Studio: international art (11.1897)

Drawings by J. M. Swan

STUDY OK A TIGER BY J. M. SWAN, A.R.A.

sistently and coherently, not blurring them and He has no wish to assert himself and to insist upon
spoiling their vividness by the elimination of preferences of his own which would have the ulti-
characteristics which are a little difficult to handle, mate effect of leading him into comfortable con-
and not falsifying them by the introduction of ventions that would destroy the real vitality of his
suggestions derived quite incongruously from human art by bounding it with formal restrictions. On
habits. In a word, he must be observant and re- the contrary, what he always aims at doing,, both
ceptive, but he must also have the judgment to in his studies and his completed works, is to
keep his observations unperverted, and to state express what is characteristic of his models, to
them clearly without reducing their value by mixing understand the individuality of each subject, and
with them inconsistent details. to state that with scrupulous fidelity. Every draw-
It is because the work of Mr. Swan 1 satisfies ing he does is a portrait not only of the features of
these conditions that he holds among living artists the beast, but also of those little details of character
such a commanding position. The atmosphere wrhich give it a person:! 1 idiosyncracy.
which pervades his work throughout is that of the His work in the Zoological Gardens, which is re-
sincerest possible respect for nature, and of the presented by the drawings that are here reproduced,
most resolute intention to allow nothing to lead has been conducted from the first on this principle
him away from absolute fidelity to her. Every- of searching for something" more than mere attitude,
thing which he has producel! in painting or sculp- Every pose that he renders, every action he repre-
ture is full of close observation, and is correct and sents, has a meaning of its own. What he is really
faithful not in a mechanical and perfunctory way, doing in each case is recording the mental inten-
but with the vivid vitality which results only from tion of the animal he has chosen to draw. These
perfect knowledge. In no part of his work do sketches and studies become under this system
these rare qualities appear so attractively as in his portraits of living things subject to emotions and
drawings. These studies of animal life are extra- ideas which direct and control physical action,
ordinarily accurate, superbly exact in their state- Each drawing is, in fact, a study of a mood affect-
ment of fact, and yet admirable in their judicious ing the behaviour of the animal ; and everything
selection and their significant suggestion of almost which makes the drawing complete is set down
imperceptible points of character. The secret of solely with the intention to define and exactly
their success is to be found in the spirit with which describe this particular mood. Whatever may be
the artist approaches them. His system is simply the emotion which is for the moment governing his
to allow nature to suggest to him the way to work, sitter, whether it is anger, suspicion, curiosity, lazy
and to prescribe the course which he is to follow. indifference, or merely the desire for repose, it is to

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