Studio: international art (10.1897)

The Work of By am Shaw

In 1896 the Academy contained the artist's note- most distorted verdict might be in some measure
worthy portrait of his mother, Mrs. John Shaw, justified.

and also Jezebel, a nude seated figure of consider- The painter's own interpretation is worth printing
able power, with which, however, its author was not here, although it may seem to support M. Aman-

wholly pleased, and Jean's criticism. But

has since altered con- ________...................______._______,..............., ___, one must not forget

siderably. \ Whither ' that without ' any

was also hung in this ' ;-explanation of the

year, and suffered | * j 1 I allegory the painting

terribly from being !,,^'^|i :M *s self-sufhcient to

placed next to a ^jaK'j fl please as an example

scheme of pale greys of fine decoration,

and soft pinks—Mr. In Whither the man

Robert Fowler's The and woman are being

Coming of Apollo. Hflgj ' ■• "ik* :' ? •• v-'-^^^ffll drawn across the sea

Its pendant, Mr. ; of life by three figures

George S. Watson's \ §9 personating Birth,

La Belle Dame sans \ Maturity, and Death.

Merci, like Whither, |g ,■ /,-.f % WW The latter is seen

picture of vivid I^^NIKH^Hl H reaching up to snap

hues, was also hurt r" - j ft flW!99HHk ■ <m the thread of life,

by its neighbours. IL - * „ I which starts from a

Which of the three shell held by Birth,

painters deserved and enwraps round

most commiseration and round Love, the

it would be difficult ; ■ , ' figure-head of the

to say, for the group j | . , 'c ^ ; 'J boat. Love holds a

remains in memory heart-shaped lamp

as a typical instance "(. B s • which lights the

of the terrors that a | MS ' yfj ffi Lovers (married, but

mixed Exhibition still lovers) on their

holds for colourists. v $e§ *m '" < way. The waves of

In this juxtaposition, . the sea of life throw

the Coming of Apollo mk$ -v'1 l: » | up bubbles, in which

looked washed out, K tpm HE '. j| (. J | maY be discovered

and Whither crude, !■£'"*'..' ) 1 ??? .^iS-S'Jp'^Jffl^''-,*^^./^ scenes from the past

if not almost vulgar. " ,;| W^Wm^s '- ■ ■ anc^ future of the

Possibly the" unlucky - jg .' | chief actors in the

position caused M. masque. In one, the

Aman-Jean to regret I father of the man

that " things so pro- ..... shows his son the

found as those sug- path ahead, while his

gested in the picture i^^^-^^^L^^.--^^—--^—Li::,——12:-: v-''-',lJr,'j":,"-,l mother encourages

were not written out- him to press forward.

• LxJ! 17 \ -i.. PORTRAIT OF MRS. JOHN SHAW BY BY AM SHAW T [, ■■ , .

right. Yet this In another, the boy

painting, seen under sets out on the voy-

proper conditions, does not traverse the above age, his father pushing off the boat, while his mother

critic's statement, "that painting can and should kisses him. In another the Lover shows his beloved

exist of itself—in beauty of. form, attitude, and the arrow he has found piercing his heart, while

gesture." With recognition of its meaning, which Love shadows them with his rosy wings outspread,

is perhaps somewhat complex, it is nevertheless a In another, the man sets forth on Pegasus to win

delightful panel of decoration, with lines of great laurels that he may lay at the feet of his love, while

beauty and superb passages of colour. Put seen she girds him with his sword. In another we see

under the conditions of Burlington House, the him offering his laurels to her. In another, the
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