DOI Heft:
No. 49 (April, 1897)
DOI Artikel:Garstin, Norman: The work of T. Millie Dow
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18388#0152
The Work of T. Millie Dow
of workers who make Glasgow their home must that expresses or encloses in a full measure the
not be omitted from the shortest record of his peculiar effect upon his mind that this work
life ; but his work, except in the matter of origi- gives him.
nality, or, more strictly speaking, on that very Yes, even when the artist tries to explain him-
account, hardly fits into the limits of that or any self it is not much better, perhaps not so good;
school. because there are men, who to paraphrase the
It is not the purpose of this paper to criticise epitaph on Noll Goldsmith:
Mr. Dow, but rather to present him to the reader. Qnn pa;nt ]j|;e an aUgC\t
In a criticism a writer examines his subject from Yet talk like poor Poll,
his own, the No one can fully
^^^jj f^
deliberately pro- design for stained glass by t. miixie dow tropic fruit ? What
fesses to translate colours can paint
the untranslatable, to give in precise terms the a melody ? What melody can give the per-
unknown quantity of another man's artistic soul, fume of the violet ? The painter conveys to us
then indeed a heavy responsibility must weigh through our eyes something which charms us
upon one's conscience and a hopeless sense of almost in direct proportion to the inadequacy of
inadequacy dull one's perceptions. words to express it. Directly we feel that we do
Let a man know all his friend's best work, let the artist ample justice when we admire his draw-
him rummage in his studio amongst the suggestive ing or painting, we may be sure that the spirit is
inspirations of sketches and studies, let him talk absent which sanctifies work and should hold us
his friend's limitations over with other friends after unobservant of such technical matters as have gone
the comforting manner of studio causerie, and still to the making of the picture.
he must feel that he has no words, no formula These generalities must be excused by their
146
of workers who make Glasgow their home must that expresses or encloses in a full measure the
not be omitted from the shortest record of his peculiar effect upon his mind that this work
life ; but his work, except in the matter of origi- gives him.
nality, or, more strictly speaking, on that very Yes, even when the artist tries to explain him-
account, hardly fits into the limits of that or any self it is not much better, perhaps not so good;
school. because there are men, who to paraphrase the
It is not the purpose of this paper to criticise epitaph on Noll Goldsmith:
Mr. Dow, but rather to present him to the reader. Qnn pa;nt ]j|;e an aUgC\t
In a criticism a writer examines his subject from Yet talk like poor Poll,
his own, the No one can fully
^^^jj f^
deliberately pro- design for stained glass by t. miixie dow tropic fruit ? What
fesses to translate colours can paint
the untranslatable, to give in precise terms the a melody ? What melody can give the per-
unknown quantity of another man's artistic soul, fume of the violet ? The painter conveys to us
then indeed a heavy responsibility must weigh through our eyes something which charms us
upon one's conscience and a hopeless sense of almost in direct proportion to the inadequacy of
inadequacy dull one's perceptions. words to express it. Directly we feel that we do
Let a man know all his friend's best work, let the artist ample justice when we admire his draw-
him rummage in his studio amongst the suggestive ing or painting, we may be sure that the spirit is
inspirations of sketches and studies, let him talk absent which sanctifies work and should hold us
his friend's limitations over with other friends after unobservant of such technical matters as have gone
the comforting manner of studio causerie, and still to the making of the picture.
he must feel that he has no words, no formula These generalities must be excused by their
146