Studio: international art (68.1916)

The Black and White Work of F. H. Townsend

THE BLACK AND WHITE deserves; and who shall say that, in the hands of

WORK OF F. H. TOWNSEND. 'ts Present brilliant band of draughtsmen, the

BY MALCOLM C. SALAMAN "Punch" cartoon is less telling than it was in the

days so dear to the laudator temporis acti, that the

Although " Punch " is proverbially never as good pictorial humour is less laughable, the social satire

as it was, it nevertheless contrives to go on week less keen, the spirit of gay pleasantry less persuasive?

by week through the years and the decades amusing Among these graphic artists who are keeping up,

the world, and frequently making it think as well with such unfailing humour and vivacity, the repu-

as laugh; for still its cartoons can thrill the Empire tation of our venerable, yet ever youthful, contem-

and cause the Nations to ponder, still with a pic- porary, Mr. F. H. Townsend has occupied for the

torial joke or satire it can flutter our social dovecotes last eleven years a position of peculiar influence and

and titillate the continents. The fact is, " Punch " importance, that of art-editor—a position, moreover,

has created its own art standard, and year in, year which is unique in the traditions of the journal,

out, this is maintained by the collective loyalty, as For it was not till Mr. Townsend was invited to

well as the individual talents, of its artists. It has join the famous "Punch" Table in 1905, after

been thought, of course, that the great " Punch " having been a regular and popular contributor for

artists of the past would be irreplaceable, that nine years, that it was decided to place the editing

without Charles Keene's great art the standard must of the pictorial side of the journal in the hands of

inevitably be lowered; that without du Maurier a practical artist. Mr. Townsend, therefore, is the

the social satire could never again shoot the flying first art-editor of " Punch," as distinct from " the

folly with the same brilliant effect; that without Editor," and perhaps the sustained excellence of

John Tenniel the cartoon could no more move the draughtsmanship and the refined pictorial humour

nation's heart and conscience. But then, had it which one finds invariably in the pages of " Punch "

not been earlier said that with John Leech the owe not a little to his sympathetic influence. A

humour of "Punch" had departed? With its better choice could hardly have been made; for

happy adaptability to the changing times, however, Mr. Townsend is himself a fine draughtsman, with

" Punch" always finds the artists it needs and a keen vision for the transient effect of physical

DRAWING FOR "PUNCH" (1896) BY F. H. TOWNSEND

iter of Fielding has revised " Tom Jones " ror home peri
ist-century novelists show the same enterprise,we shall hs
(By special permission of the Proprietors of PUNCH,)

A great-granddaughter of Fielding has revised " Tom Jones " tor home perusal (Daily Paper).
If the descendants of other last-century novelists show the same enterprise,we shall have nursery s cenes as atx>ve.

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