel
the subject. Therefore, it will /
suffice here to refer to the four J fourj however, need not be taken as a final test.
examples of work which we are __^ . out 0f many dozens they were selected, not
permitted to reproduce. These because they were ideally the best, but because
they seemed to show fairly the average of the
artist's work, and in various practical ways were
adapted for our pages.
Here, if space permitted, we might trace the
convention of Forain—the line that owes its
uality to a brush rather than a pen or stylus of
any kind—back to the everlasting great
S Japan. In the sketch-books of Hoko-
sai, for instance, to name one most
familiar to European students, we have
the effect of movement, of modelling,
and of solidity or lightness in what must
needs be called outline. The apparent
rapidity of such sketches gives the work
freshness, and seems to impart a quality
that might be lost in most laboured
attempts. In this school Mr. Manuel
has elected to work, and that he has
realised its possibilities these sketches
amply prove. Among other of his work
that may possibly occupy literally a pro-
minent position in the future, are some
very clever studies for posters, that catch
no little of the gaiety and insistent appeal
to every passer-by which makes so many
of the hoardings of Paris a delight rather
than an eyesore. The peculiar aggressive-
ness which the advertiser demands is not
so easily infused with art as a bystander
might imagine, hence any worthy recruit is
specially welcome, and in this field the
capable workers are distinctly limited so
far. E. B. S.
2:9