DOI issue:
[No. 320 (November 1919)]
DOI article:Bodkin, Thomas: The art of Mr. Harry Clarke
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21359#0056
THE ART OF MR. HARRY CLARKE
for his first patron, Mr. Waldron. These
illustrated Synge's poem, " Queens." Each
panel measures about ten inches by six and
is done on a single piece of glass, without
" plating " or “ leading." The detail ob-
tained is unique in the medium of glass, and
is often the result of as many as six" add-
ings." By means of the silver stain and
these acidings the range of colour employed
is little short of marvellous. The two illustra-
tions of this series shown here give a notion
of the delicacy of their drawing, hardly to be
surpassed with the finest pen and the most
fluid ink on smoothest Bristol board. The
illustrations are also useful in showing how
happily Mr. Clarke can combine imagina-
tion and erudition. Lucrezia Crivelli will
be recognized as the subject of Ambrogio
di Predis' famous portrait; Titian's Lady is
his Venus, which is (or was) at the Hermit-
age in Petrograd ; Judith of Scripture was
seen in similar form by Andrea Mantegna ;
and Glorianna’s gown is very like the one
worn by her in Zucchero's picture at
Hampton Court. 0 0 0 0
These panels suggested to Mr. Clarke a
further refinement, and he has since done
four of similar size in which by plating two
pieces of glass, ruby and blue, aciding each
to as many as six various shades down to
transparency, working on them with stain,
and drawing on them with a pen in hot
wax, he has produced effects—and in a
technique—undreamt of by his predeces-
sors. A clear surface, unbroken by " lead-
ing," shows every imaginable combination
of the primary colours. 000
One of these panels is here reproduced—
The Meeting, after a poem by Heinrich
Heine. But not even the best colour pro-
cess can give in print more than the faintest
idea of the glow of the original glass. 0
Among the large windows recently done
by Mr. Clarke the most noticeable are one in
three " lights," a Nativity, at Castlehaven,
co. Cork; a " two-light " Virgin and Child
with Two Saints at Wexford ; and a" single-
light " memorial figure of an Angel at Kil-
liney, co. Dublin. A u three-light"window
of the Sacred Heart is finished for Phibs-
boro' Church, Dublin, and will be erected
there this autumn. Another, of the Cruci-
fixion, is in process of completion for Tere-
nure, co. Dublin. England is to have, late
in the coming year, one of his windows at
50
Nantwich, done to the order of Mr. Arthur
Knowles. 00000
In the intervals of his work in glass Mr
Clarke still draws in black and white. Mr.
Harrap is about to produce a second book
illustrated by him this autumn—a selection
from Edgar Allen Poe's " Tales of Mystery
and Imagination." For this he has done
thirty drawings which surpass in suavity
and grace even his illustrations for the Hans
Andersen stories. With pen and pure
black ink he often gets effects of perspective
and relief which others can only procure by
the lavish use of wash. 000
Though Mr. Clarke is so young, his
career to date may be reckoned one of
achievement rather than of promise. He
has no one to surpass but himself. His
industry seems as little likely to flag as his
imagination. Within the last five years he
has produced, including his drawings, over
two hundred finished works. The mediae-
val artist was not more ready than he is to
turn his art to any worthy use. When
Messrs. Sefton, the textile manufacturers,
approached him lately with the proposition
that he should design for them some hand-
kerchiefs, he took delight in doing a deli-
ciously dainty set which will shortly be put
upon the market. This little excursus was
in the nature of a holiday task. His main
work is, and must always be, in glass. 0
Many of his admirers hope that a demand
for his work as applied especially to domes-
tic architecture may arise. They hold that
his talent for delicate and subtle drawing is
lost when he is called upon to fill windows
in the lofty distances of a church. They
fear that his art, so full of imagination and
personality, may never be sufficiently
understood by ecclesiastical patrons, who
favour as a rule conventional and ritualistic
forms. Whether they be right or wrong,
one thing seems certain—genius will shine
out in all that chance or fortune may turn
him to in future. 0000
Professor Havard Thomas's bas-relief
Agriculture, which was illustrated in our
issue of April last, has been added to the
permanent collection of the National
Museum of Wales at Cardiff, having been
presented by Councillor Renwick, a well-
known local connoisseur, who purchased
it'expressly for this purpose. 0 0
for his first patron, Mr. Waldron. These
illustrated Synge's poem, " Queens." Each
panel measures about ten inches by six and
is done on a single piece of glass, without
" plating " or “ leading." The detail ob-
tained is unique in the medium of glass, and
is often the result of as many as six" add-
ings." By means of the silver stain and
these acidings the range of colour employed
is little short of marvellous. The two illustra-
tions of this series shown here give a notion
of the delicacy of their drawing, hardly to be
surpassed with the finest pen and the most
fluid ink on smoothest Bristol board. The
illustrations are also useful in showing how
happily Mr. Clarke can combine imagina-
tion and erudition. Lucrezia Crivelli will
be recognized as the subject of Ambrogio
di Predis' famous portrait; Titian's Lady is
his Venus, which is (or was) at the Hermit-
age in Petrograd ; Judith of Scripture was
seen in similar form by Andrea Mantegna ;
and Glorianna’s gown is very like the one
worn by her in Zucchero's picture at
Hampton Court. 0 0 0 0
These panels suggested to Mr. Clarke a
further refinement, and he has since done
four of similar size in which by plating two
pieces of glass, ruby and blue, aciding each
to as many as six various shades down to
transparency, working on them with stain,
and drawing on them with a pen in hot
wax, he has produced effects—and in a
technique—undreamt of by his predeces-
sors. A clear surface, unbroken by " lead-
ing," shows every imaginable combination
of the primary colours. 000
One of these panels is here reproduced—
The Meeting, after a poem by Heinrich
Heine. But not even the best colour pro-
cess can give in print more than the faintest
idea of the glow of the original glass. 0
Among the large windows recently done
by Mr. Clarke the most noticeable are one in
three " lights," a Nativity, at Castlehaven,
co. Cork; a " two-light " Virgin and Child
with Two Saints at Wexford ; and a" single-
light " memorial figure of an Angel at Kil-
liney, co. Dublin. A u three-light"window
of the Sacred Heart is finished for Phibs-
boro' Church, Dublin, and will be erected
there this autumn. Another, of the Cruci-
fixion, is in process of completion for Tere-
nure, co. Dublin. England is to have, late
in the coming year, one of his windows at
50
Nantwich, done to the order of Mr. Arthur
Knowles. 00000
In the intervals of his work in glass Mr
Clarke still draws in black and white. Mr.
Harrap is about to produce a second book
illustrated by him this autumn—a selection
from Edgar Allen Poe's " Tales of Mystery
and Imagination." For this he has done
thirty drawings which surpass in suavity
and grace even his illustrations for the Hans
Andersen stories. With pen and pure
black ink he often gets effects of perspective
and relief which others can only procure by
the lavish use of wash. 000
Though Mr. Clarke is so young, his
career to date may be reckoned one of
achievement rather than of promise. He
has no one to surpass but himself. His
industry seems as little likely to flag as his
imagination. Within the last five years he
has produced, including his drawings, over
two hundred finished works. The mediae-
val artist was not more ready than he is to
turn his art to any worthy use. When
Messrs. Sefton, the textile manufacturers,
approached him lately with the proposition
that he should design for them some hand-
kerchiefs, he took delight in doing a deli-
ciously dainty set which will shortly be put
upon the market. This little excursus was
in the nature of a holiday task. His main
work is, and must always be, in glass. 0
Many of his admirers hope that a demand
for his work as applied especially to domes-
tic architecture may arise. They hold that
his talent for delicate and subtle drawing is
lost when he is called upon to fill windows
in the lofty distances of a church. They
fear that his art, so full of imagination and
personality, may never be sufficiently
understood by ecclesiastical patrons, who
favour as a rule conventional and ritualistic
forms. Whether they be right or wrong,
one thing seems certain—genius will shine
out in all that chance or fortune may turn
him to in future. 0000
Professor Havard Thomas's bas-relief
Agriculture, which was illustrated in our
issue of April last, has been added to the
permanent collection of the National
Museum of Wales at Cardiff, having been
presented by Councillor Renwick, a well-
known local connoisseur, who purchased
it'expressly for this purpose. 0 0