DOI issue:
No. 284 (November 1916)
DOI article:Baldry, Alfred Lys: The paintings of Pilade Bertieri
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24575#0091
The Paintings of Pilade Bertieri
PORTRAIT OF MISS DE GREY BY PILADE BERTIERI
But if his method is elaborate its results do not That the pursuit of completeness does not
seem laborious. Tn such paintings, for instance, narrow the scope of his performance is also
as his Enfant a la Bonbonne, his Le Japonais a la evident. The other pictures which are reproduced
Guitare, and his delightfully vivacious portrait study prove the extent of his capacity quite as clearly as
The Fur Toque, the first impression received is one those already mentioned, but besides they show
of spontaneity and unconventional freedom ; it is that he can adapt himself at once to the demands
only when they are examined detail by detail that made upon him by different types of subjects,
the strenuous effort which has been applied in the How little he is inclined to follow a sort of beaten
making of them becomes perceptible. But if they track in art can be judged from a comparison
are studied, as they should be, with respect for the of the brilliant character study The Fencing Master
artist's intentions, it will be easily seen that finish— with the monumental portrait of Canon Raffles-
in the right sense of the word—is their dominant Flint, or by setting the dainty fancy of the
characteristic, and that there is not a touch in them portrait of Miss De Grey beside the vigorous
that has not been thought out beforehand and actuality of the admirable technical exercise For-
applied with the most scrupulous care. This, trait en Noir; although in these four canvases
indeed, is the triumph of Mr. Bertieri's practice, the stamp of his personality is not to be mistaken,
that despite all its sustained labour and scholarly the contrast of manner sets them widely apart,
research it is never pedantic and never wanting Each one, however, is logically worked out in the
in freshness—not often is the art of concealing way that suits best the particular motive chosen,
the mechanism of a craft better illustrated. and each one is carried to just the degree of finish
83
PORTRAIT OF MISS DE GREY BY PILADE BERTIERI
But if his method is elaborate its results do not That the pursuit of completeness does not
seem laborious. Tn such paintings, for instance, narrow the scope of his performance is also
as his Enfant a la Bonbonne, his Le Japonais a la evident. The other pictures which are reproduced
Guitare, and his delightfully vivacious portrait study prove the extent of his capacity quite as clearly as
The Fur Toque, the first impression received is one those already mentioned, but besides they show
of spontaneity and unconventional freedom ; it is that he can adapt himself at once to the demands
only when they are examined detail by detail that made upon him by different types of subjects,
the strenuous effort which has been applied in the How little he is inclined to follow a sort of beaten
making of them becomes perceptible. But if they track in art can be judged from a comparison
are studied, as they should be, with respect for the of the brilliant character study The Fencing Master
artist's intentions, it will be easily seen that finish— with the monumental portrait of Canon Raffles-
in the right sense of the word—is their dominant Flint, or by setting the dainty fancy of the
characteristic, and that there is not a touch in them portrait of Miss De Grey beside the vigorous
that has not been thought out beforehand and actuality of the admirable technical exercise For-
applied with the most scrupulous care. This, trait en Noir; although in these four canvases
indeed, is the triumph of Mr. Bertieri's practice, the stamp of his personality is not to be mistaken,
that despite all its sustained labour and scholarly the contrast of manner sets them widely apart,
research it is never pedantic and never wanting Each one, however, is logically worked out in the
in freshness—not often is the art of concealing way that suits best the particular motive chosen,
the mechanism of a craft better illustrated. and each one is carried to just the degree of finish
83