DOI Heft:
No. 39 (June, 1896)
DOI Artikel:Spence, Edward F.: Some leaves from Mr. Dudley Hardy's sketchbook
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17297#0049
Leaves from Dudley Hardy s Sketch-Book
matters, are naturally well acquainted with Mr. colour, and also to give some idea of the character
Hardy's work, and know that one side—the more of the place.
popular but less admirable—consists of a hearty To me there is great interest in such rough
humour chiefly founded upon suggestion of notes or sketches. Indeed, were I the editor of a
weekly illustrated paper I would rather use them
than carefully finished drawings ; but, of course, I
should be foolish, since in Art matters the British
public insists upon having the t's crossed, the i's
r^isr^aftcs -tir^^^^^^^ —■~"T dotted, and demands exact punctuation and proper
^X*C a tr^^O^^ ->capital letters—otherwise it seems unable to read.
^^^^P^^^^f^^' ' How can it be otherwise when the phrase about
fjS ■. ^jftapp^B^CT^^X.--^ ^ Y~* J genius and taking pains is commonly supposed to
^bkf^sil^- ' I*-%-IU - T«i« W » be a justification for elaborate over-finish? Yet
fmMn >" \ /. - > 4 even those unable to see all the artistic quality of
1 ^> ^>^\ /- - , ' ■-" these notes must find some interest in what may
» Y -— ' be called the foundation of the pictures that de-
Sp, ■■' ~. ^"v^n^ light them, and must be surprised at the result of
-* ' the few lines set down in obvious haste by the
aree basse from a sketch by dudlev hardy well-trained hand under guidance of the finely
cultivated eye.
Let me take as instance Mark Basse. I should
character. Some of us who know his more serious observe; incidentally, that all the drawings are
work regret the time taken from landscape, in which
he has a peculiar and delightful personal note,
studies of form and colour often Oriental in feeling,
and subject pictures which show a gift of com-
position, a power of drawing, and a richness of
palette which would have forced him even nearer
true fame but for the lively sense of humour which
compels him to find expression for comic ideas in
the only available medium.
Mr. Hardy had sufficient confidence in me to
accept my suggestion, and consequently came to
Le Treport—which you can reach from Dieppe in
an hour. He had not been thirty minutes in the
place before his note-book was in his hand and
he began sketching. The result of his visit is a
book full of sketches of
no mean value. Out of
it several have been
selected for the purpose reproduced just as they were taken on the spot,
of this article, and I am generally whilst the artist was standing, and some-
glad to say that the editor, times when trying to hide the sketch-book. In
justly appreciating, has Mark Basse very much is suggested, very little
caused facsimile repro- shown. You guess that the tide is going out, for a
ductions to be made and few slurs and hints of reflection show the film of
presents them without water on the sand. The composition is curiously
any "working up." In balanced by the bather on the left hand, who is
the selection there has just taking off his peignoir, and the sailor on the
j b been no very nice con- right carrying a burden to the boat. Throughout
' -^^ sideration of technique, there is a feeling of movement. It can be felt in
ne vas pas trop loin " ^ut rather an effort to the people wading, in the man picking up a crab,
from a sketch by show the artist's peculiar star-fish, or shrimp, in the suggestion of the
dudley hardy gift for catching local breeze driving all the drapery to the left, and in the
34
a l'aise " from a sketch by dudley hardy
matters, are naturally well acquainted with Mr. colour, and also to give some idea of the character
Hardy's work, and know that one side—the more of the place.
popular but less admirable—consists of a hearty To me there is great interest in such rough
humour chiefly founded upon suggestion of notes or sketches. Indeed, were I the editor of a
weekly illustrated paper I would rather use them
than carefully finished drawings ; but, of course, I
should be foolish, since in Art matters the British
public insists upon having the t's crossed, the i's
r^isr^aftcs -tir^^^^^^^ —■~"T dotted, and demands exact punctuation and proper
^X*C a tr^^O^^ ->capital letters—otherwise it seems unable to read.
^^^^P^^^^f^^' ' How can it be otherwise when the phrase about
fjS ■. ^jftapp^B^CT^^X.--^ ^ Y~* J genius and taking pains is commonly supposed to
^bkf^sil^- ' I*-%-IU - T«i« W » be a justification for elaborate over-finish? Yet
fmMn >" \ /. - > 4 even those unable to see all the artistic quality of
1 ^> ^>^\ /- - , ' ■-" these notes must find some interest in what may
» Y -— ' be called the foundation of the pictures that de-
Sp, ■■' ~. ^"v^n^ light them, and must be surprised at the result of
-* ' the few lines set down in obvious haste by the
aree basse from a sketch by dudlev hardy well-trained hand under guidance of the finely
cultivated eye.
Let me take as instance Mark Basse. I should
character. Some of us who know his more serious observe; incidentally, that all the drawings are
work regret the time taken from landscape, in which
he has a peculiar and delightful personal note,
studies of form and colour often Oriental in feeling,
and subject pictures which show a gift of com-
position, a power of drawing, and a richness of
palette which would have forced him even nearer
true fame but for the lively sense of humour which
compels him to find expression for comic ideas in
the only available medium.
Mr. Hardy had sufficient confidence in me to
accept my suggestion, and consequently came to
Le Treport—which you can reach from Dieppe in
an hour. He had not been thirty minutes in the
place before his note-book was in his hand and
he began sketching. The result of his visit is a
book full of sketches of
no mean value. Out of
it several have been
selected for the purpose reproduced just as they were taken on the spot,
of this article, and I am generally whilst the artist was standing, and some-
glad to say that the editor, times when trying to hide the sketch-book. In
justly appreciating, has Mark Basse very much is suggested, very little
caused facsimile repro- shown. You guess that the tide is going out, for a
ductions to be made and few slurs and hints of reflection show the film of
presents them without water on the sand. The composition is curiously
any "working up." In balanced by the bather on the left hand, who is
the selection there has just taking off his peignoir, and the sailor on the
j b been no very nice con- right carrying a burden to the boat. Throughout
' -^^ sideration of technique, there is a feeling of movement. It can be felt in
ne vas pas trop loin " ^ut rather an effort to the people wading, in the man picking up a crab,
from a sketch by show the artist's peculiar star-fish, or shrimp, in the suggestion of the
dudley hardy gift for catching local breeze driving all the drapery to the left, and in the
34
a l'aise " from a sketch by dudley hardy