DOI Heft:
No. 240 (March 1913)
DOI Artikel:Studio-talk
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21160#0177
Studio- Talk
definitely settle down in the neighbourhood of
Paris. The charms of country life attracted him,
and his field of study widened out from the Parisian
draught and coach horses to the open fields, to the
delineation of those big strong oxen that drag the
plough. More of a draughtsman than colourist,
the work he sent to the exhibitions consisted almost
entirely of studies in chalk or pencil, brightened
occasionally with pastel. But it was just his
strenuously observed line that predestined him for the
career which he was later to follow. He had originally,
under the direction and instruction of his friend
the master-etcher and draughtsman, M. W. van der
Valk, made some attractive etchings of Amsterdam
—of barges and towers, and such-like objects—
but the haphazardness of etching had then been a
trouble to him, it was not sufficiently firm and sure,
and now he, the artist from the land of Goltius,
of Lucas van Leyden and so many other great
predecessors, was going once again to handle the
burin, which, guided by a sure and feeling hand,
graves the lines in the copper with such certainty
that no space is left for the unconscious vicissitudes
—so to speak—of the acid.
In one respect it was thankless toil, for engraving
requires infinitely more time than does the light
airy art of the etcher ; but Dupont's wonderful per-
sistence and his firm conviction that he was right
in his views carried him through. Every stroke,
every dash in his drawing had to have its own
significance, and to be inalienably imprinted there.
Dupont, firmly convinced as he was of the high
claims of engraving, often told me that only direct
contact of the artist's hand with the copper could
purely and justly impart to his picture the ex-
pression he wished to convey. In him there was
something of the master-painters of olden days.
He was the man who more than all others knew his
metier—the man to whom painting or engraving
was a handicraft, in which by his peculiar gifts he
sometimes achieved the beautiful—who afforded
to laymen and artists alike a feeling of satisfied
enjoyment. By the way in which Dupont acquitted
himself of his task, one could see at a glance the
strong relationship that lay between art and
handiwork.
Of a truth an engraving of Dupont's meant
a work of months upon months. But I should
not of course be here speaking about his work
were it only remarkable for its technique. In him
we have the very unique conjunction of the artist
and craftsman, the hand of the craftsman guided
and directed by the feeling of the artist; and this
is impressed upon us by those vigorous and yet
definitely settle down in the neighbourhood of
Paris. The charms of country life attracted him,
and his field of study widened out from the Parisian
draught and coach horses to the open fields, to the
delineation of those big strong oxen that drag the
plough. More of a draughtsman than colourist,
the work he sent to the exhibitions consisted almost
entirely of studies in chalk or pencil, brightened
occasionally with pastel. But it was just his
strenuously observed line that predestined him for the
career which he was later to follow. He had originally,
under the direction and instruction of his friend
the master-etcher and draughtsman, M. W. van der
Valk, made some attractive etchings of Amsterdam
—of barges and towers, and such-like objects—
but the haphazardness of etching had then been a
trouble to him, it was not sufficiently firm and sure,
and now he, the artist from the land of Goltius,
of Lucas van Leyden and so many other great
predecessors, was going once again to handle the
burin, which, guided by a sure and feeling hand,
graves the lines in the copper with such certainty
that no space is left for the unconscious vicissitudes
—so to speak—of the acid.
In one respect it was thankless toil, for engraving
requires infinitely more time than does the light
airy art of the etcher ; but Dupont's wonderful per-
sistence and his firm conviction that he was right
in his views carried him through. Every stroke,
every dash in his drawing had to have its own
significance, and to be inalienably imprinted there.
Dupont, firmly convinced as he was of the high
claims of engraving, often told me that only direct
contact of the artist's hand with the copper could
purely and justly impart to his picture the ex-
pression he wished to convey. In him there was
something of the master-painters of olden days.
He was the man who more than all others knew his
metier—the man to whom painting or engraving
was a handicraft, in which by his peculiar gifts he
sometimes achieved the beautiful—who afforded
to laymen and artists alike a feeling of satisfied
enjoyment. By the way in which Dupont acquitted
himself of his task, one could see at a glance the
strong relationship that lay between art and
handiwork.
Of a truth an engraving of Dupont's meant
a work of months upon months. But I should
not of course be here speaking about his work
were it only remarkable for its technique. In him
we have the very unique conjunction of the artist
and craftsman, the hand of the craftsman guided
and directed by the feeling of the artist; and this
is impressed upon us by those vigorous and yet