DOI Heft:
No. 261 (December 1914)
DOI Artikel:Maugham, William Somerset: A student of character: Gerald Festus Kelly
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21211#0171
Gerald Festus Kelly
fresh eyes and from an entirely personal stand- Character deals with the individual; and the
point; and they who know the country must painter of character has full scope for his gifts
realise the truth of his presentment. For Andalusia only when he is portraying his own countrymen,
is a land of passion, and passion is not mirthful, It is when Mr. Kelly paints Englishmen and
there is always tragedy at the back of the dancing Englishwomen that he reveals himself, patient,
and the laughter which are all the superficial see; acute, and carefully exact, and his sitters with all
and the songs of its people are a melancholy their foibles and vices, their virtues and pleasant
wailing : they deal with unrequited love and death humours. Then he paints not only the character
and hunger. Rosa Maria, the # woman of The of a people but also of persons. Then his art is
Black Shawl, with her beautifully painted hand, penetrating. Every one who is interested in modern
have eyes heavy with tears, their faces are sensual painting will remember his portrait of Mrs.
with a sensuality raised to a strange height of Harrison, now in the Municipal Gallery at Dublin,
passion. There is the real Andalusia, and the It is a portrait of a little old lady, but painted with
painter who could see it, breaking through a such sincerity and emotion, soberly with a be-
shallow tradition, has gifts of insight which are coming restraint, that the individual is merged in
rare among his fellows. the type ; and you have a picture of graceful old
But there is a wall raised between us and the age, insouciant as old age so often, so pleasantly,
peoples of other lands; we know our own folk is, and beautiful. If art must give entertainment
because our childhood has been spent among and emotion, here indeed is art. Only the
them ; a thousand delicate feelings aid our com- mediocre keep always to the same level, and Mr.
prehension; and our description of foreign nations, Kelly is not mediocre. Sometimes he sees his
however subtle, cannot have a complete intimacy. sitters without sympathy, which is the essential
OIL PAINTING BY GERALD FESTUS KELLY
167
fresh eyes and from an entirely personal stand- Character deals with the individual; and the
point; and they who know the country must painter of character has full scope for his gifts
realise the truth of his presentment. For Andalusia only when he is portraying his own countrymen,
is a land of passion, and passion is not mirthful, It is when Mr. Kelly paints Englishmen and
there is always tragedy at the back of the dancing Englishwomen that he reveals himself, patient,
and the laughter which are all the superficial see; acute, and carefully exact, and his sitters with all
and the songs of its people are a melancholy their foibles and vices, their virtues and pleasant
wailing : they deal with unrequited love and death humours. Then he paints not only the character
and hunger. Rosa Maria, the # woman of The of a people but also of persons. Then his art is
Black Shawl, with her beautifully painted hand, penetrating. Every one who is interested in modern
have eyes heavy with tears, their faces are sensual painting will remember his portrait of Mrs.
with a sensuality raised to a strange height of Harrison, now in the Municipal Gallery at Dublin,
passion. There is the real Andalusia, and the It is a portrait of a little old lady, but painted with
painter who could see it, breaking through a such sincerity and emotion, soberly with a be-
shallow tradition, has gifts of insight which are coming restraint, that the individual is merged in
rare among his fellows. the type ; and you have a picture of graceful old
But there is a wall raised between us and the age, insouciant as old age so often, so pleasantly,
peoples of other lands; we know our own folk is, and beautiful. If art must give entertainment
because our childhood has been spent among and emotion, here indeed is art. Only the
them ; a thousand delicate feelings aid our com- mediocre keep always to the same level, and Mr.
prehension; and our description of foreign nations, Kelly is not mediocre. Sometimes he sees his
however subtle, cannot have a complete intimacy. sitters without sympathy, which is the essential
OIL PAINTING BY GERALD FESTUS KELLY
167