DOI Heft:
No. 33 (December, 1895)
DOI Artikel:Baldry, Alfred Lys: On the work of J. Walter West
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17295#0152
ON THE WORK OF J.
WALTER WEST. BY A.
LYS BALDRY.
The place among the present-day
black-and-white draughtsmen which is occupied
by Mr. J. Walter West is a deservedly prominent
one. He has brought himself to the front with
unusual rapidity by the production of work which
combines in a somewhat novel fashion very definite
individuality of conception and originality of treat-
ment with a pleasant sense of graceful style. His
reputation has grown steadily and by a series of
well-marked developments, helped, perhaps, to
some extent by fortunate chances which he has
discreetly turned to account, but advanced far
more by his own vigorous personality and shrewd
judgment.
The story of his career gains point and interest
by the nature of this personality. What there is to
tell about him is really an account of difficulties
overcome by sheer pluck, and of the making of
an excellent position in the art-world in despite of
serious impediments. For the first six years of his
working life his energies were misapplied in the
office of an engineering firm, where, oddly enough,
he had to devote himself to purely commercial
matters, instead of being concerned with those de-
tails of planning and designing which might have
in some sort fitted in with his artistic ideas.
In one sense these six years were not wasted, for
they enabled him to realise this object with more
VI. No. 33.—December, 1895.
completeness than might otherwise have been
possible to him, as he preferred to be in a position
to meet the cost of his art education out of his
own earnings. So during the whole term of his
business house service he was preparing for his
coming emancipation. He was putting by money,
accumulating a sum sufficient to cover the expenses
which he knew would be unavoidable while he was
as yet not far enough advanced in the practice of
art to be able to depend upon it for his support.
The economies of his six years' commercial em-
ployment gave him the funds he wanted, and when
he finally relinquished the counting-house, it was
with the satisfactory knowledge that his self-sacrifice
had made possible the realising of his dearest am-
bition.
At this time he was not entirely untaught in art.
He had already been grounded in the first prin-
ciples of the painter's craft by the well-known
Yorkshire artist and teacher, the late Edwin
Moore, an elder brother of those notable painters,
Henry and Albert Moore. But it was not until he
betook himself to London, and entered himself as
a student at the St. John's Wood School, under the
tuition of Mr. A. A. Calderon, that his artistic
education seriously commenced. There he worked
for a while at the regular round of school exercises
which were necessary to qualify him for admission
to the Royal Academy schools, and after no great
time found himself enrolled among the Academic
probationers. It was during this term that he
took the first prize at the "Gilbert" associated
139
WALTER WEST. BY A.
LYS BALDRY.
The place among the present-day
black-and-white draughtsmen which is occupied
by Mr. J. Walter West is a deservedly prominent
one. He has brought himself to the front with
unusual rapidity by the production of work which
combines in a somewhat novel fashion very definite
individuality of conception and originality of treat-
ment with a pleasant sense of graceful style. His
reputation has grown steadily and by a series of
well-marked developments, helped, perhaps, to
some extent by fortunate chances which he has
discreetly turned to account, but advanced far
more by his own vigorous personality and shrewd
judgment.
The story of his career gains point and interest
by the nature of this personality. What there is to
tell about him is really an account of difficulties
overcome by sheer pluck, and of the making of
an excellent position in the art-world in despite of
serious impediments. For the first six years of his
working life his energies were misapplied in the
office of an engineering firm, where, oddly enough,
he had to devote himself to purely commercial
matters, instead of being concerned with those de-
tails of planning and designing which might have
in some sort fitted in with his artistic ideas.
In one sense these six years were not wasted, for
they enabled him to realise this object with more
VI. No. 33.—December, 1895.
completeness than might otherwise have been
possible to him, as he preferred to be in a position
to meet the cost of his art education out of his
own earnings. So during the whole term of his
business house service he was preparing for his
coming emancipation. He was putting by money,
accumulating a sum sufficient to cover the expenses
which he knew would be unavoidable while he was
as yet not far enough advanced in the practice of
art to be able to depend upon it for his support.
The economies of his six years' commercial em-
ployment gave him the funds he wanted, and when
he finally relinquished the counting-house, it was
with the satisfactory knowledge that his self-sacrifice
had made possible the realising of his dearest am-
bition.
At this time he was not entirely untaught in art.
He had already been grounded in the first prin-
ciples of the painter's craft by the well-known
Yorkshire artist and teacher, the late Edwin
Moore, an elder brother of those notable painters,
Henry and Albert Moore. But it was not until he
betook himself to London, and entered himself as
a student at the St. John's Wood School, under the
tuition of Mr. A. A. Calderon, that his artistic
education seriously commenced. There he worked
for a while at the regular round of school exercises
which were necessary to qualify him for admission
to the Royal Academy schools, and after no great
time found himself enrolled among the Academic
probationers. It was during this term that he
took the first prize at the "Gilbert" associated
139