Studio: international art (31.1904)

F. R. Jackson s Lithographs

paper, unless the artist's hand has been forced. There point of the propriety of scratching the stone
would be a feeling of emptiness in the hearts of the in order to heighten the lights in the print,
disputants if the point should ever be settled, and " Amateur versus Professional," there has been
as to the greater convenience of paper there is no some talk with Mr. Jackson about it, and although
one to raise a doubt. Mr. Jackson would admit it I am told that there is precedent in the litho-
himself most likely, but nevertheless wishes it graphs of Fantin-Latour and others, and that
known that he teaches lithography only and that necessity invented this way of treating the stone,
his drawings are all on stone. The itinerant land- I am still of opinion that the less seen of these
scape lithographers who prefer paper probably out- scratches the better. Why, in fact, give them that
number the others by far, but Mr. Jackson is name at all if they are not to be reprobated ?
without their experience of the inconvenience of Where it cannot be detected—this white lining
stone, and when doing a portrait can either bring —we are not concerned with it, of course ; but where
it to the sitter or receive that sitter at home. there are tone-making lines serving no other pur-

Now to speak of the illustrations. There is pose, then surely they ought to contribute in a
little reminiscence of any School in the subordinate, rhythmical way.

drawings here reproduced. In a lithograph we The point is that nothing ever so little clis-
have a drawing which can be multiplied with less trading should be permitted in art, and while in
loss of its quality than would be the case with the Study there is nothing of the kind visible,
another process, and therefore the Study of Flowers yet in the Tester, where the object is to throw
is to be valued hardly
less than an original
drawing.

In the Study (reproduced
on page 138) we have the
true lithographer's draw-
ng, not one which could
have been done upon
paper—at any rate, natur-
ally. The studies—from
models, presumably — of
Chicot the Jester, and the
Buccaneer give additional
proof of unmistakable talent
for character-seizing. Here
we have portraiture and
here we have lithography,
with the touch of the
artist, in the true sense,
plainly visible. Neither in
art nor Nature would it be
easy to find anything with
more grace in it than in the
recent portrait of Mrs.
Rigden. Other lithographs
in hand which will be
finished before this goes
to press are portraits of
W- S. Marchant, Esq.,
Madame Blanche Marchesi,
and Mrs. Cavendish
Bentinck.

In conclusion, I wish to
say a few words with
reference to the debated "a buccaneer" from a lithograph by f. e. jackson

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