DOI issue:
No. 240 (March 1913)
DOI article:Studio-talk
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21160#0180
Studio- Talk
delicate studies of horses, and the sharp, striking, Dupont's principal works, as could be seen at a
and yet extremely human portraits of Burgomaster memorial exhibition held in Amsterdam shortly after
's Jacob, of Prof. Treub, of Potgieter. To his first his death, consisted of studies of animals—horses
Parisian period belongs the portrait of Steinlen, and oxen—and also some unique and airily drawn
which depicts an artist seated astride a chair studies of trees and landscapes, none of them im-
opposite his work ; his attention is absorbed by a pressionistic, but all carefully worked out. There
drawing immediately in front of him, and the hand were also a few architectural studies which went
which holds the drawing-pencil is for the moment to show how he looked at everything from the
poised in thought. The composition, the air of draughtsman-engraver's point of view. Not the
attention and repose is wonderfully good, but what smallest detail escaped him, and where it was too
makes his first portrait remarkable is the expansive small for a complete composition in itself or too
manner in which Dupont has worked out the en- indistinct, he would make separate sketches of such
iourage of his figure. trivial parts, to be used subsequently in his larger
drawings.
Among his engravings of horses made in Paris -
there are some with a big horse in the foreground Par excellence Dupont was a black-and-white
which are typical of the place, and prove Dupont engraver—not one who turned to this art by way
to be at home in every respect with the surroundings of relief from other work, but one who made it his
of his subjects. This French period, too, made whole and entire study, and whose outlook on
itself memorable for his portraiture of country life, things took this particular direction. If we may
for he was then engaged
on a series of etchings to
which he gave the name
of "L'Outillage." His ap-
pointment to the pro-
fessorship of the arts of
etching and engraving
at Amsterdam, however,
brought him into quite a
different milieu, and
raised him to an official
position of considerable
importance. From this
appointment ensued to
him several honourable
commissions, such as the
designing of bank-notes,
postage-stamps, &c. — a
kind of work in which his
personal gifts had but
small opportunity of dis-
playing themselves. And
though he subsequently
migrated to the more rural
district of Hilversum, the
change of scene from
French country life to
Amsterdam did not fail to
exert its influence on his
work. To this later
period belong his engraved
portraits, which ought with-
out question to assure him
a distinct place as an artist. portrait of th. steinlen. from an engraving on copper by p. dupont
157
delicate studies of horses, and the sharp, striking, Dupont's principal works, as could be seen at a
and yet extremely human portraits of Burgomaster memorial exhibition held in Amsterdam shortly after
's Jacob, of Prof. Treub, of Potgieter. To his first his death, consisted of studies of animals—horses
Parisian period belongs the portrait of Steinlen, and oxen—and also some unique and airily drawn
which depicts an artist seated astride a chair studies of trees and landscapes, none of them im-
opposite his work ; his attention is absorbed by a pressionistic, but all carefully worked out. There
drawing immediately in front of him, and the hand were also a few architectural studies which went
which holds the drawing-pencil is for the moment to show how he looked at everything from the
poised in thought. The composition, the air of draughtsman-engraver's point of view. Not the
attention and repose is wonderfully good, but what smallest detail escaped him, and where it was too
makes his first portrait remarkable is the expansive small for a complete composition in itself or too
manner in which Dupont has worked out the en- indistinct, he would make separate sketches of such
iourage of his figure. trivial parts, to be used subsequently in his larger
drawings.
Among his engravings of horses made in Paris -
there are some with a big horse in the foreground Par excellence Dupont was a black-and-white
which are typical of the place, and prove Dupont engraver—not one who turned to this art by way
to be at home in every respect with the surroundings of relief from other work, but one who made it his
of his subjects. This French period, too, made whole and entire study, and whose outlook on
itself memorable for his portraiture of country life, things took this particular direction. If we may
for he was then engaged
on a series of etchings to
which he gave the name
of "L'Outillage." His ap-
pointment to the pro-
fessorship of the arts of
etching and engraving
at Amsterdam, however,
brought him into quite a
different milieu, and
raised him to an official
position of considerable
importance. From this
appointment ensued to
him several honourable
commissions, such as the
designing of bank-notes,
postage-stamps, &c. — a
kind of work in which his
personal gifts had but
small opportunity of dis-
playing themselves. And
though he subsequently
migrated to the more rural
district of Hilversum, the
change of scene from
French country life to
Amsterdam did not fail to
exert its influence on his
work. To this later
period belong his engraved
portraits, which ought with-
out question to assure him
a distinct place as an artist. portrait of th. steinlen. from an engraving on copper by p. dupont
157