Studio: international art (52.1911)

6". Rahamim Samuel

becoming a painter. He was conversant with —then not far from death. Indeed, the young
the traditional art of his native country and with man was too ill to give proper sittings, so that the
its ancient masterpieces; and, being intelligent artist had perforce hurriedly to model a bust of him
beyond the ordinary, he recognised that the art of lest the Prince should pass away before the picture
painting in India—like, indeed, most of the other could be finished. The younger brother, Prince
arts—was dead, aesthetically considered. All was Shivajaroa Gaekwar (now up at Oxford), was also
conventional, and had been so for two or three painted by Mr. Rahamim Samuel, in Eastern
hundred years. Copies of copies of copies, from costume gorgeous, yet as refined in colour, harmony,
which all aesthetic impulse had long since vanished and texture as it is splendid in effect. The portrait
—these, which stood for art, were produced on a of the Maharaja's brother, H.H. Srimant Sampatrao
rigid cast-iron principle, and were bereft of all Gaekwar, then followed, and a great family-piece
genuine artistic inspiration, individuality, and of Sir Chimibhai Madhawlal, CLE., his wife, and
originality. Skill there was, facile and abundant, seven children. This work is distinctly Indian in
more than enough to maintain the work at a style of composition, arrangement, and balance, and
high level of craftsmanship ; but the breath of art possesses, indeed, that peculiar native savour that no
no longer made of it a living thing. English painter, however brilliant and observateur,

The young artist saw that the study of nature could hope to reproduce. In this quality, with its
and of nature's laws was essential for the proper strong touch of national conventionalism, it is in
expression of what he felt; and he recognised that direct contrast with the portrait of H.H. the
he could not shake off the fetters of convention Gaekwar—which was accorded a noteworthy place
or learn at first hand what freedom is, un-
less he studied the principles of art in a
land where full liberty in the painter's
practice could be enjoyed. Like many a
Japanese—whom we in our shortsighted-
ness reproach with desiring to paint " in the
Occidental way"—he aimed at acquiring
those laws of nature which are neither
Occidental nor Oriental but universal, al-
though discovered and acted upon in the
West while still unknown or, at least, but
half understood in the East: the laws of
optics, of perspective, of atmosphere, values
and tone.

So Mr. S. Rahamim Samuel, while still
a youth, came to London to be initiated
into the art and mystery of painting, and
to that end he joined the Slade School.
Thence, in order to widen his experience,
he entered and went through the Royal
Academy schools, competed in due course
for the travelling studentship in the Gold
Medal year, but just failed to win it. Per-
haps it was as well, for it caused him to turn
his face towards home. He returned to
Bombay and thence, thanks to a letter of
introduction, repaired to Baroda, where
H.H. the Maharaja Gaekwar was waiting
to receive him and offer him the ready
encouragement he is willing to extend to
native talent. He commissioned him to
paint his own portrait, that of his daughter,
the Princess Indira, and also his eldest
son, the late Prince Fatehsinghrao Gaekwar portrait study by s. rahamimi samuel

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