Studio: international art (16.1899)

Gaston La Touche

point out the material and other beauties of Le sponge—these great sheets of paper. He thus

Pardon breton, la nuit, and Bonaparte en Italic, in obtains new effects, which are the more striking

which the face of the First Consul is conjured in that they remain, despite their boldness, well

up with wonderful intensity, and on his delightful within the domain of the water-colour. From this

domestic piece, Jeune Mere. standpoint alone, La Guerre and La Revolte are

To return to the water-colours, I will mention, remarkable productions. I know no one who has

in addition to those already referred to, Les Out- obtained equal results by the medium of the

rages, La Tasse de The, the vigorous Portrait de genuine water-colour. Evidently, in the hands of

Pavis de Chavannes, and Le Chapitre, which an artist like La Touche this method becomes a

achieved great success at the last exhibition of the most forcible means of expression, and one from

" Societe Royale des Aquarellistes." What I have which all sorts of unexpected effects may be

said of Gaston La Touche's oils applies with equal derived.

force to his water-colours. He obtains extra- Was I not right, at the outset of this brief

ordinary intensity of colour. It is wonderful to examination of Gaston La Touche's work, to show

note the independence, the freedom of technique some indignation against triumphant mediocrity,

with which he treats—for the .most part with the when an artist of this calibre, a strong, honest,

" le jet d'eau
SS

from a i'ainting by gaston la touche