The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-14

In which the lines arc not easily seen. produce
upon the mind astrdngcr impression Of truth
fulness than large platesi with powerful BURN
work. Whom left 10 itself In short limo en-.
craving has never boon true In tone IL has
only tended TO become 80 after initiating oil
paintings. In its own natural condition, line
engraving Is an exceedingly simple art Though
difficult in its simplicity and since nature is
as complicated "a rossibls, IL is plain that such
an art must be highly abstract and convcn-
uonal; that 1t must. in other words. rcjoct all
tho qualities Of nature which embarrass 1t.
In tho glinpsos here offered Of Mr. Hamcr-
toms useful book wo have drawn attention. by
preference. to those graphic arts regarding
whose capabilities and processes some miscon-
ccption il still curront. For his discussion OF
freseo OIL and waterooor painting wo must
refer the reader TO his volume. but We would
not lay II down without glance ut his highly
appreciativo account OF the excellent artistic
work that may be accomplished with such sim
pie materials charcoal and pen and ink.
Charcoal. We arc told. approaches closely to the
qualities of many natural objects and effects
which arc Of great Importance in the fine
arts. 1t initiates with success. tho tex
lures and modelling OF the human
body and also OF tho materials used
cloudy skies. 10 that by skilful hands their
quality Of softnoss in contour and their deli
cacy in light and shade can be initiated with
wonderful truth. A clear atmosphere. on the
other hand, cannot DO rendered 10 happily In
charcoal for it will always have somewhat
smoky effect; but oven here you get the feeling
OF pormeability and romotenoss. All textures
of earth and vegetation Gin be reproduced in
this medium with striking fidelity. Rocks.
EARTH grass. tho foliage and the trunks of
troos. all these things arc we'll within It's
means. 1t Stimulates tho qualities of
water surfaces admirably. blending easily tho
reflections in calm water. and afIording many
facilities for exhibiting the changing forms
of waves. not in mere Hat silhouettes. but in
full mass and volume Tho capital quality OF
charcoal. however. with reference to nature Is
the extreme ease with which IL renders the
effects Of light and dark. Mr.. Hhmerton AYERS
that simply to hold u piece Of charcoal in the
hand, and to be In tho presence Of nature. is in
itself almost an education in ctiarOsauo. 30
strongly Is tho artist tempted to the study OF
shado He adds that while nature exacts from
oil her votaries much labor and long patience.
she Is very unequal in the bestowal OF reward.
and il certainly kinder To the workers in char
coal than to many others; their art is. OF all
the graphic arts. the one that soonest repays
labor.
In his study OF tho rationale Of pen and ink
drawing. Mr.. Hamorton points out that the
limits of this graphic art lie chiefly in tone and
graduation. and that the great artists who have
used tho pen-includnR Michael Angelo.
Raphael. Titan. Dnrer. Rembrandt-have not
required from it even much tone and gradh-
ton rs it has been made to yield in modern
times. Their rs,ason for this reticence was
doubtless because. whenever tone and graduation
happened to be thoir specific objects. they had
other and more rapid means Of comprising
them at their command. When tho great
masters whom we have Just mentioned took
up the pen, they purposGly simpliHod tho OK
position Of nature by the omission Of tones.
and the more they knew of tane the
moro they simplhcd Neither did they
care about making shade initiative of the
delicate quality which 1t has In nature. On the
contrary. they indicated the presence of shade
by lines which. in their best work. had the
least Of its natural softness. In short, accord
ing to Mr.. Hamcrtnn. pen drawing as prac-
tiscd by tho greatest masters. is wisely and
resOlutey conventional. 1t liz avowediy but q
partial expression OF natural truth. and 1t will
ingiy accepts the falsity Of linear shading with
out attempting to dissimulats it by nal ing the
lines so delicate that they may be unobtrusive.
In other words. IL does not copy nature. but
translatesher. Ii omits her minute beauties
her delicate finish but ii observes the great
truths of structure growth. tendency. and sets
them forth with very powerful emphasis. 1t
suggests light and shade. sometimes. indeed.
1t goes further and suggests local color also.
but 1t makes NO effort to initiate either. The
capital merit Of the pen line with reference to
nature IL n freedom which permits it to follow
easily the sinuostins Of natural things. Im-
tation might be. and of late has been. car
ried further by its means than it was in the
works of the great masters. but this in the
opinion Of our author, requires u foolish OK
penditure OF timo. The results OF his interest
ing survey OF this primitive form OF graphic
art arc summed up by Mr.. Hamerton in the
remark that one Of the educational advantages
10 be derived from the study Of pen drawings
by great men is that they tnach us most effec-
lively the distinction between pure nature
which can never BIO portrayed az 1t H. and the
artificial, conventional expression To which the
human spirit must necessarily have recourse.
II