DOI Heft:
No. 199 (October, 1909)
DOI Artikel:Dawson, R. A.: An illustrator of Celtic romance: John P. Campbell
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20968#0061
An Illustrator of Celtic Romance: John P. Campbeh
He believes that, commencing with an uncertain
latent feeling within him seeking expression, he is
only now beginning to find himself, and in the
work he has now in progress for various publica-
tions, to express himself with conscious power,
with wider experience, and with still better results.
Some of Mr. Campbell's earlier illustrations
appeared in the Irish Text Publications of the
Gaelic League; but these belong to the period
when the artist was feeling his way. In " Uladh,"
a too short-lived quarterly published in 1904, his
work is more consciously powerful; it exhibits
better drawing and brings out those definite
characteristics of style which he has made his own.
There is a distinct advance to be noted in the
"Queen's College Supplement," also in the twelve
illustrated pages of the " Calendar of the Saints,"
and in the frontispiece of "The Shanachie," 1906,
all of which followed the examples in " Uladh."
In " Freamacha na h'Eireann," another Irish Text
consisting of a collection of old romances, we still
perceive maturer work. In Ri Soladh (King
Soladh) and in Dun Angus in Aron, both of which
are here illustrated (opposite and p. 42), the style
has become more settled ; everything is carefully-
weighed and considered. The evident intention
has been to obtain the utmost possible artistic
effect from the use of a few simple tones well
balanced and arranged. The tones are — solid
black, pure white, and a limited number of inter-
mediate greys of various textures produced by
the line treatment.
About the same period Messrs. Maunsel, of
Dublin, published the " Four Irish Songs," by C.
Milligan Fox, and it is by permission of Mrs. Fox
that three of its pages are here reproduced on a
somewhat reduced scale. Of these three, My Sing-
ing Bird (p. 37) presents a more modern theme,,
and is remarkable as a piece of expression in prac-
tically three simple tones. In the Antrim Glen
Song reproduced on p. 41 (top), and The Connacht
Caoine, or Lament for the Dead (reproduced on the
same page), the artist is at home among the old
Celtic people. He declares a better feeling for
composition, though perhaps a little less concealed
than in his latest work, and he shows us the possi-
bilities of a moving procession of figures of which
he has made such good use.
"FERGUS SPEAKS HIS WORDS OF ANGER TO MAEV " (ILLUSTRATION TO "THE TAIN "j
BY JOHN T. CAMPBELL
39
He believes that, commencing with an uncertain
latent feeling within him seeking expression, he is
only now beginning to find himself, and in the
work he has now in progress for various publica-
tions, to express himself with conscious power,
with wider experience, and with still better results.
Some of Mr. Campbell's earlier illustrations
appeared in the Irish Text Publications of the
Gaelic League; but these belong to the period
when the artist was feeling his way. In " Uladh,"
a too short-lived quarterly published in 1904, his
work is more consciously powerful; it exhibits
better drawing and brings out those definite
characteristics of style which he has made his own.
There is a distinct advance to be noted in the
"Queen's College Supplement," also in the twelve
illustrated pages of the " Calendar of the Saints,"
and in the frontispiece of "The Shanachie," 1906,
all of which followed the examples in " Uladh."
In " Freamacha na h'Eireann," another Irish Text
consisting of a collection of old romances, we still
perceive maturer work. In Ri Soladh (King
Soladh) and in Dun Angus in Aron, both of which
are here illustrated (opposite and p. 42), the style
has become more settled ; everything is carefully-
weighed and considered. The evident intention
has been to obtain the utmost possible artistic
effect from the use of a few simple tones well
balanced and arranged. The tones are — solid
black, pure white, and a limited number of inter-
mediate greys of various textures produced by
the line treatment.
About the same period Messrs. Maunsel, of
Dublin, published the " Four Irish Songs," by C.
Milligan Fox, and it is by permission of Mrs. Fox
that three of its pages are here reproduced on a
somewhat reduced scale. Of these three, My Sing-
ing Bird (p. 37) presents a more modern theme,,
and is remarkable as a piece of expression in prac-
tically three simple tones. In the Antrim Glen
Song reproduced on p. 41 (top), and The Connacht
Caoine, or Lament for the Dead (reproduced on the
same page), the artist is at home among the old
Celtic people. He declares a better feeling for
composition, though perhaps a little less concealed
than in his latest work, and he shows us the possi-
bilities of a moving procession of figures of which
he has made such good use.
"FERGUS SPEAKS HIS WORDS OF ANGER TO MAEV " (ILLUSTRATION TO "THE TAIN "j
BY JOHN T. CAMPBELL
39