Studio: international art (85.1923)

EINAR JONSSON, ICELANDIC SCULPTOR

ness of the man ; the dog by his master's
heels, is like all Jonsson's studies of
animals, beautifully modelled. 0 0

Of Jonsson's studies in symbolism,
Evolution represents the sculptor's concep-
tion of the ascent of man through the stages
of an evolution which will ultimately
culminate in a race purified and ennobled
by the Christian faith. New Life is capable
of more than one interpretation. ** If,"
writes Prof. Bjarnason, “ we stand in front
of it and look under the fold of the woman's
garment, where she raises herself in the
attitude of adoration, we see a figure of
Christ, and two arms which are stretched
in supplication towards him. That suggests
the interpretation of the composition as

“ INGOLFR ARNARSON” (THE
FIRST NORSE SETTLER IN ICE ■
LAND). BY EINAR JONSSON

a whole ; it is a question of some kind of
absolution. If one looks now at the statue
itself, everything becomes clear. This is the
history of man's soul, where it repents. In
the background it lies in a fiery grave of
repentance and is nailed on the painful
cross of its trial and anguish, and suddenly
it is liberated from the cross of torment,
and, on the crest of a mighty wave of
enthusiasm, it rises up with praise and
thanksgiving, ready to begin a new life."

New Life is a poem in exquisite lines and
undulating surfaces. “ From the artistic
standpoint," writes Prof. Bjarnason, “ this
is one of Jonsson's loveliest works. Look,
for instance, at the beautiful line of the
wave, which ascends from the pall at
the back right up to the finger-tips of the
woman, where she is raising her hands to
heaven. I have not seen as beautiful lines
in any other work of art." 000

The relief entitled The Dawn or Toward
the Light should be compared for the
poise of the angel's wings with another
charming relief, The Angel of Life. In the
former an angel, who bears the torch of
the new-rising day in his right hand, winds
his left arm under the arms of the woman,
who looks constantly up to the light. With
the left hand the angel points down to
earth, as if to say, ** Let us think no more
of all that down there, but let us direct our
course upward, higher and higher, to the
light." The application of the thought to
the spiritual life is here as evident as in the
relief representing a man who raises a great
stone from the stem of a weak and stunted
tree. The King of Atlantis is a fanciful
study in the culture of the submerged
Continent of Atlantis, traces of which are
still to be found in both hemispheres,
typified by the two magnificent bulls. 0

The statue of Ingolfr Arnarson is charm-
ing in its atmosphere of romance, and
worthily represents the last category of
Jonsson's works. 0000

The following candidates have been
selected to compete in the Final Competi-
tions for the Rome Scholarships in Sculp-
ture this year : F. P. Chambers (Cambridge
University); Ernest Webb (Nottingham
School of Art); David Evans (Royal
Academy Schools); and A. S. White
(Slade School). 0000

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