DOI Heft:
No. 346 (January 1922)
DOI Artikel:Reviews
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21395#0074
REVIEWS
“ RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.” OIL STUDY
FOR LUNETTE IN HARRISBURG CAPITOL
(38 X 22 FT.). BY E. A. ABBEY, R.A.
(From a Copley Print; Copyright, E. A.
Abbey)
REVIEWS
Edwin Austin Abbey, Royal Academician:
The Record of his Life and Work. By E. V.
Lucas. 2 vols. (London : Methuen and
Co.)—There could assuredly be no better
memorial to an artist of rare talent than
the record embodied in these two volumes.
The textual record, compiled with con-
scientious care largely from the corre-
spondence that passed between the artist
and his friends, reveals a man passionately
devoted to his work right to the last, and
at the same time a personality of singular
geniality. Pari passu with the narrative
his achievements as a draughtsman and
painter are set forth in a series of repro-
ductions, chiefly photogravure plates ;
and these illustrations, selected by his
eminent colleague and intimate friend,
Mr. J. S. Sargent, and all admirably
executed, give an enduring value to the
record. Of Mr. Sargent himself we get
many glimpses in these pages. In 1885
the two were staying at that delightful
village, Broadway, Worcestershire, whither
Abbey had brought his compatriot after
the latter had nearly killed himself at
Pangbourne by diving from the Weir
and striking a spike with his head. a
“ We are all busy as bees at Broadway. We’ve
been quite a large colony. . . . Sargent has
been painting a great big picture in the garden of
Barnard's two little girls in white, lighting Chinese
lanterns hung about rose trees and lilies [Carnation,
Lily, Lily, Rose, now at the Tate Gallery]. . We’ve
lots of music—Sargent plays and Miss Gertrude
Griswold sings to us like an angel. ...” a
Four or five years later we find them dis-
cussing future plans far into the night,
and Abbey is advised to paint the nude—
“ a large, pale, fattish nude woman with
no particular drawing in her." He had
never painted from the nude hitherto.
And a year later they were working to-
gether in the big studio at Fairford where
Abbey began his large decorations for the
Boston Library, which were not com-
pleted till 1 go 1. Abbey was nearly forty
when he received the Boston Commission,
and previously his reputation rested en-
tirely on his drawings illustrating English
classical literature, which Millais con-
sidered should alone have secured his
electiontotheR.A.,butitisclearthathisgreat
57
“ RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.” OIL STUDY
FOR LUNETTE IN HARRISBURG CAPITOL
(38 X 22 FT.). BY E. A. ABBEY, R.A.
(From a Copley Print; Copyright, E. A.
Abbey)
REVIEWS
Edwin Austin Abbey, Royal Academician:
The Record of his Life and Work. By E. V.
Lucas. 2 vols. (London : Methuen and
Co.)—There could assuredly be no better
memorial to an artist of rare talent than
the record embodied in these two volumes.
The textual record, compiled with con-
scientious care largely from the corre-
spondence that passed between the artist
and his friends, reveals a man passionately
devoted to his work right to the last, and
at the same time a personality of singular
geniality. Pari passu with the narrative
his achievements as a draughtsman and
painter are set forth in a series of repro-
ductions, chiefly photogravure plates ;
and these illustrations, selected by his
eminent colleague and intimate friend,
Mr. J. S. Sargent, and all admirably
executed, give an enduring value to the
record. Of Mr. Sargent himself we get
many glimpses in these pages. In 1885
the two were staying at that delightful
village, Broadway, Worcestershire, whither
Abbey had brought his compatriot after
the latter had nearly killed himself at
Pangbourne by diving from the Weir
and striking a spike with his head. a
“ We are all busy as bees at Broadway. We’ve
been quite a large colony. . . . Sargent has
been painting a great big picture in the garden of
Barnard's two little girls in white, lighting Chinese
lanterns hung about rose trees and lilies [Carnation,
Lily, Lily, Rose, now at the Tate Gallery]. . We’ve
lots of music—Sargent plays and Miss Gertrude
Griswold sings to us like an angel. ...” a
Four or five years later we find them dis-
cussing future plans far into the night,
and Abbey is advised to paint the nude—
“ a large, pale, fattish nude woman with
no particular drawing in her." He had
never painted from the nude hitherto.
And a year later they were working to-
gether in the big studio at Fairford where
Abbey began his large decorations for the
Boston Library, which were not com-
pleted till 1 go 1. Abbey was nearly forty
when he received the Boston Commission,
and previously his reputation rested en-
tirely on his drawings illustrating English
classical literature, which Millais con-
sidered should alone have secured his
electiontotheR.A.,butitisclearthathisgreat
57