Studio: international art (88.1924)

LONDON

"FERIOLO." WATER-COLOUR
BY E. ROWLEY SMART

ordinary type of theatrical decoration,
without being unduly eccentric or extrava-
gant. Mr. Sheringham has had here an
opportunity which he has known well how
to use to advantage, and he has added
something of value to the art of the stage
—but, after all, that was to be expected
from an artist of his sound judgment
and correct taste. a a a a
The other illustrations represent ade-
quately various types of achievement. The
etching, Le Quai du Rosaire, Bruges, by
Mr. W. M. Larkins, has the real merit of
being drawn with much sureness and
firmness of line and is rich in tone without
being unduly ponderous. Mr. Rowley
Smart's water-colour is vigorous and
direct, and combines significance of hand-
ling with a pleasant sensitiveness in the
interpretation of nature ; it is the work
of a man who observes intelligently and
can set down confidently what he has seen.
Miss Joan Bell's pen-drawing can be
commended for its delicacy and precision
and for its possession of a certain charm
of style. It belongs to a class of art
practice in which executive subtleties have
to be seriously considered and in which
the handling must be clean and orderly

211

an interesting way how greatly the manner
in which a subject is dealt with counts in
the achievement of a satisfying pictorial
result. The material chosen in this in-
stance—a view from a town back window—
would seem to be at first sight sufficiently
unpromising, but the opportunities it
offered of obtaining subtle effects of
colour, tone, and atmosphere have been
turned to good account and an amusing
touch of realism has been given by the
introduction of the raindrops on the
window-panes. This picture is a logical
expression of the artist's conviction that
any material which has effective pos-
sibilities is worthy of serious consideration.

Mr. George Sheringham's marked origin-
ality and unusual fertility of invention
are admirably displayed in his designs, for
the mounting of " Midsummer Madness "
at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. The
act drop and the costume design illustrated,
show well his delightful decorative sense
and his distinctive unconventionality. The
act drop, as a piece of ingenious pattern-
making, is remarkably successful, and with
all its complication of detail it has a
convincing largeness of effect, and it is
certainly an agreeable departure from the