DOI issue:
No. 347 (February 1922)
DOI article:Water-colour by Miss St. John Partridge
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21395#0108
WATER-COLOURS BY MISS ST. JOHN PARTRIDGE
for him—the tradition which accepts the
precision of Turner, the large simplicity of
Cotman, the crisp certainty of De Wint,
the fluent looseness of David Cox, and the
minute elaboration of William Hunt, as all
equally permissible and equally justified by
the authority of the past. By the practice of
such masters was established the freedom
which the water-colour painter enjoys to-
day, to ignore the restrictionsof the theorists
and to adopt that form of expression which
fits best with his taste and temperament. 0
Certainly, this must be accounted for-
tunate, for freedom has brought vitality to
the art of water-colour, and has produced a
number of painters of marked individuality.
The work of one of them—Miss St. John
Partridge—who has already attained a posi-
tion of much distinction, is illustrated here ;
it is notable for certain qualities which are
sufficiently unusual to set it definitely apart
from the bulk of modern effort. For one
thing, it is conspicuously robust in crafts-
manship and exceptionally ready in hand-
ling, but the robustness is not exaggerated,
and the readiness does not degenerate into
empty facility—there is always evident the
control of a correct intention. For another,
the view of the subject is consistently
original, without, however, becoming
merely extravagant—sound considerations
of composition have guided the arrange-
ment of such a motive as The Windmill,
Dixmude, and a right appreciation of line
and of the placing of masses has emphasised
thepicturesqueness of theMontreuxsubject.
In both these paintings, and in the flower
study too, the summariness of brushwork
can be readily accepted, because it is not
used as a trick to evade accuracy of draw-
ing, indeed it has a particular significance
as the technical means by which the artist
declares freshly and spontaneously her
understanding of form and keeps unim-
paired the clearness of her first impression.
Miss St. John Partridge has decidedly
many claims to consideration—how strong
they are the exhibition of her work which is
now open in the Grosvenor Gallery shows
very plainly. W. K. W.
"THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.” PEN AND
WASH DRAWING BY G. P, TIEPOLO
(Exhibition of Drawings, Goupil Gallery
—see next page)
91
for him—the tradition which accepts the
precision of Turner, the large simplicity of
Cotman, the crisp certainty of De Wint,
the fluent looseness of David Cox, and the
minute elaboration of William Hunt, as all
equally permissible and equally justified by
the authority of the past. By the practice of
such masters was established the freedom
which the water-colour painter enjoys to-
day, to ignore the restrictionsof the theorists
and to adopt that form of expression which
fits best with his taste and temperament. 0
Certainly, this must be accounted for-
tunate, for freedom has brought vitality to
the art of water-colour, and has produced a
number of painters of marked individuality.
The work of one of them—Miss St. John
Partridge—who has already attained a posi-
tion of much distinction, is illustrated here ;
it is notable for certain qualities which are
sufficiently unusual to set it definitely apart
from the bulk of modern effort. For one
thing, it is conspicuously robust in crafts-
manship and exceptionally ready in hand-
ling, but the robustness is not exaggerated,
and the readiness does not degenerate into
empty facility—there is always evident the
control of a correct intention. For another,
the view of the subject is consistently
original, without, however, becoming
merely extravagant—sound considerations
of composition have guided the arrange-
ment of such a motive as The Windmill,
Dixmude, and a right appreciation of line
and of the placing of masses has emphasised
thepicturesqueness of theMontreuxsubject.
In both these paintings, and in the flower
study too, the summariness of brushwork
can be readily accepted, because it is not
used as a trick to evade accuracy of draw-
ing, indeed it has a particular significance
as the technical means by which the artist
declares freshly and spontaneously her
understanding of form and keeps unim-
paired the clearness of her first impression.
Miss St. John Partridge has decidedly
many claims to consideration—how strong
they are the exhibition of her work which is
now open in the Grosvenor Gallery shows
very plainly. W. K. W.
"THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.” PEN AND
WASH DRAWING BY G. P, TIEPOLO
(Exhibition of Drawings, Goupil Gallery
—see next page)
91