DOI issue:
No. 310 (January 1919)
DOI article:Lionel P. Smythe, R.A., R.W.S.
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24600#0133
Lionel P. Smythe, R.A., R.IV.S.
self-advertisement, he was not prolific, and he he had no desire to gain an effect of sham spon-
was a slow and conscientious worker. Above taneity by the sacrifice of completeness ; what
all, he did not affect the sensational, story- he wished was to obtain by the simplest and
telling sort of subject that the majority of people most direct means the result at which he aimed,
find so engrossing. What interested him most Therefore both his oil paintings and his water-
was the quiet, everyday life of the district in colours have a frankly expressive quality of
which he had made his home, the delicate beauty craftsmanship that is satisfying in the highest
of nature constantly manifested to him, and the degree. They are handled with the certainty
humanity of the peasants and fisher-folk whom that comes from thorough knowledge of the
he had for neighbours. From his surroundings way in which the devices of technique should
he drew his inspiration ; they satisfied him and be used to make intelligible what is in the artist's
they gave him the material that made to him mind, and always they are distinguished by a
the strongest appeal, but they did not, it can masterly economy of effort—he chose with a
well be imagined, offer him oppoitunities for sure instinct the executive method that was
the development of the kind of art to which most appropriate to the subject in hand, and
as a rule popularity is accorded. ' applied this method with a keen perception of
That this should have been so will be accounted its possibilities. The sham finish that comes
fortunate by those who admire the paintings from mere elaboration of paint surface he
he produced. Because he was true
to his own conviction, because he - ------.—,~ ~-.......—^......— -----------7____.„.............----
followed the direction towards
which he was temperamentally
inclined and refused to angle for
success with a popular bait, he
added to British art much that
cause his inspiration was derived * i ' yjjj^jjjjgllii
immediately from the life with - ' -*^»t / ^
which he was intimately m con- •-< mgf ^ \^ *
tact there was in everything he
did a degree of significance that
is attainable only by the artist
wh.o an^ab^ ui^dersta^.d-
reckles^^ of to ^is
a necessary proof of ability, and "the bait-digger" by lionel smythe, r.a.
121
self-advertisement, he was not prolific, and he he had no desire to gain an effect of sham spon-
was a slow and conscientious worker. Above taneity by the sacrifice of completeness ; what
all, he did not affect the sensational, story- he wished was to obtain by the simplest and
telling sort of subject that the majority of people most direct means the result at which he aimed,
find so engrossing. What interested him most Therefore both his oil paintings and his water-
was the quiet, everyday life of the district in colours have a frankly expressive quality of
which he had made his home, the delicate beauty craftsmanship that is satisfying in the highest
of nature constantly manifested to him, and the degree. They are handled with the certainty
humanity of the peasants and fisher-folk whom that comes from thorough knowledge of the
he had for neighbours. From his surroundings way in which the devices of technique should
he drew his inspiration ; they satisfied him and be used to make intelligible what is in the artist's
they gave him the material that made to him mind, and always they are distinguished by a
the strongest appeal, but they did not, it can masterly economy of effort—he chose with a
well be imagined, offer him oppoitunities for sure instinct the executive method that was
the development of the kind of art to which most appropriate to the subject in hand, and
as a rule popularity is accorded. ' applied this method with a keen perception of
That this should have been so will be accounted its possibilities. The sham finish that comes
fortunate by those who admire the paintings from mere elaboration of paint surface he
he produced. Because he was true
to his own conviction, because he - ------.—,~ ~-.......—^......— -----------7____.„.............----
followed the direction towards
which he was temperamentally
inclined and refused to angle for
success with a popular bait, he
added to British art much that
cause his inspiration was derived * i ' yjjj^jjjjgllii
immediately from the life with - ' -*^»t / ^
which he was intimately m con- •-< mgf ^ \^ *
tact there was in everything he
did a degree of significance that
is attainable only by the artist
wh.o an^ab^ ui^dersta^.d-
reckles^^ of to ^is
a necessary proof of ability, and "the bait-digger" by lionel smythe, r.a.
121