DOI Artikel:
Halton, Ernest G.: The water-colours of Alfred W. Rich
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21214#0018
The Water-Colours of Alfred W. Rich
his art are the British Museum, the South
Kensington Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum,
Cambridge, the Johannesburg Gallery, the Pieter-
maritzburg Gallery, the Luxembourg, the Walker
Art Gallery, Liverpool, and the Oldham and Dudley
Corporation Galleries. It is a matter for surprise
that he is not represented at the Tate Gallery, and
it is to be hoped that this omission may soon be
remedied. For, in addition to the unquestionable
merits of his work, Mr. Rich’s art is, as we have
already said, so essentially English in character,
that no British artist living at the present time has
a stronger claim to representation in a gallery
devoted to the contemporary art of his own country.
Of the various districts of England in which
Mr. Rich has worked during recent years, that of
Richmond in Yorkshire has already been men-
tioned. In the exhibition of his works held in
London last year figured drawings of Amersham,
Chenies Park, Rickmansworth, Hertford, Walbers-
wick, Colchester, Hindhead, Guildford, Godaiming,
Chichester, Selsey, Shoreham, Lewes Castle, Corfe
Castle, Rochester, Chatham, Knowle Park, Ludlow,
Bolton Abbey, and Knaresborough Castle.
Mr. Rich devotes some of his time to teaching,
an occupation which affords him considerable
pleasure, and each year he holds a sketching class
in some part of England. That his tuition is often
attended with excellent results may be gathered
from the work of his pupils which figures from
time to time in exhibitions. It is evident, too,
that he has had considerable influence on certain
water-colourists, for there are quite a number of
the younger artists painting in the “Rich” style.
Nevertheless we are inclined to think that mere
attempts to copy his methods would not by any
means meet with Mr. Rich’s approval. Imitation
of others is, as we have endeavoured to show in
the earlier part of this article, entirely opposed to
the spirit in which he works. We feel sure he will
agree that the true artist is he who, while accepting
what he believes to be a right tradition, endeavours,
to the best of his ability, not only to maintain that
tradition, but to amplify, adapt, and develop it in
accordance with his own artistic impulse, and to
impress upon his work the stamp of his own
personality. This, we maintain, is what Mr. Rich
has achieved, and it is the principal reason why his
work is so highly considered at the present time.
Ernest G. Halton.
“in AN ENGLISH PARK
BY ALFRED W. RICH
his art are the British Museum, the South
Kensington Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum,
Cambridge, the Johannesburg Gallery, the Pieter-
maritzburg Gallery, the Luxembourg, the Walker
Art Gallery, Liverpool, and the Oldham and Dudley
Corporation Galleries. It is a matter for surprise
that he is not represented at the Tate Gallery, and
it is to be hoped that this omission may soon be
remedied. For, in addition to the unquestionable
merits of his work, Mr. Rich’s art is, as we have
already said, so essentially English in character,
that no British artist living at the present time has
a stronger claim to representation in a gallery
devoted to the contemporary art of his own country.
Of the various districts of England in which
Mr. Rich has worked during recent years, that of
Richmond in Yorkshire has already been men-
tioned. In the exhibition of his works held in
London last year figured drawings of Amersham,
Chenies Park, Rickmansworth, Hertford, Walbers-
wick, Colchester, Hindhead, Guildford, Godaiming,
Chichester, Selsey, Shoreham, Lewes Castle, Corfe
Castle, Rochester, Chatham, Knowle Park, Ludlow,
Bolton Abbey, and Knaresborough Castle.
Mr. Rich devotes some of his time to teaching,
an occupation which affords him considerable
pleasure, and each year he holds a sketching class
in some part of England. That his tuition is often
attended with excellent results may be gathered
from the work of his pupils which figures from
time to time in exhibitions. It is evident, too,
that he has had considerable influence on certain
water-colourists, for there are quite a number of
the younger artists painting in the “Rich” style.
Nevertheless we are inclined to think that mere
attempts to copy his methods would not by any
means meet with Mr. Rich’s approval. Imitation
of others is, as we have endeavoured to show in
the earlier part of this article, entirely opposed to
the spirit in which he works. We feel sure he will
agree that the true artist is he who, while accepting
what he believes to be a right tradition, endeavours,
to the best of his ability, not only to maintain that
tradition, but to amplify, adapt, and develop it in
accordance with his own artistic impulse, and to
impress upon his work the stamp of his own
personality. This, we maintain, is what Mr. Rich
has achieved, and it is the principal reason why his
work is so highly considered at the present time.
Ernest G. Halton.
“in AN ENGLISH PARK
BY ALFRED W. RICH