DOI issue:
Nr. 190 (January 1909)
DOI article:Studio-talk
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20965#0331
Studio-Talk
of Antwerp; later, in 1885, he became a pupil of
Carolus Duran in Paris. For four successive years
following his study in Paris he exhibited only
water-colours ; but this medium was entirely aban-
doned later on, and he then occupied most of his
time with portraits in oil. In his lithographs Mr.
Becker recognises fully the limitations of his
medium as well as its charms, that of a quick,
forceful expression which of necessity must go in
only for essentials. Those reproduced are but a few
of an extensive collection we saw at Mr. Baillie’s
Gallery. Mr. Becker has also done a number of
important subject pictures. One of these executed
some time ago was done for the town hall at
Colchester, the subject being the Arrival of the
Dutch Refugees in Colchester. This is perhaps Mr.
Becker’s most characteristic piece. It is admirably
composed, and painted in a strong virile manner.
A collection of contemporary water-colour draw-
ings brought together last month by Messrs. Dow-
deswell contained work so diverse in aim and
characterised by such differences of style as Mr.
W. L. Bruckman’s Croix-de- Vie and the paintings,
say, of Mr. Alfred Parsons, A.R.A. There was
characteristic work by Mr. Roger Fry and Mr. D.
S. MacColl and by the Hon. Neville Lytton.
Another kind of work, as if in a different medium,
was that by Mr. Lee Hankey. His Montreuil-sur-
Mer inclined too much to the pretty in its colour
unfortunately, but, for all that, was interesting for
its wonderfully skilful management of water-colour.
The drawings of Mr. Ernest Parton, Albert Good-
win, Mr. David Murray, R.A., and Mr. Eyre
Walker, R.W.S., gave variety to the exhibition, and
yet another note was supplied in the work of Mr.
Hughes-Stanton, and the comprehensiveness of the
At the Rowley Gallery last month
were to be seen further studies in
charcoal by Mr. H. Becker, and
pastels lively and pleasant in colour
character by Mr. H. M. Livens.
There were also some landscape
studies in charcoal by Mr. F. Mura
having a very high rank ; some
animal drawings in colour by Mr.
W. D. Adams, designed within a
convention which originated, we
believe, with Mr. William Nichol-
son, but full of many other qualities
that commend them to us, and
which are the artist’s own. The
most important feature of the exhi-
bition, however, was the series of
drawings by Mr. Frank Brangwyn,
A.R.A., many of them preparatory
work for etchings, some of them
with more force and vigour and
subtlety than he can carry over
into the etching, but all of them
representing work of the highest
order of this kind produced to-day.
Our illustration opposite is from
the wood-engraving of Winchester
Cathedral, Beaufort’s Chantrey, by
Mr. W. Herbert Durst. A student
at “ The Slade ” and of J. Paul
Laurens, Mr. Durst has with his
brother produced many beautifully
executed engravings cut upon box-
wood and finished entirely by hand.
3°8
of Antwerp; later, in 1885, he became a pupil of
Carolus Duran in Paris. For four successive years
following his study in Paris he exhibited only
water-colours ; but this medium was entirely aban-
doned later on, and he then occupied most of his
time with portraits in oil. In his lithographs Mr.
Becker recognises fully the limitations of his
medium as well as its charms, that of a quick,
forceful expression which of necessity must go in
only for essentials. Those reproduced are but a few
of an extensive collection we saw at Mr. Baillie’s
Gallery. Mr. Becker has also done a number of
important subject pictures. One of these executed
some time ago was done for the town hall at
Colchester, the subject being the Arrival of the
Dutch Refugees in Colchester. This is perhaps Mr.
Becker’s most characteristic piece. It is admirably
composed, and painted in a strong virile manner.
A collection of contemporary water-colour draw-
ings brought together last month by Messrs. Dow-
deswell contained work so diverse in aim and
characterised by such differences of style as Mr.
W. L. Bruckman’s Croix-de- Vie and the paintings,
say, of Mr. Alfred Parsons, A.R.A. There was
characteristic work by Mr. Roger Fry and Mr. D.
S. MacColl and by the Hon. Neville Lytton.
Another kind of work, as if in a different medium,
was that by Mr. Lee Hankey. His Montreuil-sur-
Mer inclined too much to the pretty in its colour
unfortunately, but, for all that, was interesting for
its wonderfully skilful management of water-colour.
The drawings of Mr. Ernest Parton, Albert Good-
win, Mr. David Murray, R.A., and Mr. Eyre
Walker, R.W.S., gave variety to the exhibition, and
yet another note was supplied in the work of Mr.
Hughes-Stanton, and the comprehensiveness of the
At the Rowley Gallery last month
were to be seen further studies in
charcoal by Mr. H. Becker, and
pastels lively and pleasant in colour
character by Mr. H. M. Livens.
There were also some landscape
studies in charcoal by Mr. F. Mura
having a very high rank ; some
animal drawings in colour by Mr.
W. D. Adams, designed within a
convention which originated, we
believe, with Mr. William Nichol-
son, but full of many other qualities
that commend them to us, and
which are the artist’s own. The
most important feature of the exhi-
bition, however, was the series of
drawings by Mr. Frank Brangwyn,
A.R.A., many of them preparatory
work for etchings, some of them
with more force and vigour and
subtlety than he can carry over
into the etching, but all of them
representing work of the highest
order of this kind produced to-day.
Our illustration opposite is from
the wood-engraving of Winchester
Cathedral, Beaufort’s Chantrey, by
Mr. W. Herbert Durst. A student
at “ The Slade ” and of J. Paul
Laurens, Mr. Durst has with his
brother produced many beautifully
executed engravings cut upon box-
wood and finished entirely by hand.
3°8