DOI Heft:
No. 49 (April, 1897)
DOI Artikel:Mortimer Menpes' Japanese drawings
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18388#0183
Mr. Menpes Japanese Drawings
been to give to these drawings by Mr. Menpes a
character which is certainly agreeable, and one
that goes a long way to satisfy the intention of the
artist. The roughening of the surface of the paper
by his manner of using the hog-hair brushes, granu-
lates the paint-touches very much after the pastel
fashion, and distinctly adds to the brilliancy of the
colour; while the thickness and solidity of the
opaque pigment make comparatively rough usage
of the drawings possible without much likelihood
of their suffering appreciable damage. The large
brushes and the use of semi-fluid colour help to
give breadth and an air of sturdy directness to the
workmanship, so that many of his productions that
have been handled in this way are quite akin to
oil-paintings in their technical qualities, without
having lost the purity and tenderness which are
among the chief charms of water-colour.
The whole collection has in fact a double in-
terest ; it is attractive because of its subject-matter,
and because it reflects the life of a country which
has an extraordinary fascination for every one who
has visited it or has studied its marvellous artistic
products. The works of which the collection con-
sists will, when shortly they come to be exhibited
at Messrs. Dowdeswell's galleries, engross the
attention of practising artists on account of the
technical audacities which distinguish Mr. Menpes'
performances from the ordinary run of painting.
To the artist credit is due for his versatility and
artistic spirit j he has led us by his earlier work to
expect that at each reappearance he will prove to
have made some notable departure from the beaten
track, and he has not failed to act up to his repu-
tation on this occasion. His versatility, however,
is perfectly legitimate, it is based correctly and
securely upon serious thought and sound observa-
tion ; and his artistic spirit is entirely of the right
kind, in that it induces him to strive constantly to
find ways of perfecting technical methods and to
devise convenient means by which he may arrive
directly at the manner of expression which will
most completely realise what he intends to repre-
sent.
m , mm.
"the forge'
by mortimer menpes
J7S
been to give to these drawings by Mr. Menpes a
character which is certainly agreeable, and one
that goes a long way to satisfy the intention of the
artist. The roughening of the surface of the paper
by his manner of using the hog-hair brushes, granu-
lates the paint-touches very much after the pastel
fashion, and distinctly adds to the brilliancy of the
colour; while the thickness and solidity of the
opaque pigment make comparatively rough usage
of the drawings possible without much likelihood
of their suffering appreciable damage. The large
brushes and the use of semi-fluid colour help to
give breadth and an air of sturdy directness to the
workmanship, so that many of his productions that
have been handled in this way are quite akin to
oil-paintings in their technical qualities, without
having lost the purity and tenderness which are
among the chief charms of water-colour.
The whole collection has in fact a double in-
terest ; it is attractive because of its subject-matter,
and because it reflects the life of a country which
has an extraordinary fascination for every one who
has visited it or has studied its marvellous artistic
products. The works of which the collection con-
sists will, when shortly they come to be exhibited
at Messrs. Dowdeswell's galleries, engross the
attention of practising artists on account of the
technical audacities which distinguish Mr. Menpes'
performances from the ordinary run of painting.
To the artist credit is due for his versatility and
artistic spirit j he has led us by his earlier work to
expect that at each reappearance he will prove to
have made some notable departure from the beaten
track, and he has not failed to act up to his repu-
tation on this occasion. His versatility, however,
is perfectly legitimate, it is based correctly and
securely upon serious thought and sound observa-
tion ; and his artistic spirit is entirely of the right
kind, in that it induces him to strive constantly to
find ways of perfecting technical methods and to
devise convenient means by which he may arrive
directly at the manner of expression which will
most completely realise what he intends to repre-
sent.
m , mm.
"the forge'
by mortimer menpes
J7S