Studio: international art (31.1904)

The Work of George Henry, R.S.A.

added value of being accurate memorials of a capacity, and in an article which is intended to

%'anished phase of human existence. show in brief not only the culmination, but the

All painters who are not manufacturers have growth of his art, it seemed advisable to allot less

ideals that move them, that form the mainspring space to the consideration of his portraits than

of their art, and that exist as a stimulus to further their intrinsic power and merit deserve. It is

accomplishment. Some of Henry's artistic beliefs somewhat to be regretted, after all, that the

have been specifically touched on ; others may be demands of clients compel a painter to devote

inferred from incidental phrases in this essay. But himself to portraiture, and to sacrifice on the altar

it may be well to repeat that the first quality he of his sitters' vanity the natural desire for some

strives to achieve and maintain is sanity. The other form of artistic and personal expression,

highest Greek art was as simple and as sane as Portraiture may be the highest form of art, and a

one may wish. Rembrandt was sane, so was painter may rejoice in the display of the many

Velasquez, so was Vandyke; and Henry does not qualities that go to make up that magnificent

profess great sympathy with those manifestations achievement, a fine portrait; but it can scarcely be

of artistic activity that result in productions that a good thing for the painter to repress too much

are bizarre or grotesque. So far as brushwork is his inclination to work along other lines. It is for

concerned, he believes in directness and simplicity, this reason, and because a little excursion into

" No faking " may be said to be one of his mottoes, other fields—a little mental relaxation and manual

Spontaneity is to him one of the great things to variety—are likely to increase his powers as a

endeavour to secure : and while he does not himself portrait painter, that one expresses the hope that

attempt that slickness and sloppiness of handling (along with his portraits) Henry may continue to

that is just now fashionable, his technique is free paint his gracious, tender, and decorative har-

and vigorous — altogether assured and masterly. monies, and that he may find time to realise now

The direct and accomplished work of Raeburn some of the dreams of his earlier days. He is at

seems to him as fine, as complete, and as satisfy- present painting portraits of very high quality, and

ing as portrait-painting can be, and, if he consciously he enjoys the full exercise of this side of his artistic

follows any painter of bygone days, Raeburn is capacity; but one does not therefore forget that

his leader. there were pictures that he conceived and attempted

Another point to be noted in his work is the in byegone years that he was not able to bring-to

value he attaches to outline. He fails to see why completion. Earlier in his career he dreamed

this should be one of the essential features of enthusiastic dreams of pictures that he could not

sculpture, and be ignored in the sister art; and with then compass ; pictures that he was not at that time

this use of severe outline he combines at times capable of putting on canvas, however keenly he felt

great skill in the employment of large masses of therrij however clearly he saw them. Now, in the

colour. Good tone is to be found through all his zenith of h;s powers, he could carry these romantic

work : one never sees a picture by Henry (whether conceptions to completion, could satisfy himself

its colour scheme is entirely quiet, or whether it is and delight his admirers, and one looks to him

relieved by jewel-like touches of colour) that is out some day to do so Landscapes of sumptuous

of tone. Flat spaces, clearly defined, are also beauty, of jewel-like radiance ; imaginative subjects

features of his portraiture; and he favours simple, of deep import and SOmbre power—the memory of

empty, atmospheric backgrounds — frankly and these dreams 0f the past still remains with the

skilfully making a picture of the sitter, without the artist May he find time and strength to realise

help (or the hindrance) of accessories of any kind. them for our gratification and enjoyment !
The slight relief afforded by a well-designed and Percy Byte

faintly indicated inscription identifying the sitter is _

ample in Henry's hands to avoid any suggestion of

vacuity or monotony in the background of a In continuance of the Exhibition of Fine Art

portrait, and such backgrounds are a welcome relief Engraving, held in the Victoria and Albert Museum,

to the studio properties or the conventional furniture South Kensington, during the summer of 1903, it is

that are so widely employed for this purpose. proposed by the Board of Education in co-operation

Just at present portraiture looms large in the sum with the Council of the Society of Arts, to hold, in the

of Henry 's work, and this phase of his power has course of the present year, an exhibition of engravings

perhaps been rather too slightly treated in this produced by mechanical means, such as photogravure

essay. But in the case of a painter of such varied and other processes, including printing in colours.