Studio: international art (23.1901)

Patten Wilson

upon to play the illustrator among
the enchantments of Coleridge's
poetry. That he acted the part
with considerable skill and tact
his drawings bear witness, though
someamong them provoke comment
by having unfortunate subjects.
Mr. Wilson could not expect that
his attempt to portray the "An-
cient Mariner" would do justice
to the spell of the glittering eye
that holds the reluctant wedding-
guest. And, again, what art in
illustration can put " a curse in a
dead man's eye " ? Honest criti-
cism must ask this question ; then
it may, and should, pass on to the
simple and expressive drawings,
like the one of the helmsman
steering, or that in which an old-
time church and street recall to
memory the words—

"O sweeter than the marriage-feast,
'Tis sweeter far to me,
To walk together to the kirk
With a goodly company ! "

Another illustration in the same
poem descriptive of the lines—

"I heard and in my soul discerned
Two voices in the air "—

is equally interesting, but for dif-
ferent reasons. It shows that Mr.
, .., Wilson did not venture all alone

"CHRISTABEI.— IN SILENCE PRAYETH SHE BY PATTEN WILSON

(By permission of Messrs. Longmans) into the realm of Coleridge's magic.

Indeed, the Polar Spirit's two
fellow-demons are much too mild

suggestion of the King's treacherous character, that to be entirely his own. If I mistake not, they and

unfolds itself so darkly in Shakespeare's tragedy. the stars surrounding them got into Mr. Wilson's

A few remarks have now to be made on a set of drawing from the Evangik of Carlos Schwabe.
drawings that Mr. Wilson carried out for a volume Much more might be written about these

of Coleridge's poems. This, indeed, was an enter- Coleridge illustrations, but it is time to say

prise requiring great courage, for Coleridge's peculiar a word or two about the drawings reproduced

witchery as a poet defies analysis and description, in this article. Perhaps they may be less varied

At its best it is a witchery so perfect in its own than the sum-total of Mr. Wilson's best work

way, so satisfying to those whom it transports into as a draughtsman ; but, however that may be,

the world of dreams made musical, that an attempt they are certainly varied enough to give a fair

to reproduce its like in pictorial art seems as futile notion of the range and quality of his appeal,

as a sketch-book commentary would be on Beet- not in pure line-work only, but also in wash-

hoven's sonatas. But then, a young illustrator can drawing. To their subjects, with one exception,

rarely afford to refuse offered work. Like Pompey, no reference need be made, as they speak

in " Measure for Measure," he has usually cause clearly for themselves. No doubt that admirable

enough to say, " Truly, sir, I am a poor fellow that drawing, The Unattainable, is difficult to under-

would live"—and instantly criticism is silenced, stand, but its merit as a work of fantasy in art may

So it came to pass that Mr. Wilson felt called be appreciated without reference to the meaning of

195