DOI issue:
No. 308 (November 1918)
DOI article:Baldry, Alfred Lys: Modern miniatures
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24600#0048
Modern Miniatures
"WINIFRED: A PORTRAIT STUDY." BY N.
HEPBURN-EDMUNDS
of 1913, Miss Katharine Vincent, by Mr. J. S.
Clark, and The Jade, by Miss J. L. Brisley, are
fortunate illustrations of the interpretation of
established principles by artists who have a
shrewd perception of present-day necessities.
In these examples, and the others which are
reproduced, it can be clearly seen that there is
no necessity to impose the snapshot manner
upon the miniature for the sake of securing a
definitely characteristic likeness ; all that makes
for greatness in a portrait can be aimed at,
and yet that portrait can be in its result as
vividly personal as even the most photographi-
cally educated member of the public could
desire. This is the point that the miniature
painters of to-day have to keep in mind, and
so long as they do keep it in mind they will
escape the taint of the photographic convention.
There is, it may be suggested, the more
urgent need for serious consideration of this
matter, because the modern portrait painter
cannot, even with the best intentions, avoid
the photograph entirely. Indeed, he comes
into contact with it rather frequently and has
to take its peculiarities into account on a good
many occasions. For instance, the material
available for a posthumous portrait is, as a
40
rule, wholly photographic ; the artist has to
depend for his knowledge of the subject upon
the family photograph album, and is oppressed
while he is working by the consciousness that
the success of his achievement will be measured
by the degree of its assimilation to the contents
of that overshadowing book. That under such
conditions he should give way to the tempta-
tion to please his clients by following their
wishes, and should be disposed to use a little
too readily what they think he ought to use,
is quite understandable. Again, when his
sitter is a child, a photograph will help him
to arrive at a satisfactory result despite the
restlessness of his subject ; and here too, the
inclination to depend upon something fixed and
definite becomes difficult to resist—it is a very
conscientious artist indeed who will always
refuse to take the line of least resistance. But,
all the same, it is the duty of the miniature
painter to cultivate a conscience, and to re-
member that the traditions of his art require
that he shall be a decorator as well as a pro-
ducer of recognizable likenesses. Observation
he must have, and a shrewd judgment of
character, but he must develop in addition
a real power of design and must make the
decorative side of his work at least as important
as its imitative quality. A. L. Baldry
" PEGGY " BY N. HEPBURN-EDMUNDS
"WINIFRED: A PORTRAIT STUDY." BY N.
HEPBURN-EDMUNDS
of 1913, Miss Katharine Vincent, by Mr. J. S.
Clark, and The Jade, by Miss J. L. Brisley, are
fortunate illustrations of the interpretation of
established principles by artists who have a
shrewd perception of present-day necessities.
In these examples, and the others which are
reproduced, it can be clearly seen that there is
no necessity to impose the snapshot manner
upon the miniature for the sake of securing a
definitely characteristic likeness ; all that makes
for greatness in a portrait can be aimed at,
and yet that portrait can be in its result as
vividly personal as even the most photographi-
cally educated member of the public could
desire. This is the point that the miniature
painters of to-day have to keep in mind, and
so long as they do keep it in mind they will
escape the taint of the photographic convention.
There is, it may be suggested, the more
urgent need for serious consideration of this
matter, because the modern portrait painter
cannot, even with the best intentions, avoid
the photograph entirely. Indeed, he comes
into contact with it rather frequently and has
to take its peculiarities into account on a good
many occasions. For instance, the material
available for a posthumous portrait is, as a
40
rule, wholly photographic ; the artist has to
depend for his knowledge of the subject upon
the family photograph album, and is oppressed
while he is working by the consciousness that
the success of his achievement will be measured
by the degree of its assimilation to the contents
of that overshadowing book. That under such
conditions he should give way to the tempta-
tion to please his clients by following their
wishes, and should be disposed to use a little
too readily what they think he ought to use,
is quite understandable. Again, when his
sitter is a child, a photograph will help him
to arrive at a satisfactory result despite the
restlessness of his subject ; and here too, the
inclination to depend upon something fixed and
definite becomes difficult to resist—it is a very
conscientious artist indeed who will always
refuse to take the line of least resistance. But,
all the same, it is the duty of the miniature
painter to cultivate a conscience, and to re-
member that the traditions of his art require
that he shall be a decorator as well as a pro-
ducer of recognizable likenesses. Observation
he must have, and a shrewd judgment of
character, but he must develop in addition
a real power of design and must make the
decorative side of his work at least as important
as its imitative quality. A. L. Baldry
" PEGGY " BY N. HEPBURN-EDMUNDS