Studio: international art (62.1914)

The Paintings oj F. C. Frieseke

The greatest difficulties that beset an artist lie in must cross swords, and the artist be alert to
the paths in which he would discover himself, many suggestions rather than be simply satis-
Elusive fame will tempt him with the easy-fitting fied to lie down believing that by correctly
dress of others and fortune offer him a cloak copying he has mastered subject and substance—
opaque ; sentiment will lure him to gain glory by a lot that haplessly befalls the many and satisfies
the paltry and sacrifice the sad, by which his path the crowd until the artist blames the crowd for its
through life will seem to be made a glittering way. salient enthusiasm which will never be aught
It is all very easy too ; any one can be taught to draw else until he gives them something to discover,
—wily advertisers have found that out—and any one something of himself. It is indeed no easy task ;
can be taught to paint, so that in a few months no mere drawing, no mere painting or faultless
their work will pass a sheepishly trained jury and execution will suffice, and not until the brain
perhaps thereafter shamelessly adorn the walls of a controls the palette and the thought unravels
gallery maintained at the expense of ratepayers, the tangle so that the mind may follow and
Despite, however, the American and European the hand obey, will nature bow to the artist's
honours which have fallen to the lot of F. C. superiority.

Frieseke, no one can justly claim that they were un- As a master who has overcome these snares and
deserved or discreditably attained. difficulties Frieseke excels. He has carefully gauged

In his rapturous eagerness to portray light there is what will and what will not symbolise his gathered
another danger besides the one of singular appeal intentions and has acquired a mastery which is
and technical attainment—the danger of realism only gained by personal experience, the experience
encroaching on the functions of the camera or the of others being of little importance except to
commonplace, which is oft-times only discoverable warn the unwary. In the hands of the less com-
in the completed work. This may be most excellent petent the danger would lie in the unsifted know-
in poetry which tunes.it to
music by words and utter-
ances from which the mind
can conjure for itself a
separate ideal or charm of
memories and association.
Singularly set, however, in
colour and line no matter
how lair thi')' may be, the
result will retain no lastingly
living qualities ; \ like tech-
nical finish which lacks the
spiritual element, it remains
dead despite any semblance
of colour-vibration it may
possess. This is, perhaps,
why certain illustrated books
fail to charm through the
over-conscientiousness of
the illustrator. Nature sub-
jects delineated in such a
way, though vastly interest-
ing to the painter, are after
all but essays and exercises,
a truth which many fail to
realise ; and no matter how
well done, no frame will
make them complete or
transform them into works
of art. It is at this

point that art and nature "coral barrings" by Frederick c. frieskkj

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