DOI Heft:
No. 131 (February, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Bate, Percy: The work of George Henry, R. S. A.: a review and an appreciation
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0027
The JVork of George Henry, R.S.A.
produces' ^ results ' 'quite ^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^ ^jj'*^ _ -• ^ ^ ^
Hornel to Japan was -"•^jjL ^^ft. ?■ \ : Ta
to confirm and strengthen • | *
the latter in the use "^ x '
of a full palette of vivid ' \ % L
colours, used as a mosaic, ' - ^* BF*
and to superimpose on Hafefc, \ >fc T\
the Scottish painter quite Mm^
the Japanese outlook— ~\'- ^^F^W
the conception of a picture •' ^^IHW^V^,
as a work on one plane, ^^"T s ^ '
perspective and atmo- "' ** w""-^
sphere being relegated to ' ,^LXJp" #t
the position of non-existent ilk'^^Bf ' ^Iki
pictorial qualities. With , , ''^HF
Henry, as has been said, ><^-**_,-'-- - A, |r
the result has been quite ^ftln
different. He found him-
self in sympathy with all
the delicacy of Japanese \a
art : all the charm of
tender colour that is to
be seen in the best of its
paintings; all the delight-
ful use of pattern, all the "the samisen player" by george henry, r.s.a.
wonderful simplicity of
motive; and these elements
became permanent constituents of his own art. artificial and symbolic ceremonial that pervades the
But he never ceased to look upon life with the whole of life, and where refinement is the keynote
eyes of the Occidental; and when he paints Western of the highest form of existence. This was Japan
subjects he renders them (so far as their main when Henry was there—how long this will be
characteristics are concerned) as any other Japan, who can say? At any rate, The Samisen
European painter might do who was similarly Player, The Mousme, The Salutation, The
equipped. So, when Japanese subjects are the Japanese Baby, Afternoon Tea, and all the
motives of his drawings, he shows us Japan as he other fine water-colours that owe their in-
himself saw it, not as the native artist convention- spiration, their sober charm, and their delicate
alises it. To him it is a land where the people are execution, to Japan, are true records of a life
quaintly graceful, where they go clad in all the that is passing; and it may chance that in
bravery of sweet and delicately tinted fabrics, years to come they will have, in addition
where the culture of centuries has resulted in an to their high artistic and resthetic merits, the
produces' ^ results ' 'quite ^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^ ^jj'*^ _ -• ^ ^ ^
Hornel to Japan was -"•^jjL ^^ft. ?■ \ : Ta
to confirm and strengthen • | *
the latter in the use "^ x '
of a full palette of vivid ' \ % L
colours, used as a mosaic, ' - ^* BF*
and to superimpose on Hafefc, \ >fc T\
the Scottish painter quite Mm^
the Japanese outlook— ~\'- ^^F^W
the conception of a picture •' ^^IHW^V^,
as a work on one plane, ^^"T s ^ '
perspective and atmo- "' ** w""-^
sphere being relegated to ' ,^LXJp" #t
the position of non-existent ilk'^^Bf ' ^Iki
pictorial qualities. With , , ''^HF
Henry, as has been said, ><^-**_,-'-- - A, |r
the result has been quite ^ftln
different. He found him-
self in sympathy with all
the delicacy of Japanese \a
art : all the charm of
tender colour that is to
be seen in the best of its
paintings; all the delight-
ful use of pattern, all the "the samisen player" by george henry, r.s.a.
wonderful simplicity of
motive; and these elements
became permanent constituents of his own art. artificial and symbolic ceremonial that pervades the
But he never ceased to look upon life with the whole of life, and where refinement is the keynote
eyes of the Occidental; and when he paints Western of the highest form of existence. This was Japan
subjects he renders them (so far as their main when Henry was there—how long this will be
characteristics are concerned) as any other Japan, who can say? At any rate, The Samisen
European painter might do who was similarly Player, The Mousme, The Salutation, The
equipped. So, when Japanese subjects are the Japanese Baby, Afternoon Tea, and all the
motives of his drawings, he shows us Japan as he other fine water-colours that owe their in-
himself saw it, not as the native artist convention- spiration, their sober charm, and their delicate
alises it. To him it is a land where the people are execution, to Japan, are true records of a life
quaintly graceful, where they go clad in all the that is passing; and it may chance that in
bravery of sweet and delicately tinted fabrics, years to come they will have, in addition
where the culture of centuries has resulted in an to their high artistic and resthetic merits, the