DOI issue:
No. 31 (October, 1896)
DOI article:Baldry, Alfred Lys: The Herkomer School
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17295#0024
The Herkomer School
the beginning and ending. Even the casts from that Professor Herkomer learned the truths about
which the less advanced students have to work as art tuition which he has turned to such excellent
a preparation for admission to the life-room itself, account at Bushey. The origin of the school there
must be casts from life; and with assiduous repre- is to be sought far back among the struggles of his
sentation of these in black and white must be early days in search of the training required to lit
combined frequent attempts to paint in colour the him for the artistic mission which he wished to
living head. It is not till this stage is passed, and fulfil. The knowledge forced upon him then that
the student has been admitted to the more ad- there was for aspiring young artists little chance of
vanced practice of painting from the nude living gaining on this side of the Channel the sound
model, it is not till his capacities to represent and building-up of their powers and opinions which
his judgment in selection have been severely alone could fit them to follow the profession they
tested in the most difficult branch of artistic prac- had chosen, impressed him with the idea of himself
tice, that he is allowed to consider the antique, attempting to make the way easier for others.
" the human form in its most ideal aspect," as the " Accident," as he puts it, " in the substantial
shape of a neighbour who was
willing to give the money for
.,'.^g/B/m^hl..-::-.--< ■■ .?$HiHttHHtfUHtt&fc» conducting an artistic experi-
ment," enabled him some
twelve years ago to put this
idea into practical shape, and
to make the first beginning of
the "art school after his own
heart" which has since grown
to such importance. His
energy has been the one
supreme motive power of the
institution. He designed the
buildings; he drew up codes
of rules both for the work in
the school and for the be-
haviour of the students out
side, and altered and amended
these rules until they proved
themselves suited for their
purpose of control and man-
agement ; he undertook the
STUDY OF HORSES BY LUCY KEMP-WELCH n , • r . 1 • n
duties of teaching and super-
vision, and has constantly
Professor defines it. Even then the student is not devoted himself to the development and advance-
allowed to fall under the influence of the antique ment of every student who has come under his
convention. The development of his personality care; and he has done this always without pay-
is not to be checked by deliberate copying of the ment, without pecuniary interest in the scheme,
masterpieces of the great artists of the past. The without any inducement other than the entirely
antique is to be for him but a subject of contem- legitimate ambition to be the leader in a great
plation, a means to awaken in him the feeling for movement and the centre of an important under-
ideal form ; to give him, in fact, the power to select taking.
and the sense to discriminate between types of With such motives to urge him on the reward
nature that are by modern conditions of existence which he has reaped is probably the highest he
dragged more or less below the level of ideal could have desired. For the school that he has
perfection. For his hand and eye life, and life founded has grown exactly as he designed, and has
alone, provides the proper training • for his mind extended its limits and enlarged its sphere of action
the antique is admirable as a corrective and a safe- with hardly a check or delay. It has become
guard. recognised as one of the chief centres of art
It was in the hard school of personal experience education in this country ; and its students are
12
the beginning and ending. Even the casts from that Professor Herkomer learned the truths about
which the less advanced students have to work as art tuition which he has turned to such excellent
a preparation for admission to the life-room itself, account at Bushey. The origin of the school there
must be casts from life; and with assiduous repre- is to be sought far back among the struggles of his
sentation of these in black and white must be early days in search of the training required to lit
combined frequent attempts to paint in colour the him for the artistic mission which he wished to
living head. It is not till this stage is passed, and fulfil. The knowledge forced upon him then that
the student has been admitted to the more ad- there was for aspiring young artists little chance of
vanced practice of painting from the nude living gaining on this side of the Channel the sound
model, it is not till his capacities to represent and building-up of their powers and opinions which
his judgment in selection have been severely alone could fit them to follow the profession they
tested in the most difficult branch of artistic prac- had chosen, impressed him with the idea of himself
tice, that he is allowed to consider the antique, attempting to make the way easier for others.
" the human form in its most ideal aspect," as the " Accident," as he puts it, " in the substantial
shape of a neighbour who was
willing to give the money for
.,'.^g/B/m^hl..-::-.--< ■■ .?$HiHttHHtfUHtt&fc» conducting an artistic experi-
ment," enabled him some
twelve years ago to put this
idea into practical shape, and
to make the first beginning of
the "art school after his own
heart" which has since grown
to such importance. His
energy has been the one
supreme motive power of the
institution. He designed the
buildings; he drew up codes
of rules both for the work in
the school and for the be-
haviour of the students out
side, and altered and amended
these rules until they proved
themselves suited for their
purpose of control and man-
agement ; he undertook the
STUDY OF HORSES BY LUCY KEMP-WELCH n , • r . 1 • n
duties of teaching and super-
vision, and has constantly
Professor defines it. Even then the student is not devoted himself to the development and advance-
allowed to fall under the influence of the antique ment of every student who has come under his
convention. The development of his personality care; and he has done this always without pay-
is not to be checked by deliberate copying of the ment, without pecuniary interest in the scheme,
masterpieces of the great artists of the past. The without any inducement other than the entirely
antique is to be for him but a subject of contem- legitimate ambition to be the leader in a great
plation, a means to awaken in him the feeling for movement and the centre of an important under-
ideal form ; to give him, in fact, the power to select taking.
and the sense to discriminate between types of With such motives to urge him on the reward
nature that are by modern conditions of existence which he has reaped is probably the highest he
dragged more or less below the level of ideal could have desired. For the school that he has
perfection. For his hand and eye life, and life founded has grown exactly as he designed, and has
alone, provides the proper training • for his mind extended its limits and enlarged its sphere of action
the antique is admirable as a corrective and a safe- with hardly a check or delay. It has become
guard. recognised as one of the chief centres of art
It was in the hard school of personal experience education in this country ; and its students are
12