Studio: international art (20.1900)

A Decorative Painting by Sir J. D. Linton

Decamerone, that has recently been exhibited at the the picture, no hint that imperfect observation has
New Gallery deserves to be particularly singled had to be concealed by an affectation of cleverness ;
out. It is emphatically a painting of the best it is throughout accomplished, thorough, and
and most sincere type, but it has no affectations, sincere, a design that pleases by its ingenuity and
and is neither morbid nor extravagant. Close study attracts by its refinement and good taste, without
of nature gives it strength and actuality, and in laying itself open to a single objection on the score
every detail it shows sound scholarship and accurate of insufficient conviction.

knowledge. Yet its accuracy is not pedantic, and It is only necessary to look at the preliminary
no mechanical mannerism spoils its charm ot style, studies that the artist prepared to guide him in
because an exact balance has been kept between the carrying out of the actual painting to under-
realism and decorative convention. The precision stand how much care he has taken to make sure
that marks the effort of a thorough craftsman who of his facts before investing them in the atmo-
has mastered the many details of artistic practice sphere of romance that is so agreeable a feature
distinguishes it most completely; but it has, too, of the completed work. All the component parts
the fancy and delicate freshness that are to be dis- of the composition have been separately studied,
cerned only in the work of an imaginative man who and every detail has been examined apart from its
has kept his ideals clean and wholesome by con- surroundings; and upon a foundation of exact
stant reference to Nature's daintiest suggestions, knowledge, acquired by a large amount of pre-
There is nothing uncertain or experimental about liminary labour, the building up of the picture

has proceeded securely and
without any of that un-
certainty that is the penalty
of inadequate preparation.
Beyond doubt, this manner
of working has enabled Sir
James to avoid those acci-

I, Mag 'ijtj^%f dents that are almost

inevitable when an artist

{ ~ ' • enters upon an exacting

, «ff '-■ undertaking in a spirit of

light-hearted irresponsi-
bility, and trusts to chance

BHHpRmVHj t<> pull through diffi-

culties. It has kept him,
H^pO^f at all events, from any

hesitation in setting down
;x \ his true convictions, and

■ has given to his work an

''■ap^%t .' air of authority that is

JY i&L: beyond question.

His picture is, indeed,
'^St excellent as a corrective

fssf' iJpP to the warped and reckless

M' : yt indifference to sound prin-

.JHsF' |HH ciples that has gained so

great a hold upon many

^"*<u.........iiaPr of our painters. It

shows them that suavity
and elegance may be
secured without artificiality,
and that thoroughness is

' -~ """-----------.............. possible without pedantry.

study for "eoccaccio; the opening by sir james d. linton ^ is a reminder to them

scene in the decamerone " that the modern man who

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