DOI issue:
No. 360 (March 1923)
DOI article:Studio-talk
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21397#0190
STUDIO-TALK
was more monochrome work, the Pencil
Society having joined hands with the
pastellists. It is a pity that pastel as a
medium does not find more support from
patrons of pictorial art. There appears to
be an idea prevalent that the medium is not
a durable one, but that notion is amply
refuted by a large number of works that
have stood the test of a hundred years'
existence far better than oil paintings of the
same age. 0 0 0 0 0
There was a goodly array of work in
various media at the third annual show
of the Society of Graphic Art coinciding
in point of time with that of the Pastel
Society, but the contributions of members
were rather overshadowed by a very
interesting collection of drawings by Charles
Keene,lent for the occasion by Mr. Charles
Emanuel. The galleries in Suffolk Street,
where this exhibition was held, are far from
ideal for a large assemblage of small-sized
works like the majority of those displayed,
which, lacking the element of colour, could
not be seen to advantage in their dimly-
lighted environment, although the hanging
was much less crowded than in the previous
exhibitions. 0 0 0 a 0
At the New English Art Club's last
exhibition in the Old Water-Colour Society's
Gallery, the screening-off of the mis-
cellaneous group of water-colours, drawings,
etchings, etc., at one end of the gallery was
an improvement on the former arrange-
ment, and it was in this section that the
chief interest of the exhibition lay. Amongst
the oil paintings, apart from two portraits
by Mr. A. E. John, there was little of
special note. The most prominent work
here was Mr. Robin Guthrie's Sermon on
the Mount, a modernized version of the
subject presenting a marked contrast to
Mr, Gilbert Spencer's primitive treatment
of it which figured in a previous exhibition,
and appeared again in that artist's show at
the Goupil Gallery in January, Of the two,
we prefer Mr. Guthrie's as being less
artificial and at the same time less likely
to wound susceptibilities, though we
have no reason whatever to question the
sincerity of Mr. Spencer in treating the
sacred theme in the way he has, and fully
recognise the right of an artist to depart
from conventional modes of representation
or interpretation in cases of this kind,
170
provided always that he is actuated by
a sincere motive and not by a desire to
achieve notoriety. In dealing with religious
subjects, no modern artist has shown more
freedom from stereotyped conventionality
than Mr. Brangwyn, but all his work of
this kind is inspired and pervaded by
a reverential feeling which commands
respect. 00000
PARIS.—Among recent exhibitions of
contemporary sculpture none was more
noteworthy than the collection of thirty-
two works which Francois Black brought
together at the Barbazanges Gallery, in the
Rue du Faubourg St. Honore. Many of
“ MADONNA AND CHILD”
(WOOD). BY FRANCOIS BLACK
was more monochrome work, the Pencil
Society having joined hands with the
pastellists. It is a pity that pastel as a
medium does not find more support from
patrons of pictorial art. There appears to
be an idea prevalent that the medium is not
a durable one, but that notion is amply
refuted by a large number of works that
have stood the test of a hundred years'
existence far better than oil paintings of the
same age. 0 0 0 0 0
There was a goodly array of work in
various media at the third annual show
of the Society of Graphic Art coinciding
in point of time with that of the Pastel
Society, but the contributions of members
were rather overshadowed by a very
interesting collection of drawings by Charles
Keene,lent for the occasion by Mr. Charles
Emanuel. The galleries in Suffolk Street,
where this exhibition was held, are far from
ideal for a large assemblage of small-sized
works like the majority of those displayed,
which, lacking the element of colour, could
not be seen to advantage in their dimly-
lighted environment, although the hanging
was much less crowded than in the previous
exhibitions. 0 0 0 a 0
At the New English Art Club's last
exhibition in the Old Water-Colour Society's
Gallery, the screening-off of the mis-
cellaneous group of water-colours, drawings,
etchings, etc., at one end of the gallery was
an improvement on the former arrange-
ment, and it was in this section that the
chief interest of the exhibition lay. Amongst
the oil paintings, apart from two portraits
by Mr. A. E. John, there was little of
special note. The most prominent work
here was Mr. Robin Guthrie's Sermon on
the Mount, a modernized version of the
subject presenting a marked contrast to
Mr, Gilbert Spencer's primitive treatment
of it which figured in a previous exhibition,
and appeared again in that artist's show at
the Goupil Gallery in January, Of the two,
we prefer Mr. Guthrie's as being less
artificial and at the same time less likely
to wound susceptibilities, though we
have no reason whatever to question the
sincerity of Mr. Spencer in treating the
sacred theme in the way he has, and fully
recognise the right of an artist to depart
from conventional modes of representation
or interpretation in cases of this kind,
170
provided always that he is actuated by
a sincere motive and not by a desire to
achieve notoriety. In dealing with religious
subjects, no modern artist has shown more
freedom from stereotyped conventionality
than Mr. Brangwyn, but all his work of
this kind is inspired and pervaded by
a reverential feeling which commands
respect. 00000
PARIS.—Among recent exhibitions of
contemporary sculpture none was more
noteworthy than the collection of thirty-
two works which Francois Black brought
together at the Barbazanges Gallery, in the
Rue du Faubourg St. Honore. Many of
“ MADONNA AND CHILD”
(WOOD). BY FRANCOIS BLACK