Studio: international art (52.1911)

Drawings and Studies of George Belcher

STUDY BY GEORGE BELCHER

work, and some of the studies here reproduced
are quite masterpieces of character expression.
Many of his drawings are greatly enhanced
in charm by being tinted discreetly and with
taste.

The studies illustrating this article are mostly
published for the first time, so have the good
fortune to be now reproduced in the practically
perfect manner usually associated with The
Studio reproductions.

Belcher's work has become more widely
known, and in a more direct way, through his
exhibitions at the Leicester Galleries, of which
the one which has been held there during the
past few weeks was the second. It is not
generally known that he is an accomplished
painter in oils. His work in this medium is
on classical lines, and his latest portrait, which

was recently on view at the Grafton Galleries,
has some of the qualities and much of the feel-
ing of a Vandyck. His painting has a delicacy
of finish and surface (which, however, entails
no sacrifice of strength) somewhat rare in these
days, as it is a quality despised of modern art,
although a characteristic of most work that
has stood the test of time. He has a fondness
for paint for its own sake, and in his hands
it acquires a quality rare and pleasing.

Finally, it may be said that George Belcher
is an artist who is content to labour in the
simple medium of which he is a master, and
whose achievements are as great, in their way,
as any obtained with more elaborate and more
pretentious materials. His work surely demon-
strates conclusively that quality of art is not
dependent on mediums and subjects. J. B. M.

STUDY BY GEORGE BELCHER

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