Studio: international art (19.1900)

Studio^Talk

happily Mr. de Bock can make use of the traditions skilful executant, a true colourist, and takes a view
bequeathed to all the world by Rousseau, Corot, of the world about him that is honestly original
and Diaz. In other pictures the style is Dutch, without ever lapsing into eccentricity. Mr. Alfred
and it will be noticed that Mr.de Bock is among Drury has few rivals among the sculptors who
the few artists who can paint a sky effectively. have at the end of this century carried their branch

of art practice from a condition of neglect and
disrepute into one of real and active prosperity.
No one can complain that the Academy, in filling He is a decorator with conspicuous gifts, and,
up the last three vacancies among the Associates, though he has scored many a success with ideal
has disregarded the claims of the younger men with efforts, he has made his influence most plainly felt
progressive convictions. Two, at least, of the trio in his practical advocacy of those applications of
of prominent outsiders who have been called within sculpture that mark its alliance with architecture
the exclusive doors of Burlington House have for As a manipulator he is exceptionally able, with
some time past ranked as leaders of new move- excellent taste and an acute sense of refinements
ments and representatives of that spirit of energetic of form. Mr. Belcher, the third Associate, is widely
advance which is the strongest attribute of the art recognised as an architect who is not content
of the day. Mr. Tuke is perhaps the best painter merely to follow the beaten track, but unites sound
of the open-air school whom we have now with us. knowledge of accepted authorities with a purely in-
He is an admirable student of nature, a sound and dividual love of the picturesque. He has long been

regarded as a likely candi-
date for academic honours.

So much has been written
of Mr. Elgood's water-colour
drawings of gardens that
criticism cannot hope to
say more that is both new
and true about their ex-
quisite colour light, and
sweetness. When all the
merits in a work of art are
co-ordinated, united with
sufficient subtlety, they
appeal to us—not one by
one, as isolated points of
excellence, but altogether
and symphoniously ; and it
is thus that Mr. Elgood's
beautiful water-colours
make their appeal, whereas
in criticism their peculiar
grace and charm can be
alluded to only in epithets
and phrases inadequately
descriptive of separated
merits. The most winning
peculiarity of Mr. Elgood's
art is its power to disarm
all adverse criticism, prov-
ing, as it does, that a garden
is indeed "the purest of
human pleasures," and
tub death of i,adas" by prank m. benn'ett "the greatest refreshment

Royal Academy Students' Competition : Cold Medal Painting of the spirits of man."

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