DOI Heft:
No. 41 (August, 1896)
DOI Artikel:White, Gleeson: The posters of Louis Rhead
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17297#0174
The Posters of Louis Rhead
think, rightly). Truth is a gem with many facets, embody just as much of the spirit of Pre-
and you must select the one that reflects the im- Raphaelite art as the hoarding can bear. Placed
pression the artist chose, if you would judge his next a Botticelli you would, probably, prefer the old
result fairly. Italian master, and one may safely say that Mr.
Mr. Rhead's work in other fields is available for Rhead would agree with you; but to translate the
reference, should any think that the simple state- spirit of the veritable Pre-Raphaelite—or his
ment of facts he deems best for a poster has been nineteenth century disciple—to a simple phrase,
chosen to avoid the difficulties of more elaborate easily acceptable to the people, has been Mr.
treatment. One has heard many an artist, before Rhead's purpose; and if one studies his posters
a Whistler etching or lithograph, say, "Why, I could with an unprejudiced mind, it is easy to admit
do a dozen of things like that in an hour! " For that he has not failed. In the best there is that
simplicity is a synonym for incompetence with curious evidence of early Italy and old Japan that
those who do not realise the profound truth the very early Italian paintings bring to one's mind,
(paradoxical though it sound)
of the epigram, " simplicity is
the final refuge of the com-
plex." In saying this one |1
does not infer that a Rhead
poster is equal in intrinsic ^
value to a Whistler etching; £Z Y
but one may say that each u$
fulfils its purpose and with- yjU
out setting the young de- i
corator as rival to any great
master, that within his self- 1^
appointed limits he has sue- ,C>
ceeded.
It is pleasant to discover "vir
that Mr. Rhead is English Vvt
born and bred. Unlike some \\ffl
others who have adopted WUj
America as their country, he mm
still maintains affection for ^j'jjl
his birthplace, and follows ij
keenly the progress of our art. *A| j
He has caught, also, a mood
of enterprise which is peculi- f>
arly American, and has dared
to experiment. To-day we
suffer here from a fatal
modesty; there are so many
men more clever than our-
selves, that we are apt to
think it shows reverence to
refrain from even an attempt
to be original and to keep
slavishly to precedent lest we
should be called eccentric.
Without any wish to exalt
these decorative posters be-
yond their intrinsic value, we
may claim for them that they
are novel, effective, and deco-
rative. They have tried to design for a poster by louis rhead
158
think, rightly). Truth is a gem with many facets, embody just as much of the spirit of Pre-
and you must select the one that reflects the im- Raphaelite art as the hoarding can bear. Placed
pression the artist chose, if you would judge his next a Botticelli you would, probably, prefer the old
result fairly. Italian master, and one may safely say that Mr.
Mr. Rhead's work in other fields is available for Rhead would agree with you; but to translate the
reference, should any think that the simple state- spirit of the veritable Pre-Raphaelite—or his
ment of facts he deems best for a poster has been nineteenth century disciple—to a simple phrase,
chosen to avoid the difficulties of more elaborate easily acceptable to the people, has been Mr.
treatment. One has heard many an artist, before Rhead's purpose; and if one studies his posters
a Whistler etching or lithograph, say, "Why, I could with an unprejudiced mind, it is easy to admit
do a dozen of things like that in an hour! " For that he has not failed. In the best there is that
simplicity is a synonym for incompetence with curious evidence of early Italy and old Japan that
those who do not realise the profound truth the very early Italian paintings bring to one's mind,
(paradoxical though it sound)
of the epigram, " simplicity is
the final refuge of the com-
plex." In saying this one |1
does not infer that a Rhead
poster is equal in intrinsic ^
value to a Whistler etching; £Z Y
but one may say that each u$
fulfils its purpose and with- yjU
out setting the young de- i
corator as rival to any great
master, that within his self- 1^
appointed limits he has sue- ,C>
ceeded.
It is pleasant to discover "vir
that Mr. Rhead is English Vvt
born and bred. Unlike some \\ffl
others who have adopted WUj
America as their country, he mm
still maintains affection for ^j'jjl
his birthplace, and follows ij
keenly the progress of our art. *A| j
He has caught, also, a mood
of enterprise which is peculi- f>
arly American, and has dared
to experiment. To-day we
suffer here from a fatal
modesty; there are so many
men more clever than our-
selves, that we are apt to
think it shows reverence to
refrain from even an attempt
to be original and to keep
slavishly to precedent lest we
should be called eccentric.
Without any wish to exalt
these decorative posters be-
yond their intrinsic value, we
may claim for them that they
are novel, effective, and deco-
rative. They have tried to design for a poster by louis rhead
158