DOI Heft:
No. 283 (October 1916)
DOI Artikel:Halton, Ernest G.: Water-colours by D. Murray Smith, A.R.W.S.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24575#0032
Water-Colours by D. Murray Smith, A.R.W.S.
' STRAND-ON-THE-GREEN, KEW" BY D. MURRAY SMITH, A.R.W.S.
most successful achievements. He has visualised Smith's art, one is convinced of the fact that he
the scene with a happy sense of composition and is carrying on the best traditions of the English
has interpreted it with a simplicity of means which school of water-colour painting. While there is in
reveals his mastery of the medium. his work an entire absence of violent colour-effects,
Another Welsh subject, Penarth Head, Glamor- such as one finds in the productions of the younger
ganshire (p. 24), is possessed of sober truthful- and more aggressive landscapists of to-day, he is
ness. The quiet depth of tone in the middle essentially a modern who, though ready to learn
distance is accentuated by the light on the far-off from the past, is continually looking forward. A
headland. Here again we must admire the ease sincere love of and reverence for Nature are
with which the artist preserves the effect of revealed in his drawings, conveying the impression
spontaneity. The beauty of the tone values, the that he is in complete sympathy with his subject;
suggestion of light and air and sense of spacious- and it is this spirit which pervades and beautifies
ness all combine to make a very pleasing and his work. In his endeavours to interpret the
successful composition. various manifestations of Nature he realises what
Few subjects round London have in recent days Constable meant when he said that " the landscape-
inspired more artists than Strand-on-the-Green, painter who does not make his skies a very
that picturesque row of riverside houses near Kew. material part of his composition neglects to avail
Mr. Murray Smith's rendering of the subject, given himself of one of his greatest aids." Indeed, his
above, affords him an opportunity of showing treatment of cloud effects is the dominating
that his draughtsmanship is sound, though those feature of many of his most successful drawings,
who are acquainted with his etchings require no as will be seen from those examples which are
proof of that fact. His drawing of Strand on- reproduced here, and in devoting himself so
ihe-Green is in every way a delightful work and an assiduously to the study of this important phase
interesting record of one of the prettiest spots of landscape-painting he increases the artistic
near London. significance of his work.
Looking at these examples of Mr. Murray E. G. Halton.
26
' STRAND-ON-THE-GREEN, KEW" BY D. MURRAY SMITH, A.R.W.S.
most successful achievements. He has visualised Smith's art, one is convinced of the fact that he
the scene with a happy sense of composition and is carrying on the best traditions of the English
has interpreted it with a simplicity of means which school of water-colour painting. While there is in
reveals his mastery of the medium. his work an entire absence of violent colour-effects,
Another Welsh subject, Penarth Head, Glamor- such as one finds in the productions of the younger
ganshire (p. 24), is possessed of sober truthful- and more aggressive landscapists of to-day, he is
ness. The quiet depth of tone in the middle essentially a modern who, though ready to learn
distance is accentuated by the light on the far-off from the past, is continually looking forward. A
headland. Here again we must admire the ease sincere love of and reverence for Nature are
with which the artist preserves the effect of revealed in his drawings, conveying the impression
spontaneity. The beauty of the tone values, the that he is in complete sympathy with his subject;
suggestion of light and air and sense of spacious- and it is this spirit which pervades and beautifies
ness all combine to make a very pleasing and his work. In his endeavours to interpret the
successful composition. various manifestations of Nature he realises what
Few subjects round London have in recent days Constable meant when he said that " the landscape-
inspired more artists than Strand-on-the-Green, painter who does not make his skies a very
that picturesque row of riverside houses near Kew. material part of his composition neglects to avail
Mr. Murray Smith's rendering of the subject, given himself of one of his greatest aids." Indeed, his
above, affords him an opportunity of showing treatment of cloud effects is the dominating
that his draughtsmanship is sound, though those feature of many of his most successful drawings,
who are acquainted with his etchings require no as will be seen from those examples which are
proof of that fact. His drawing of Strand on- reproduced here, and in devoting himself so
ihe-Green is in every way a delightful work and an assiduously to the study of this important phase
interesting record of one of the prettiest spots of landscape-painting he increases the artistic
near London. significance of his work.
Looking at these examples of Mr. Murray E. G. Halton.
26