DOI Heft:
No. 296 (November 1917)
DOI Artikel:Thomson, David Croal: Matthew Maris
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21264#0064
Matthew Maris
begun his latter-day dreams. One or two are
easy to understand, but the larger number are
so far from completion that even the composi-
tions remain obscure.
In the Special Number of The Studio al-
ready mentioned, a large number of examples
were reproduced which included specimens of
Matthew Maris’s art of the later years as well as
of his earlier pictures. For this reason the works
now reproduced are confined to several pieces
which are very little
known, and all are in the
artist’s earlier manner.
In his latest years Maris
called many of these pic-
tures pot-boilers and re-
fused to acknowledge any
good qualities in them,
but this need not prevent
us from examining them
with the greatest interest ;
and, notwithstanding the
contrariness of the artist’s
judgment, they may safely
be accepted as some of
the most artistic and
masterly pictures of the
latter half of the nine-
teenth century both in
sentiment and execution.
Blown on the canvas,
as it were, and with the
breath of angels, Matthew
Maris’s compositions re-
quire, more than the ordi-
nary picture, an intimate
knowledge which only
comes after long con-
sideration and study.
This is the case even with
the completely finished
paintings here reproduced.
In these times of uncom-
mon experiences, when all
conventionalities are
thrown aside, it is per-
missible to recommend
the reader either to knit
a stocking or to smoke a
pipe over each of these
remarkable productions,
and at the end of the
process some progress will
48
have been made towards understanding and
warmly appreciating them.
While Matthew’s elder brother, James, the
most virile landscapist of our time, stated cheer-
fully to visitors to his studio that his pictures
ought not to be looked at for eight or ten years
after they left his easel (for it would take at
least that time for the colours to mature and
harmonize as the master wanted), the works
of Matthew himself have required even longer
OIL PAINTING BY MATTHEW MARIS
THE YOUNG COOK
[By permission of Messrs. Wallis & Son, the French Gallery)
begun his latter-day dreams. One or two are
easy to understand, but the larger number are
so far from completion that even the composi-
tions remain obscure.
In the Special Number of The Studio al-
ready mentioned, a large number of examples
were reproduced which included specimens of
Matthew Maris’s art of the later years as well as
of his earlier pictures. For this reason the works
now reproduced are confined to several pieces
which are very little
known, and all are in the
artist’s earlier manner.
In his latest years Maris
called many of these pic-
tures pot-boilers and re-
fused to acknowledge any
good qualities in them,
but this need not prevent
us from examining them
with the greatest interest ;
and, notwithstanding the
contrariness of the artist’s
judgment, they may safely
be accepted as some of
the most artistic and
masterly pictures of the
latter half of the nine-
teenth century both in
sentiment and execution.
Blown on the canvas,
as it were, and with the
breath of angels, Matthew
Maris’s compositions re-
quire, more than the ordi-
nary picture, an intimate
knowledge which only
comes after long con-
sideration and study.
This is the case even with
the completely finished
paintings here reproduced.
In these times of uncom-
mon experiences, when all
conventionalities are
thrown aside, it is per-
missible to recommend
the reader either to knit
a stocking or to smoke a
pipe over each of these
remarkable productions,
and at the end of the
process some progress will
48
have been made towards understanding and
warmly appreciating them.
While Matthew’s elder brother, James, the
most virile landscapist of our time, stated cheer-
fully to visitors to his studio that his pictures
ought not to be looked at for eight or ten years
after they left his easel (for it would take at
least that time for the colours to mature and
harmonize as the master wanted), the works
of Matthew himself have required even longer
OIL PAINTING BY MATTHEW MARIS
THE YOUNG COOK
[By permission of Messrs. Wallis & Son, the French Gallery)