Studio: international art (3.1894)

Study, of a Lemon Tree

^°fate catalosue of the details wl hform the made many experiments in photographing from the
Sim n? rfUt lS U qUitC Certain that carefully drawing which now hangs as part of a collection
the11 lmPression may be trusted D call up sent by Mr. Ruskin to the Taylorian Museum.

e corresponding elucidation from tl average The exceedingly delicate lines of the original
spectator ? To some, a few lines of Hoku „ai supply even when fresh would have given the photographer
needful facts of the animal or figure he a somewhat difficult task; and now that the paper
P1C e ; to others, it is needful to supply an has darkened, it appears impossible to secure a

print sufficiently defined for the
photo-engraver to work from.
The camera is always over-sen-
sitive to the chance inequalities
of the grain or accidental changes
of colour in the paper, and in
this case stains and marks, hardly
noticeable to the eye, come out
in the photograph far more pro-
minently than the lines of the
drawing itself.

In conversation lately, Sir
Frederic referred to the many
days spent upon the production
of this study, dwelling specially
on the difficulty he experienced
in finding again and again each
separate leaf in the perspective
of the confused branches, as

na. 13—a bungalow at northwood (see page 23) morning after morning he re-
jnj- . turned at sunrise to continue
able to " lar§er aSSOrtment of facts before they are his work. Although in the reduced size the
The lntGrpret the artist's meaning. effect of much of this charming study has been,
Leighk>r]tlp^' °^ ^ ^■e'"°" Tree by Sir Frederic if not altogether lost, at least minimised, those who
to reproduc h ^ ' W*"Cn lle has kindly permitted us have not seen the original may gather a very fair
the old° llCre' ^elongs t0 the class of WOfk that idea of its powerful yet exquisitely delicate model-
in the •maSterS loved to Produce. It was drawn ling. The drawing of each leaf reveals the close
twenty-nintlf °f l8^9'wrien tne artist was in his search which ultimately recorded its particular
1880 nt year' and not exmrjited until the year individuality. You feel that, as a shepherd knows

at tne Grosvenor Gallery. As a critic has
written of it • « \uu , y a crltlc nas

"shows in the hf f ^ * pendl ^
cacy and r f ' degree a11 the ^uth, deli-
ct The " rk 0fV " " 6minently ^eristic
Academy I T'T* of ^

could6 hL de°signr-Pn:ftC ^ "* «
effect ha* „ Ju- ■ 016 minutely, yet the

effect has nothmg mggiing whateyer ^^ Jf

he had never drawn anything else, the Lemon
Tree alone would have left the assurance of an
"St. As it appears here, it is considerably
reduced, not only because of our page size, but '-1=_-

hivLuse r,ng to the paper °n which k was drawn hg' H'~{see pag> 23)

ouTpfnVT^ COl°Ur ^ ^ ^ the effeCt °f his sheep t0 Cal1 each by 'tS name' the art'St mUSt
to tak"8 atm°Sphere' it: was found impossible have been able to recognise almost every separate
reprod" a P °graph sufficiently definite to be leaf and twig long before he had finished his task.
m/h"06 wthe Same S°ale aS WC had intended- The seven snails which appear as dots beneath the
orace Hart, of the University Press, Oxford, boughs at the left of the reproduction are no less

25