DOI Heft:
Nr. 207 (June 1910)
DOI Artikel:Manson, James Bolivar: The paintings of Mr. William Rothenstein
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20970#0064
My. William Rothenstein s Paintings
himself, which has found a home in the Metro-
politan Museum, New York, were painted in 1898.
In 1899 was painted The Doll’s House,
which was awarded a medal in Paris. This fine
picture owed its inspiration to the emotion aroused
by the contemplation of a striking physical pheno-
menon. The remarkably romantic effect of light
and shade is the essence of the picture. The
figures add to its mystery, as also they supply a
subtly dramatic note ; but their introduction was
primarily to provide a point of concentration.
From The Dolls House of 1899 to the Carrying
the Law of 1907, is a period of remarkable artis-
tic and intellectual development. The poetry
of the former picture was poetry inspired by
a unique moment when in the gathering gloom
the simple interior had become full of mysterious
and beautiful shadows. In the latter picture, the
emotion excited by the
physical aspect of the scene
is dominated by an emotion
engendered by deeper and
more elemental forces. This
picture shows the artist’s
unfailing instinct for dis-
covering and expressing the
essential qualities of his sub-
ject, the fundamental forces
which give it being, wherein
its whole meaning lies.
The series of Jewish paint-
ings which started in 1904
with The Talmud School,
afforded Rothenstein ample
scope for the expression of
the poetry of human life
and human endeavour,
which always appealed so
strongly to him. A Corner
of the Talmud School in the
Oldham Art Gallery, and
At the Spitalfields Syna-
gogue, in the Dublin Gallery
of Modern Art, were also
painted in 1904. The re-
markable picture, Aliens at
Prayer, now in the National
Gallery at Melbourne, was
produced in the following
year.
In 1906 was painted
Rothenstein’s great dramatic
picture, Jews Mourning in
the Synagogue, now happily
to be seen in the Tate Gallery. This work,
which was reproduced in The Studio for April,
1907, is one of the most complete pictures of
modern times. The emotion inspired by the
physical aspects of the scene is as intense as that
aroused by its intellectual qualities. It is painted
with great power and simplicity, and considered
simply as a painting of character it is admirable.
It is a great achievement, and great not so much
because of its masterly technical qualities as be-
cause of its intense sincerity, of its insight into
the elements which constitute its subject.
The portraits painted during these years unfor-
tunately cannot, owing to lack of space, be treated
of in detail, They include the portrait of Dr.
Furnivall, in Trinity Hall, Cambridge; Herr and
Frau von Kekuli, R. Salaman, Francis Darwin,
in the Laboratory, Cambridge; Dr. Walker, in
“l’abbaye de ST. seine” by william rothenstein
42
himself, which has found a home in the Metro-
politan Museum, New York, were painted in 1898.
In 1899 was painted The Doll’s House,
which was awarded a medal in Paris. This fine
picture owed its inspiration to the emotion aroused
by the contemplation of a striking physical pheno-
menon. The remarkably romantic effect of light
and shade is the essence of the picture. The
figures add to its mystery, as also they supply a
subtly dramatic note ; but their introduction was
primarily to provide a point of concentration.
From The Dolls House of 1899 to the Carrying
the Law of 1907, is a period of remarkable artis-
tic and intellectual development. The poetry
of the former picture was poetry inspired by
a unique moment when in the gathering gloom
the simple interior had become full of mysterious
and beautiful shadows. In the latter picture, the
emotion excited by the
physical aspect of the scene
is dominated by an emotion
engendered by deeper and
more elemental forces. This
picture shows the artist’s
unfailing instinct for dis-
covering and expressing the
essential qualities of his sub-
ject, the fundamental forces
which give it being, wherein
its whole meaning lies.
The series of Jewish paint-
ings which started in 1904
with The Talmud School,
afforded Rothenstein ample
scope for the expression of
the poetry of human life
and human endeavour,
which always appealed so
strongly to him. A Corner
of the Talmud School in the
Oldham Art Gallery, and
At the Spitalfields Syna-
gogue, in the Dublin Gallery
of Modern Art, were also
painted in 1904. The re-
markable picture, Aliens at
Prayer, now in the National
Gallery at Melbourne, was
produced in the following
year.
In 1906 was painted
Rothenstein’s great dramatic
picture, Jews Mourning in
the Synagogue, now happily
to be seen in the Tate Gallery. This work,
which was reproduced in The Studio for April,
1907, is one of the most complete pictures of
modern times. The emotion inspired by the
physical aspects of the scene is as intense as that
aroused by its intellectual qualities. It is painted
with great power and simplicity, and considered
simply as a painting of character it is admirable.
It is a great achievement, and great not so much
because of its masterly technical qualities as be-
cause of its intense sincerity, of its insight into
the elements which constitute its subject.
The portraits painted during these years unfor-
tunately cannot, owing to lack of space, be treated
of in detail, They include the portrait of Dr.
Furnivall, in Trinity Hall, Cambridge; Herr and
Frau von Kekuli, R. Salaman, Francis Darwin,
in the Laboratory, Cambridge; Dr. Walker, in
“l’abbaye de ST. seine” by william rothenstein
42