The Flower Paintings of Herbert Davis Ric liter, R.O.I.
facts and he dwells with precision upon the many nitely the whole of Mr. Davis Richter's work as
little things which make up the complete object a flower-painter. Trained in his youth as a de-
he has chosen for study. This was generally signer and decorator, it was natural that when
the attitude of the Dutch masters of flower he developed a little later into a painter of
painting, whose realism could scarcely be sur- pictures he should incline more towards the
passed ; and it was adopted, too, by more decorative treatment of flower subjects than
recent masters like that consummate craftsman towards the botanical minuteness of the Dutch
Fantin-Latour, who rivalled the finest of the masters. A lover of flowers, he was more
Dutchmen in perfection of accomplishment and attracted by their riotous glory of colour when
more than equalled them in grace of style and grown in profusion than by the subtle beauties
delicacy of feeling. of structure which can be discovered by close
The decorative painter is less occupied with examination of the single blossom. In the
the smaller botanical realities. His aim is flower masses he saw nature in her gayest dress,
rather to generalize his material and to take revelling in the joy of life and rejoicing in the
advantage of the opportunities it offers him to loveliness of the world over which she rules,
secure brilliant and stimulating colour effects, and only by the sympathetic rendering of these
Naturally he does not ignore the specific masses did he feel that he could convey the
character of the flowers he paints and he does full impression of her luxuriance and prodi-
not omit to study their forms and the manner gal generosity. It was a strong sentiment
of their growth, because all these are essential that moved him, but the sentiment was right
details which count for
much in the construction
of his scheme of design ;
but for his purposes it
is sufficient to be sure of
the main facts and to get
them into the right deco-
rative relation. What he
wants chiefly is the in-
spiration of colour, the
stimulus which flowers
give pre-eminently to the
man who feels strongly
the colour emotion. Their
infinite variety of hue and
tint, their range from the
most delicate colour tones
to the most sumptuous
and gorgeous, their ex-
quisiteness of combination
and gradation are to him
a constant incitement to
renewed effort; his enthu-
siasm can never flag while
he has them before him
to key up his senses, and
his colour perception can
never become dull or un-
responsive so long as his
love of flowers remains to
him.
It is this decorative
sense that marks defi- "peonies and a Chinese figure" by h. davis richter, r.o.i.
20
facts and he dwells with precision upon the many nitely the whole of Mr. Davis Richter's work as
little things which make up the complete object a flower-painter. Trained in his youth as a de-
he has chosen for study. This was generally signer and decorator, it was natural that when
the attitude of the Dutch masters of flower he developed a little later into a painter of
painting, whose realism could scarcely be sur- pictures he should incline more towards the
passed ; and it was adopted, too, by more decorative treatment of flower subjects than
recent masters like that consummate craftsman towards the botanical minuteness of the Dutch
Fantin-Latour, who rivalled the finest of the masters. A lover of flowers, he was more
Dutchmen in perfection of accomplishment and attracted by their riotous glory of colour when
more than equalled them in grace of style and grown in profusion than by the subtle beauties
delicacy of feeling. of structure which can be discovered by close
The decorative painter is less occupied with examination of the single blossom. In the
the smaller botanical realities. His aim is flower masses he saw nature in her gayest dress,
rather to generalize his material and to take revelling in the joy of life and rejoicing in the
advantage of the opportunities it offers him to loveliness of the world over which she rules,
secure brilliant and stimulating colour effects, and only by the sympathetic rendering of these
Naturally he does not ignore the specific masses did he feel that he could convey the
character of the flowers he paints and he does full impression of her luxuriance and prodi-
not omit to study their forms and the manner gal generosity. It was a strong sentiment
of their growth, because all these are essential that moved him, but the sentiment was right
details which count for
much in the construction
of his scheme of design ;
but for his purposes it
is sufficient to be sure of
the main facts and to get
them into the right deco-
rative relation. What he
wants chiefly is the in-
spiration of colour, the
stimulus which flowers
give pre-eminently to the
man who feels strongly
the colour emotion. Their
infinite variety of hue and
tint, their range from the
most delicate colour tones
to the most sumptuous
and gorgeous, their ex-
quisiteness of combination
and gradation are to him
a constant incitement to
renewed effort; his enthu-
siasm can never flag while
he has them before him
to key up his senses, and
his colour perception can
never become dull or un-
responsive so long as his
love of flowers remains to
him.
It is this decorative
sense that marks defi- "peonies and a Chinese figure" by h. davis richter, r.o.i.
20