DOI Heft:
No. 123 (June, 1903)
DOI Artikel:Mr. Herbert Draper's painted ceiling: for the Livery Hall of the Drapers' Company
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19879#0051
A Painted Ceiling
distinction, once found himself at dinner with Draper has just brought to completion for the
several ambassadors. The Salon had just been great Livery Hall of the Drapers' Company,
opened in Brussels, and the ambassadors talked though the work is not likely to stand in need of
of it and of nothing else. One large picture by a defence. Before this notice will be read in print
young man was much criticised, and Gallait was the ceiling will have been judged by a host of
invited to add his voice to the general chorus, persons, and already we hear rumours of the
"You agree with us, no doubt?'-' said one verdicts which will be passed. Some may say
ambassador. " In these questions of art," replied that the painter has pitched his scheme of colour
Gallait, "lam naturally diffident, for I know in a key too high and too light, a criticism that
too well the difficulties of painting ; but it seems fails of all significance when we remember the in-
to me, gentlemen, that the picture you are dis- different light received by a London ceiling during
cussing is full of cleverness. In it a young seven-eighths of the year, and the incessant action
fellow has thrown very well on canvas a good of the air in darkening an unprotected painting,
many figures, all life-size; and when a young man Mr. Draper has shown an able grasp of the
does that I am inclined to think that he might requirements of the work committed to him, realising
succeed in any walk of life. I should not despair that, unlike the proper treatment of a mural paint-
of him if he entered the high diplomatic service, ing, where the reality of the wall surface must be
in the hope of becoming an ambassador." preserved in appearance, in the case of a ceiling
This little story deserves to be remembered the flat surface, which does no work architecturally,
whenever a critic finds himself face to face with and is structurally unnecessary, should be lost, and
an important work by a young artist, and hence not emphasised.
it is a story that we gladly remember now in These considerations, together with the fact that
thinking of the painted ceiling that Mr. Herbert the painting, although measuring 30 ft. by 20 ft.,
MR. DRAPER AT WORK IN HIS STUDIO AT ST. IVES FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
34
distinction, once found himself at dinner with Draper has just brought to completion for the
several ambassadors. The Salon had just been great Livery Hall of the Drapers' Company,
opened in Brussels, and the ambassadors talked though the work is not likely to stand in need of
of it and of nothing else. One large picture by a defence. Before this notice will be read in print
young man was much criticised, and Gallait was the ceiling will have been judged by a host of
invited to add his voice to the general chorus, persons, and already we hear rumours of the
"You agree with us, no doubt?'-' said one verdicts which will be passed. Some may say
ambassador. " In these questions of art," replied that the painter has pitched his scheme of colour
Gallait, "lam naturally diffident, for I know in a key too high and too light, a criticism that
too well the difficulties of painting ; but it seems fails of all significance when we remember the in-
to me, gentlemen, that the picture you are dis- different light received by a London ceiling during
cussing is full of cleverness. In it a young seven-eighths of the year, and the incessant action
fellow has thrown very well on canvas a good of the air in darkening an unprotected painting,
many figures, all life-size; and when a young man Mr. Draper has shown an able grasp of the
does that I am inclined to think that he might requirements of the work committed to him, realising
succeed in any walk of life. I should not despair that, unlike the proper treatment of a mural paint-
of him if he entered the high diplomatic service, ing, where the reality of the wall surface must be
in the hope of becoming an ambassador." preserved in appearance, in the case of a ceiling
This little story deserves to be remembered the flat surface, which does no work architecturally,
whenever a critic finds himself face to face with and is structurally unnecessary, should be lost, and
an important work by a young artist, and hence not emphasised.
it is a story that we gladly remember now in These considerations, together with the fact that
thinking of the painted ceiling that Mr. Herbert the painting, although measuring 30 ft. by 20 ft.,
MR. DRAPER AT WORK IN HIS STUDIO AT ST. IVES FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
34