DOI Heft:
No. 51 (June 1897)
DOI Artikel:Studio-talk
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18389#0070
Studio-Talk
as a foil to her clay.
Though not studying,
while in Italy, Miss Potter
is absorbing everything in
the line of her art, and her
next work will probably
show the influence of the
old masters, just as after
her stay in Paris she gave
a finer, more studied grace
to her figures, a fact she
herself admits, and attri-
butes to the influence of
the French School.
It is difficult to predict
what will be the style Miss
Potter will ultimately adopt
as her special characteris-
tic. For the moment her
talent is equally divided
between large portrait
busts, an example of which
is given in the Twins, in
which strong work in detail
is shown; and the miniature
figures, which, though
sketchy and roughly
blocked in as to drapery,
are wonderfully lifelike,
easy and graceful in the
matter of feature and pose.
While practising an art that
is usually regarded as a
man's prerogative, she has
not attempted to treat it in
a masculine manner, but
has bent it to a woman's
needs, and forced it to
tion. She developed a decided talent for model- develop in her hands a feminine quality, while
ling while still in the Kindergarten, and worked for remaining markedly original and full of force,
a while with an American sculptor of some merit; This is perhaps the secret of her success in
but apart from this, her genius has simply grown portraying women and children. Indeed her
.and expanded of itself. One of the features of the babies are among her triumphs, so happy is she
dainty, chic, clever figurines is, that in a few in- in their treatment, so full are they of childish
stances Miss Potter has given a life-like touch to animation, with such success has she reproduced
the clay by colouring it after it is completed, a bold their lineless faces and plump, expressionless
experiment that is redeemed from the easy danger bodies. Equally skilful is she in giving a distinctly
of vulgarity by the artist's taste and delicacy of American character to her women. Her American
treatment. This colour, happily, she uses but girls are typical, and The Girl of the Period is
sparingly, "sketching it in," as she phrases it. redolent of the nervous vitality of her countrv-
Sometimes she only employs it to deepen the women. That she can also be tender is exempli-
shadows, while occasionally she will put in a strong fied by her Young Mother, here reproduced, in
bit of colour in a bunch of flowers or a gown to act which, though the draperies are broadly traced, the
55
"YOUNG MOTHER" BY BESSIE O. POTTER
as a foil to her clay.
Though not studying,
while in Italy, Miss Potter
is absorbing everything in
the line of her art, and her
next work will probably
show the influence of the
old masters, just as after
her stay in Paris she gave
a finer, more studied grace
to her figures, a fact she
herself admits, and attri-
butes to the influence of
the French School.
It is difficult to predict
what will be the style Miss
Potter will ultimately adopt
as her special characteris-
tic. For the moment her
talent is equally divided
between large portrait
busts, an example of which
is given in the Twins, in
which strong work in detail
is shown; and the miniature
figures, which, though
sketchy and roughly
blocked in as to drapery,
are wonderfully lifelike,
easy and graceful in the
matter of feature and pose.
While practising an art that
is usually regarded as a
man's prerogative, she has
not attempted to treat it in
a masculine manner, but
has bent it to a woman's
needs, and forced it to
tion. She developed a decided talent for model- develop in her hands a feminine quality, while
ling while still in the Kindergarten, and worked for remaining markedly original and full of force,
a while with an American sculptor of some merit; This is perhaps the secret of her success in
but apart from this, her genius has simply grown portraying women and children. Indeed her
.and expanded of itself. One of the features of the babies are among her triumphs, so happy is she
dainty, chic, clever figurines is, that in a few in- in their treatment, so full are they of childish
stances Miss Potter has given a life-like touch to animation, with such success has she reproduced
the clay by colouring it after it is completed, a bold their lineless faces and plump, expressionless
experiment that is redeemed from the easy danger bodies. Equally skilful is she in giving a distinctly
of vulgarity by the artist's taste and delicacy of American character to her women. Her American
treatment. This colour, happily, she uses but girls are typical, and The Girl of the Period is
sparingly, "sketching it in," as she phrases it. redolent of the nervous vitality of her countrv-
Sometimes she only employs it to deepen the women. That she can also be tender is exempli-
shadows, while occasionally she will put in a strong fied by her Young Mother, here reproduced, in
bit of colour in a bunch of flowers or a gown to act which, though the draperies are broadly traced, the
55
"YOUNG MOTHER" BY BESSIE O. POTTER