DOI issue:
Nr. 353 (August 1922)
DOI article:Salaman, Malcolm C.: Mr. William Walcott's colour notes
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21396#0112
MR. W. WALCOT'S COLOUR NOTES
an architect in Moscow before he came
to London, and discovered himself as a
graphic artist. Buildings he had seen in
many countries, but always he had looked
at them with the interest of the archi-
tectural student, seeing them steadily and
seeing them whole as individual structures ;
but not until he felt his vision enchanted
by the mysterious and ever-changing in-
fluences of the London atmosphere did
architecture reveal to him its pictorial
expressiveness, its broad social signifi-
cance, its elusive beauties. London was,
indeed, a revelation and an inspiration to
an architect who had lived always in clear
atmospheres, and as he noticed the living
significance of her buildings, and saw
them take the changing lights, tones and
half-tones with beauty, the call of the
painter came to him. But it was as a
water-colourist he saw London pictorially ;
and he would wander about with his
sketch-book recording the immediate
impression with swift notes in colour-
washes, afterwards in the studio work-
ing up his notes into the complete
drawing. 00000
There were artists and critics quick to
recognise a new water-colourist of origi-
nality and distinction. His success was
assured. He gave up, not without re-
luctance, his Moscow practice, and
the Fine Art Society, having exhibited
his London water-colours, sent him to
Venice and Rome. This mission marked
a very important stage in his artistic
activities, for in Rome he began to feel
that passionate love for the classic past
which has inspired the most remarkable
work of his life and stamped his indi-
92
" VILLA D'ESTE, TIVOLI." WATER-
COLOUR SKETCH BY WILLIAM
WALCOT, R.E., F.R.I.B.A.
an architect in Moscow before he came
to London, and discovered himself as a
graphic artist. Buildings he had seen in
many countries, but always he had looked
at them with the interest of the archi-
tectural student, seeing them steadily and
seeing them whole as individual structures ;
but not until he felt his vision enchanted
by the mysterious and ever-changing in-
fluences of the London atmosphere did
architecture reveal to him its pictorial
expressiveness, its broad social signifi-
cance, its elusive beauties. London was,
indeed, a revelation and an inspiration to
an architect who had lived always in clear
atmospheres, and as he noticed the living
significance of her buildings, and saw
them take the changing lights, tones and
half-tones with beauty, the call of the
painter came to him. But it was as a
water-colourist he saw London pictorially ;
and he would wander about with his
sketch-book recording the immediate
impression with swift notes in colour-
washes, afterwards in the studio work-
ing up his notes into the complete
drawing. 00000
There were artists and critics quick to
recognise a new water-colourist of origi-
nality and distinction. His success was
assured. He gave up, not without re-
luctance, his Moscow practice, and
the Fine Art Society, having exhibited
his London water-colours, sent him to
Venice and Rome. This mission marked
a very important stage in his artistic
activities, for in Rome he began to feel
that passionate love for the classic past
which has inspired the most remarkable
work of his life and stamped his indi-
92
" VILLA D'ESTE, TIVOLI." WATER-
COLOUR SKETCH BY WILLIAM
WALCOT, R.E., F.R.I.B.A.