DOI Heft:
No. 218 (May, 1911)
DOI Artikel:Baker, C. H. Collins: The paintings of William Orpen, A.R.A., R.H.A.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20972#0281
William Orpen, A.R.A., R.H.A.
Mr. Orpen has given rein to his desire of colour His satiric compositions and fantasias range from
schemes and decoration, in which he has set out to Hamlet (1899) to his latest and rather startling
" tackle" painters' problems. Himself, naturally, phase of Irish peasantry. Conspicuous among
has most often been the victim of these experi- them are certain scenes from the Arabian Nights;
ments ; in a fur cap, with The Dead Ptarmigan the Samson and Delilah drawing ; The Wild Beast,
(The Studio, August, 1909); From the West, or a pessimistic spirit-broken bear led by a grossly
as a jockey. In all of these we see his fine sense brawny bandit, miserably struggling with it in some
of silhouette, and his pleasure in inventing colour stable yard (The Studio, March, 1907, p. 149);
harmonies. With them we must include his por- The Passing of His Lordship, an admirable design
traits of Mrs. Orpen, the best, I think, that of 1907, and colour scheme, and a curiously penetrating
and the A. W. Rich, Esq. (1910), recently sent to piece of satire. Followed by his pompous flunkey,
Toronto, for the Arts and Letters Club. an unwholesome over-dieted fellow, The Judge (a
Of all Mr. Orpen's self-portraits I am inclined to type) passes across the ante-room. Dyspeptic,
esteem most one in which he appears in a long white acid, fragile ; dangling the black cap from a feeble
painter's robe, his head turbanned. Quite apart from hand; in rich black robes, with ashy face and wig,
the pictorial qualities of this canvas, which, in feel- he makes a wonderful design against the dreary
ing, may claim to be of the family of certain Char- wall. Of other satiric pieces I may only mention
dins one has come across,
as portraiture this rendering
of himself seems to be more
serious and adequate than
those we might consider
rather satiric or burlesque.
As remarkable instances of
his powers of sheer repre-
sentation, of imitation of
tone and light, I would cite
Myself and Venus and Be-
tween two Stools. If we
could imagine such a
machine, a camera endowed
with enthusiasm and selec-
tive ability might give us
somewhat similar results.
Myself and Venus, never
exhibited in England, is now
at Pittsburg, U.S.A. Last
of his portraits would I
mention the Portrait Group
of 1909 and A Bloomsbury
Family (1908) acquired last
year by the Scottish Modern
Arts Association and repro-
duced in this magazine
(July, 1908, p. 139). This,
faintly tinged with his
satiric spirit, and as a
subject one in which
he felt he might give
vent to his individual
humour, stands far above
the portrait groups in which
he minded more his p's
and q's. "on the irish shore" (1910) by william orpen, a.r.a.
259
Mr. Orpen has given rein to his desire of colour His satiric compositions and fantasias range from
schemes and decoration, in which he has set out to Hamlet (1899) to his latest and rather startling
" tackle" painters' problems. Himself, naturally, phase of Irish peasantry. Conspicuous among
has most often been the victim of these experi- them are certain scenes from the Arabian Nights;
ments ; in a fur cap, with The Dead Ptarmigan the Samson and Delilah drawing ; The Wild Beast,
(The Studio, August, 1909); From the West, or a pessimistic spirit-broken bear led by a grossly
as a jockey. In all of these we see his fine sense brawny bandit, miserably struggling with it in some
of silhouette, and his pleasure in inventing colour stable yard (The Studio, March, 1907, p. 149);
harmonies. With them we must include his por- The Passing of His Lordship, an admirable design
traits of Mrs. Orpen, the best, I think, that of 1907, and colour scheme, and a curiously penetrating
and the A. W. Rich, Esq. (1910), recently sent to piece of satire. Followed by his pompous flunkey,
Toronto, for the Arts and Letters Club. an unwholesome over-dieted fellow, The Judge (a
Of all Mr. Orpen's self-portraits I am inclined to type) passes across the ante-room. Dyspeptic,
esteem most one in which he appears in a long white acid, fragile ; dangling the black cap from a feeble
painter's robe, his head turbanned. Quite apart from hand; in rich black robes, with ashy face and wig,
the pictorial qualities of this canvas, which, in feel- he makes a wonderful design against the dreary
ing, may claim to be of the family of certain Char- wall. Of other satiric pieces I may only mention
dins one has come across,
as portraiture this rendering
of himself seems to be more
serious and adequate than
those we might consider
rather satiric or burlesque.
As remarkable instances of
his powers of sheer repre-
sentation, of imitation of
tone and light, I would cite
Myself and Venus and Be-
tween two Stools. If we
could imagine such a
machine, a camera endowed
with enthusiasm and selec-
tive ability might give us
somewhat similar results.
Myself and Venus, never
exhibited in England, is now
at Pittsburg, U.S.A. Last
of his portraits would I
mention the Portrait Group
of 1909 and A Bloomsbury
Family (1908) acquired last
year by the Scottish Modern
Arts Association and repro-
duced in this magazine
(July, 1908, p. 139). This,
faintly tinged with his
satiric spirit, and as a
subject one in which
he felt he might give
vent to his individual
humour, stands far above
the portrait groups in which
he minded more his p's
and q's. "on the irish shore" (1910) by william orpen, a.r.a.
259