DOI article:
West, W. K.: The work of F. Derwent Wood
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0319
F. Derwent JVood
Kimberley ; and of Sir Blundell Maple, for Univer- sistent aesthetic intention. Undoubtedly he has in
sity College Hospital ; and his delightful medallion this succession of productions been guided by
portrait in low relief of Sir Joshua Reynolds, which eminently individual preferences, and has sought
forms part of the memorial recently erected in for qualities of design and accomplishment which
Plympton parish church to the famous painter, who would satisfy his own particular tastes,
was born in the schoolhouse beside the church in There is one group of works—the four niche
which he is now commemorated. Then there is, figures for Shipley Hall, and the bronze fountain
in addition, a considerable array of portrait busts, for Wixton Hall—which has certain interesting and
among which those of Mr. Harrison Townsend, Signor well marked characteristics that suggest significantly
Arturo Steffani, and Mr. Robert Brough deserve to be his tendencies as a decorator. It is possible, of
specially noted. And there is a long succession of course, that these figures represent but a passing
statues, reliefs, and statuettes, like his Ophelia, Cupid phase of his art, and that the style chosen for them
and Psyche, Leda, St. George, and the mural monu- is not necessarily one to which Mr. Derwent Wood
ment which has for its motive, Love and Life, Sacred proposes to adhere, but they are not on that
and Profane, in all of which can be perceived the account less deserving of attention. They reveal
purposeful and intelligent working out of a vtry con- the closest study of French decorative sculpture at
its most suave and elegant
period, and they are in-
spired obviously by the
performances of those
artists who brought into
their work in bronze or
Vf: marble the same spirit
which made fascinating the
pictures of Boucher and
■ <mmm jgtmStk his contemporaries. Yet
'■**"■. V"'. in the elegance of line
and the studied grace of
pose and movement which
characterise these personi-
" . " fications of Venus, Diana,
Ceres, and Juno, there is
more than simple imitation
of the productions of the
^ ■Jf '" earlier French decorative
^Bf< ^J|| school. Their suavity is
^^IIH^HJBhj*£^BHH not mere convention.
Ha. \^0t0H^W. and is not Grained by the
sacrifice of those qualities
of design and handling
which come from correct
HJHjHlM* understanding of nature.
They lack no essentials of
' iHftl»iiHiiiMiirtHBf sound construction and
firm modelling, and there
is a due measure of modern
realism in their interpreta-
tion of a traditional style.
That Mr. Derwent Wood
has learned much from his
French predecessors is
v ^^SS^wwbwbphhhhpbhh*^ evident enough, but not
less clearly ean it be seen
bust of cecii. Rhodes by f. derwent wood that he has the good
302
Kimberley ; and of Sir Blundell Maple, for Univer- sistent aesthetic intention. Undoubtedly he has in
sity College Hospital ; and his delightful medallion this succession of productions been guided by
portrait in low relief of Sir Joshua Reynolds, which eminently individual preferences, and has sought
forms part of the memorial recently erected in for qualities of design and accomplishment which
Plympton parish church to the famous painter, who would satisfy his own particular tastes,
was born in the schoolhouse beside the church in There is one group of works—the four niche
which he is now commemorated. Then there is, figures for Shipley Hall, and the bronze fountain
in addition, a considerable array of portrait busts, for Wixton Hall—which has certain interesting and
among which those of Mr. Harrison Townsend, Signor well marked characteristics that suggest significantly
Arturo Steffani, and Mr. Robert Brough deserve to be his tendencies as a decorator. It is possible, of
specially noted. And there is a long succession of course, that these figures represent but a passing
statues, reliefs, and statuettes, like his Ophelia, Cupid phase of his art, and that the style chosen for them
and Psyche, Leda, St. George, and the mural monu- is not necessarily one to which Mr. Derwent Wood
ment which has for its motive, Love and Life, Sacred proposes to adhere, but they are not on that
and Profane, in all of which can be perceived the account less deserving of attention. They reveal
purposeful and intelligent working out of a vtry con- the closest study of French decorative sculpture at
its most suave and elegant
period, and they are in-
spired obviously by the
performances of those
artists who brought into
their work in bronze or
Vf: marble the same spirit
which made fascinating the
pictures of Boucher and
■ <mmm jgtmStk his contemporaries. Yet
'■**"■. V"'. in the elegance of line
and the studied grace of
pose and movement which
characterise these personi-
" . " fications of Venus, Diana,
Ceres, and Juno, there is
more than simple imitation
of the productions of the
^ ■Jf '" earlier French decorative
^Bf< ^J|| school. Their suavity is
^^IIH^HJBhj*£^BHH not mere convention.
Ha. \^0t0H^W. and is not Grained by the
sacrifice of those qualities
of design and handling
which come from correct
HJHjHlM* understanding of nature.
They lack no essentials of
' iHftl»iiHiiiMiirtHBf sound construction and
firm modelling, and there
is a due measure of modern
realism in their interpreta-
tion of a traditional style.
That Mr. Derwent Wood
has learned much from his
French predecessors is
v ^^SS^wwbwbphhhhpbhh*^ evident enough, but not
less clearly ean it be seen
bust of cecii. Rhodes by f. derwent wood that he has the good
302