DOI Artikel:
Baldry, A. L.: The members of the society
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27085#0041
THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY
Fielding and De Wint, however, were not only life-long supporters
of the Society, but also instrumental in no small degree in establishing
its claim to be regarded as the chief centre of the British water-
colour school. Both were craftsmen of superlative skill, and both
studied and recorded nature with exquisite sensitiveness. Fielding
was, perhaps, the greater of the two as a painter of atmospheric
effects, but he scarcely equalled De Wint in breadth and expressive-
ness of brushwork and in masculine individuality of manner. They
both had practically the same training, for they were much influenced
bv John Varley, who gave them many useful hints, though they
were not actually his pupils, and they were both admitted to the
class of young painters who met at the house of Dr. Monro.
Fielding, however, unlike De Wint, who was the son of a physician,
had the advantage of being brought up among artistic surroundings ;
his father was a successful painter, who allowed his four sons to
follow the same profession.
Another famous name appears for the first time in 1812, when David
Cox was elected with Luke Clennell and Charles Barber. Clennell,
who had been trained by Bewick as a wood engraver, was a water-
colourist of more than ordinary power, but his career ended by the
failure of his mind when he was only thirty-six, and Barber’s connec-
tion with the Society ceased shortly after his election ; so that neither
of them call for more than passing mention. But Cox continued to
contribute largely to its exhibitions until his death forty-seven years
later ; during this long period his reputation steadily advanced, and
his place at the very head of a school which had won its way to
unquestioned eminence was at last universally acknowledged. He
fully deserved the recognition which came to him in the later years
of his laborious life ; few men have striven so consistently and with
such firmness of purpose to realise a worthy ambition, and few have
combined so happily acuteness of observation and sympathetic under-
standing of nature with delightful mastery over executive details.
It can certainly be accounted a fortunate circumstance that of these
three great artists Fielding and Cox, with others like Glover,
Barret, Cristall, Nicholson, and the Varleys, should have remained
faithful to the Society during the crisis which overtook it at the end
of 1812. Nearly half the total number of members and associate
exhibitors seceded then, some of them permanently, others like De
Wint to return at a later date. But other artists who had not pre-
viously belonged to the association showed themselves not unwilling
to attach themselves to the distinguished group by which its tradi-
tions were being upheld, and to help in carrying on a movement
m xxix
Fielding and De Wint, however, were not only life-long supporters
of the Society, but also instrumental in no small degree in establishing
its claim to be regarded as the chief centre of the British water-
colour school. Both were craftsmen of superlative skill, and both
studied and recorded nature with exquisite sensitiveness. Fielding
was, perhaps, the greater of the two as a painter of atmospheric
effects, but he scarcely equalled De Wint in breadth and expressive-
ness of brushwork and in masculine individuality of manner. They
both had practically the same training, for they were much influenced
bv John Varley, who gave them many useful hints, though they
were not actually his pupils, and they were both admitted to the
class of young painters who met at the house of Dr. Monro.
Fielding, however, unlike De Wint, who was the son of a physician,
had the advantage of being brought up among artistic surroundings ;
his father was a successful painter, who allowed his four sons to
follow the same profession.
Another famous name appears for the first time in 1812, when David
Cox was elected with Luke Clennell and Charles Barber. Clennell,
who had been trained by Bewick as a wood engraver, was a water-
colourist of more than ordinary power, but his career ended by the
failure of his mind when he was only thirty-six, and Barber’s connec-
tion with the Society ceased shortly after his election ; so that neither
of them call for more than passing mention. But Cox continued to
contribute largely to its exhibitions until his death forty-seven years
later ; during this long period his reputation steadily advanced, and
his place at the very head of a school which had won its way to
unquestioned eminence was at last universally acknowledged. He
fully deserved the recognition which came to him in the later years
of his laborious life ; few men have striven so consistently and with
such firmness of purpose to realise a worthy ambition, and few have
combined so happily acuteness of observation and sympathetic under-
standing of nature with delightful mastery over executive details.
It can certainly be accounted a fortunate circumstance that of these
three great artists Fielding and Cox, with others like Glover,
Barret, Cristall, Nicholson, and the Varleys, should have remained
faithful to the Society during the crisis which overtook it at the end
of 1812. Nearly half the total number of members and associate
exhibitors seceded then, some of them permanently, others like De
Wint to return at a later date. But other artists who had not pre-
viously belonged to the association showed themselves not unwilling
to attach themselves to the distinguished group by which its tradi-
tions were being upheld, and to help in carrying on a movement
m xxix