DOI Heft:
No. 178 (January, 1908)
DOI Artikel:Newbolt, Frank: The etchings of Mr. Fred. V. Burridge, R.E.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20776#0315
F. V. Burridge, R.E.
;.;-T';v" 'f. syj^K* ^J,:S~-
I
Mr. Burridge, then, is a safe man to admire : he
has received an excellent training under, the best
master, he knows the various processes as only a
teacher can know them, and he has long passed the
probationary period of his career, although the
total number of his plates does not exceed about
fifty. He has done some delicate dry-points and
etchings of figure subjects, but the nine proofs of
landscape subjects which we are able to reproduce
are more characteristic and amongst his best, and
show by what paths, at present at any rate, his
genius is leading him. It is, perhaps, useless to
refer to other plates which are not shown, but his
Lancaster, a fine landscape of the same type as
Harlech, is already known to readers of The
Studio ; and Traeth Bach ought not to be omitted
in any mention of this artist's work. Amongst the
illustrations the proof of A Spring Afternoon, to
which allusion has already been made, was printed
by the etcher. The plate is very small, only five
inches by three and a half, but in my opinion it
exhibits great qualities often found wanting in
large plates of better known men. The treatment
is original, the means used are economical, and
the atmospheric effect, which is given by lines and
not ink-tones, is successful beyond the ordinary.
The lines on the windmill are of very great
delicacy, and where there is foul-biting it seems
intentional. Very different are The Pride of
North Devon and Wisht Weather, which are large,
elaborate, and carefully thought out. Bideford is
the origin of both. The most striking thing about
them is their atmospheric effect and the treatment
of the sky. I do not know any other etcher who
has devoted such serious attention to this difficult
problem of the sky. Harlech has a thunderstorm
and a rainbow in it: a study near Appledore is
well described as Thunder Weather, and a similar
one near Morecambe Bay may also be recalled by
those who make an annual pilgrimage to Pall Mall.
Harlech is technically a very good plate, as
indeed they all are, but apart from that it forms a
romantic and beautiful picture which is not open
to the criticism so often heard that it does not
281
;.;-T';v" 'f. syj^K* ^J,:S~-
I
Mr. Burridge, then, is a safe man to admire : he
has received an excellent training under, the best
master, he knows the various processes as only a
teacher can know them, and he has long passed the
probationary period of his career, although the
total number of his plates does not exceed about
fifty. He has done some delicate dry-points and
etchings of figure subjects, but the nine proofs of
landscape subjects which we are able to reproduce
are more characteristic and amongst his best, and
show by what paths, at present at any rate, his
genius is leading him. It is, perhaps, useless to
refer to other plates which are not shown, but his
Lancaster, a fine landscape of the same type as
Harlech, is already known to readers of The
Studio ; and Traeth Bach ought not to be omitted
in any mention of this artist's work. Amongst the
illustrations the proof of A Spring Afternoon, to
which allusion has already been made, was printed
by the etcher. The plate is very small, only five
inches by three and a half, but in my opinion it
exhibits great qualities often found wanting in
large plates of better known men. The treatment
is original, the means used are economical, and
the atmospheric effect, which is given by lines and
not ink-tones, is successful beyond the ordinary.
The lines on the windmill are of very great
delicacy, and where there is foul-biting it seems
intentional. Very different are The Pride of
North Devon and Wisht Weather, which are large,
elaborate, and carefully thought out. Bideford is
the origin of both. The most striking thing about
them is their atmospheric effect and the treatment
of the sky. I do not know any other etcher who
has devoted such serious attention to this difficult
problem of the sky. Harlech has a thunderstorm
and a rainbow in it: a study near Appledore is
well described as Thunder Weather, and a similar
one near Morecambe Bay may also be recalled by
those who make an annual pilgrimage to Pall Mall.
Harlech is technically a very good plate, as
indeed they all are, but apart from that it forms a
romantic and beautiful picture which is not open
to the criticism so often heard that it does not
281