DOI Heft:
No. 130 (January, 1904)
DOI Artikel:West, W. K.: Recent works by Mr. Reynolds-Stephens
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0313
Recent Works by IV. Reynolds-Stephens
the greatest of the Old Masters unhesitatingly sub-
scribed. In his desire for wider opportunities, in
his resolve to do anything and everything that
comes in his way, Mr. Reynolds-Stephens is helping
to clear away a misconception which has checked
the progress of artistic thought, and he is doing
much to restore the purer beliefs which some cen-
turies ago, made art so powerful an influence in
national life.
The convictions he holds would, however, be
more or less ineffective if he had not the power to
impress them upon others. Opportunities would be
of little use to him unless he could convert them
into achievements. The secret of his success is to
be found in his efficiency, in his command—ac-
quired by strenuous and earnest practice—over the
resources of his craft. To have noble theories and
great ideas, but to be unable to put them into
shape for want of skill of hand, would seem to him
the worst kind of incapacity; for to fumble with
creations that were intended to be masterpieces
would be to introduce a touch of the ridiculous into
a serious situation. It can assuredly be claimed
for him that he never spoils his points by glossing
over defects which have come from imperfections
in his knowledge. Whatever he attempts he carries
detail of picture-rod and by w. reynolds- „„t ,„;,L u.-„ t <-U j I. '11 11
„„„. „ out with his utmost strength, and he will allow
electric picture-light stephens . .
(Copyright reserved by the Designer) nothing to appear until he has satisfied himself that
it is in all things, large and small, fully up to the
last person to pretend that to achieve professional high standard against which he measures his work,
success he has had to come down from a pedestal To keep always at this standard, he has studied the
which nodevoutartist would
leave except under stress of
circumstances; he has far
too clear a perception of
artistic obligations for any
such misapprehension. On
the contrary, he would con-
tend that the occupant of
a pedestal, whose pride
compels him to go round
and round all his life in
the same narrow space, is
a wasted person, neglect-
ing chances of advancing
the influence of art which
are almost without limit.
Such a slave to a past
fashion is a kind of ana-
chronism, the product of a
false ideal, which was sub-
stituted within compara- IMBBKimmii......in.....'mi i........n'........iiiiiini i—.........mill..........iim...........n—^JB^B
tively recent times for
' . marble chimney-piece with metal moulding by w. reynolds-
the nobler creed to which and wrought-iron hood and standards Stephens
296
the greatest of the Old Masters unhesitatingly sub-
scribed. In his desire for wider opportunities, in
his resolve to do anything and everything that
comes in his way, Mr. Reynolds-Stephens is helping
to clear away a misconception which has checked
the progress of artistic thought, and he is doing
much to restore the purer beliefs which some cen-
turies ago, made art so powerful an influence in
national life.
The convictions he holds would, however, be
more or less ineffective if he had not the power to
impress them upon others. Opportunities would be
of little use to him unless he could convert them
into achievements. The secret of his success is to
be found in his efficiency, in his command—ac-
quired by strenuous and earnest practice—over the
resources of his craft. To have noble theories and
great ideas, but to be unable to put them into
shape for want of skill of hand, would seem to him
the worst kind of incapacity; for to fumble with
creations that were intended to be masterpieces
would be to introduce a touch of the ridiculous into
a serious situation. It can assuredly be claimed
for him that he never spoils his points by glossing
over defects which have come from imperfections
in his knowledge. Whatever he attempts he carries
detail of picture-rod and by w. reynolds- „„t ,„;,L u.-„ t <-U j I. '11 11
„„„. „ out with his utmost strength, and he will allow
electric picture-light stephens . .
(Copyright reserved by the Designer) nothing to appear until he has satisfied himself that
it is in all things, large and small, fully up to the
last person to pretend that to achieve professional high standard against which he measures his work,
success he has had to come down from a pedestal To keep always at this standard, he has studied the
which nodevoutartist would
leave except under stress of
circumstances; he has far
too clear a perception of
artistic obligations for any
such misapprehension. On
the contrary, he would con-
tend that the occupant of
a pedestal, whose pride
compels him to go round
and round all his life in
the same narrow space, is
a wasted person, neglect-
ing chances of advancing
the influence of art which
are almost without limit.
Such a slave to a past
fashion is a kind of ana-
chronism, the product of a
false ideal, which was sub-
stituted within compara- IMBBKimmii......in.....'mi i........n'........iiiiiini i—.........mill..........iim...........n—^JB^B
tively recent times for
' . marble chimney-piece with metal moulding by w. reynolds-
the nobler creed to which and wrought-iron hood and standards Stephens
296