Studio: international art (21.1901)

Ralph Peacock and his Work

• AT A CITY S GATE BY RALPH PEACOCK

1893. For the rest, Mr. Peacock visited Perugia, Peacock has not incurred. In some other respects,

Sienna, Rome, Naples, and several other places, no doubt, his picture may be criticised. The

spending about five months in Italy. donkey, for instance, looks too slim to bear the

The happy results of his busy holiday soon weight of Sancho, and one cannot but wonder where

became evident when Mr. Peacock returned home the flies have gone, so peaceful are Rosinante and

to England and settled down to studio-work in the ass after their day's journey through the heat.

London. At the Royal Academy of 1893, in Three later subject - pictures, Bunny, The

addition to the picture of Oxen Ploughing, he Sisters, and the graceful and fanciful painting

exhibited a humorous piece, showing an Arab entitled Die Falsche, reproduced in colours,

in heated argument with a negro, who, with a may be studied in this article. The style in

comical seriousness of manner, quotes from the each one has matured — has become, indeed,

Koran: "Verily man is created very impatient; a true painter's style, ceasing to be that of a

when anger moveth him he is full of complaint." clever student fresh from the schools. Bunny

The fun in this scene is real comedy, and the —a picture seen last year at the Royal Academy—

handling has some of the fresh vigour of a good represents a little country girl seated in a wood

sketch made rapidly out-of-doors. under a tree. Her dress is purple-grey, and there

The following year, in 1894, the artist's principal are purple flowers in her hair. The background,

picture at the Academy was Don Quixote and dotted with patches of green moss, is a scheme of

Sancho Tansa, an illustration of which is given autumn-looking tones, very warm and quite har-

011 page 3. The Knight and his Squire have monious. It is an attractive picture, good in

just come forth from a sombre wood of purple colour, tenderly quaint in sentiment, and very well

pine trees. It is evening, and far away to the left, painted. It now belongs to the Perth Gallery in

beyond the wood, the hills are touched with a West Australia. As for The Sisters, the general

glint of orange-red sunset. Sancho is overcome effect of its colour-scheme is indescribable. The

by the day's adventures, while Quixote declaims dresses are in shades of grey, the background is a

with a sort of heroic pathos. deep, mahogany brown—a colour that contrasts

It will be noted that this conception of Don admirably both with the English delicacies of the

Quixote is a noble one; there is nothing ridiculous flesh tones, and also with the golden hair of the

about it; and this applies to very few pictures of younger sister, and the rich brown hair of the elder.

" the errant Star of Knighthood." Charles Lamb There is, if I mistake not, in the beauty of this

says: " The artist that pictures Quixote (and it is work a trace of sweetness similar to that which

m this degrading point that he is every season held impairs the elder Dumas' gallant character-study of

up at our Exhibitions) in the shallow hope of excit- his favourite heroine, Louise de la Valliere, but,

ing mirth, would have joined the rabble at the however this may be, The Sisters, considered as a

heels of his starved steed." This reproach Mr. whole, is among the most successful and pleasing