Studio: international art (17.1899)

Ernest Newton

and fitting bounds. It is, after all, not enough to
“leave out”; there must be something to “put
in.” Here we touch on a very vexed question,
either side of which has its distinguished sup-
porters, though, as by different routes they reach
the same point of practice if not of theory, it
would seem as though the interest of the contro-
versy were purely academic. The point is this:
shall the “ something to be put in ” be like the
German’s camel—evolved from the artist’s inner
consciousness, or shall he lose no opportunity of
studying the work of those who have gone before,
and throwing away deliberately all that is likely to
cramp and confine his imagination, forgetting, as it
were, the definite expression, but holding fast to the
vital and informing principle, stamp the result with
the seal of his own individuality ? Judging from
his work, one would feel inclined to assert that Mr.
Ernest Newton would place himself in the latter
category. Absolutely styleless, in the offensive
meaning of the word, his work nevertheless exhibits
at every turn the cultured taste of one who, while
eschewing the built-up sentence, yet makes deft
use of the words of his predecessors. But the man
himself will not listen to what he regards as a

heresy. “ It is the sketch-book and the drawing-
board,” he says, “which are responsible for the
worst in modern architecture. In dealing with
my own pupils, I warn them against manacling
themselves with the fetters of bygone style. I
discourage the archaeological side of their talents,
and warn them that what they have to do
is to build not to draw. If the architect would
only look upon himself as a builder and not as a
draughtsman, what much better and more honest
work he would do! I remember a very noted
architect, now dead, whose work we all admire
for its very eclecticism, saying to me that he
wished he could forget completely all the old work
he had seen, sketched, or measured. He found
it a hindrance rather than a help. Of course
some men are artistically strong enough to accom-
plish this by mere force of will, they will not let
themselves be influenced by their memories. But
such men as this are the exception rather than the
rule, and, on the whole, I think it is better for the
student to remain in wilful ignorance of the styles
of the past. After all, it is an old and never-
ending topic this, and like so many questions
affecting the practice rather than the principles of