DOI issue:
No. 223 (October 1911)
DOI article:Studio-talk
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21155#0085
Studio- Talk
opinion. The sum paid for it to the Countess of as the majority of these Old Masters that change
Carlisle was ,£40,000, which is said to have been hands at fabulous prices ! And with £40,000 you
much below its " market value"—that is, of course, could fill a good-sized gallery with them,
below what some American millionaire would have
paid for it. We hope those who were responsible
for the acquisition of the painting will not pay The exhibition of the London Salon of Photo-
undue regard to the American millionaire in trans- graphy at the galleries of the Royal Water Colour
actions of this kind, or to mere notoriety attaching Society is open until October 21. It is a success-
to a paintkig by an Old Master ; the point they ful effort in picture hanging, and the dark back-
should always keep before them is the influence ground is most admirable for photographs. Also
which a so-called masterpiece is likely to have on details of framing and mounting have received the
those who behold it and study it. If its influence utmost consideration. No effort has been spared
is likely to be really permanent and widespread, to emphasise photography upon its purely artistic
then the question of price is a secondary matter, side, and it is upon this side only .that it engages us
We hardly think the Castle Howard Mabuse, which here. We feel inclined to give the palm this year
is now in the National Gallery, will prove to be of to The Horse Guards of Mr. John H. Anderson,
this character, and that much of the eclat that has It is an interesting and beautiful print, and it
attached to it will disappear in time. Surely there succeeds in placing complete reliance upon the
are not lacking pictures by painters living in our character of the revelation that a good lens makes,
midst which can be bought for one thousand pounds Another artist whose work gives to this exhibition
apiece or even less and which are as potent for good a character of success is Sgr. Guido Rey, who has
made a speciality of interiors.
We would suggest that he
might with advantage turn
his attention to modern in-
terior genre ; that he should
accept his compositions from
everyday household scenes,
since it is the household, if
of the eighteenth century,
he turns to for his subjects.
Sometimes by an intensely-
personal inspiration a
painter will succeed in giving
the eighteenth-century illu-
sion to models dressed in
costume; but when photo-
graphy attempts the same
rare achievement it would
almost seem it is doomed to
failure.
We have dwelt upon the
work of these two artists
because they seem to us to
understand that photo-
graphy goes as much astray
when it seeks to model its
ideas of composition and
effect upon the composi-
tions and effects of paintings
as the art of painting itself
would go astray if it modelled
'grace before meat" by haroi.d knight its conceptions of treatment
63
opinion. The sum paid for it to the Countess of as the majority of these Old Masters that change
Carlisle was ,£40,000, which is said to have been hands at fabulous prices ! And with £40,000 you
much below its " market value"—that is, of course, could fill a good-sized gallery with them,
below what some American millionaire would have
paid for it. We hope those who were responsible
for the acquisition of the painting will not pay The exhibition of the London Salon of Photo-
undue regard to the American millionaire in trans- graphy at the galleries of the Royal Water Colour
actions of this kind, or to mere notoriety attaching Society is open until October 21. It is a success-
to a paintkig by an Old Master ; the point they ful effort in picture hanging, and the dark back-
should always keep before them is the influence ground is most admirable for photographs. Also
which a so-called masterpiece is likely to have on details of framing and mounting have received the
those who behold it and study it. If its influence utmost consideration. No effort has been spared
is likely to be really permanent and widespread, to emphasise photography upon its purely artistic
then the question of price is a secondary matter, side, and it is upon this side only .that it engages us
We hardly think the Castle Howard Mabuse, which here. We feel inclined to give the palm this year
is now in the National Gallery, will prove to be of to The Horse Guards of Mr. John H. Anderson,
this character, and that much of the eclat that has It is an interesting and beautiful print, and it
attached to it will disappear in time. Surely there succeeds in placing complete reliance upon the
are not lacking pictures by painters living in our character of the revelation that a good lens makes,
midst which can be bought for one thousand pounds Another artist whose work gives to this exhibition
apiece or even less and which are as potent for good a character of success is Sgr. Guido Rey, who has
made a speciality of interiors.
We would suggest that he
might with advantage turn
his attention to modern in-
terior genre ; that he should
accept his compositions from
everyday household scenes,
since it is the household, if
of the eighteenth century,
he turns to for his subjects.
Sometimes by an intensely-
personal inspiration a
painter will succeed in giving
the eighteenth-century illu-
sion to models dressed in
costume; but when photo-
graphy attempts the same
rare achievement it would
almost seem it is doomed to
failure.
We have dwelt upon the
work of these two artists
because they seem to us to
understand that photo-
graphy goes as much astray
when it seeks to model its
ideas of composition and
effect upon the composi-
tions and effects of paintings
as the art of painting itself
would go astray if it modelled
'grace before meat" by haroi.d knight its conceptions of treatment
63