DOI Heft:
No. 137 (August, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Bate, Percy H.: Joseph Crawhall, master draughtsman
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19882#0248
Joseph Crawhall
every touch is vital, not one is superfluous; the delights, the humours of humanity are often evi-
brushwork is full of the most artistic quality ; dent in his works, and (not to speak of the quaint
every line tells, and the horse lives, breathes, caricatures of certain of his artist friends which are
and moves before us. In this, as in others treasured by their possessors) one finds in drawings
of Crawhall's more complete works, one is such as these, in addition to the qualities of vitality,
able to see that he concerns himself at times of humour, and of design, remarkable power of
with atmosphere and sunlight, as well as with selection.
contour and movement; and that he possesses the Space forbids any further description or any
instinct of the colourist, as well as the power of the further analysis of Crawhall's work, and in so short
draughtsman. The excellence of his colour is, an article it is perhaps hardly possible to impart to
indeed, one of the features of his work, ranging as the reader the impression of power that the draw-
it does from the brilliance of the cockatoos in The ings themselves convey to those who know them ;
Aviary, Clifton, to the subtly graded dim blues and but the main qualities and characteristics of his
deep blacks of The Jackdaw—sober hues, which con- drawings have been spoken of, and some attempt
trast finely with the exquisitely placed brilliance of has been made to show how really unique they are.
the eye in the peacock's feather carried by the sable That this artist's work has its limitations is obvious ;
bird. And in The Piebald the beautifully indicated that there are many of the functions of art that he
glimpse of blue sea in the distance and the freshly never considers is, of course, a truism ; but that
suggested grass by the roadside are charming in the painter of The Piebald absolutely succeeds in
colour, sunny and sweet; and, instead of distract- all he endeavours to compass is an undeniable fact,
ing attention in any way from the main theme of the Crawhall has powers that are unsurpassed in their
work, they rather help to accentuate by their clarity way; his unrivalled mastery of the brush, his won-
the impression of vitality and atmosphere that the derful economy of means, his complete knowledge
whole drawing conveys. of animal structure—a knowledge happily allied to
But it is not only in animal life that Crawhall an unerring manual dexterity and an unapproach-
Is
"DRY HUMOUR IN AN ENGLISH RAILWAY CARRIAGE" FROM A SKETCH BY PAUL RENOUARD
(See article, " Some Skecches hy Paul Renouard.")
224
every touch is vital, not one is superfluous; the delights, the humours of humanity are often evi-
brushwork is full of the most artistic quality ; dent in his works, and (not to speak of the quaint
every line tells, and the horse lives, breathes, caricatures of certain of his artist friends which are
and moves before us. In this, as in others treasured by their possessors) one finds in drawings
of Crawhall's more complete works, one is such as these, in addition to the qualities of vitality,
able to see that he concerns himself at times of humour, and of design, remarkable power of
with atmosphere and sunlight, as well as with selection.
contour and movement; and that he possesses the Space forbids any further description or any
instinct of the colourist, as well as the power of the further analysis of Crawhall's work, and in so short
draughtsman. The excellence of his colour is, an article it is perhaps hardly possible to impart to
indeed, one of the features of his work, ranging as the reader the impression of power that the draw-
it does from the brilliance of the cockatoos in The ings themselves convey to those who know them ;
Aviary, Clifton, to the subtly graded dim blues and but the main qualities and characteristics of his
deep blacks of The Jackdaw—sober hues, which con- drawings have been spoken of, and some attempt
trast finely with the exquisitely placed brilliance of has been made to show how really unique they are.
the eye in the peacock's feather carried by the sable That this artist's work has its limitations is obvious ;
bird. And in The Piebald the beautifully indicated that there are many of the functions of art that he
glimpse of blue sea in the distance and the freshly never considers is, of course, a truism ; but that
suggested grass by the roadside are charming in the painter of The Piebald absolutely succeeds in
colour, sunny and sweet; and, instead of distract- all he endeavours to compass is an undeniable fact,
ing attention in any way from the main theme of the Crawhall has powers that are unsurpassed in their
work, they rather help to accentuate by their clarity way; his unrivalled mastery of the brush, his won-
the impression of vitality and atmosphere that the derful economy of means, his complete knowledge
whole drawing conveys. of animal structure—a knowledge happily allied to
But it is not only in animal life that Crawhall an unerring manual dexterity and an unapproach-
Is
"DRY HUMOUR IN AN ENGLISH RAILWAY CARRIAGE" FROM A SKETCH BY PAUL RENOUARD
(See article, " Some Skecches hy Paul Renouard.")
224