Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
F"""T' =" ~ -.
THACK ERAY AS AN ART.
CRITIC.

In June, 1898, the first of his art.
criticisms appears. T~hackeray was
then twenty-seven years old. He had
seen much of life il various countries:
at Weimar, where he enjoyed. the So
ciety of Goethe; at Rome, with lngres.
the French painter: aud at Paris,
among all sorts of people. His first
intention was to become q painter. 1t
is doubtful if he would eper have sue
oeeded as an artist. He had all the
artists imagination, and some skill. in
%sketchin2 and in easicatUring; but his
drawing was deficient in finish and
faulty in perspective. lie copied some
of the most celebrated f.ietures at Paris
and Rome; but, after all. it was, rathe-
for enjoyment than as Il serious bust
ness. At that time his means Were
ample. When, ufterward, it came to
working for a livelihood, literature,
not art vas his chosen medium for adj
dressing the world. His hand was NOT
equal to tho execution cf the scenes il
which his Imagination reveled. Be
| You'd sketches-of which hundreds are
found scattered through the books he
Tead-aua the illustration OF some OF
his own novels aud stories, none of his
art-Syo4k is known to exist. NET there
is a'freedom and power in some of these
which more than makes up for their
evident; defects. Who would miss the
striking individuality of his represent
ations-such, for instance, us Miss
Swartz Rehearsing for the Drawing
Room, or Mr.. Osborpe's Welcome to
Amelia-for any amount of technical
skill and superioritya
Perhaps the earlier part of Give
Newcome's career is Il fair representa-
ton of his own; that half-jocose, half
earnest playing at art, which never
makes an artist. Yet such study as, in
his youth he gave to painting he after
ward turned to better uses in literature.
The satirical saying that the critics are
those who have failed III their brofes-
sion does not apply to Thackeray.
Never was more kindly, or generous, or
appreciatiye critic OF painters. ii there
was any excellence in a picture, he was
sure at least to try to'tind it; and if he
could not say anything good, he said
nothing. He never learned to WELD
the bludgeon or the broadsword. His
whole spirit is helpful and encouraging
to every kind>of merit. Nowhere can
one find an expression of his concern
ing a picture which is not good-temper-
ed, honest, and frank. His own failure
did not sour him, nor awaken. any
jealousy toward others more'successful.
His sense of justice told him the verdict
was a correct one.
His first published essay Oh art mat
tiers is under the rhythmical title, STRIFE
lures on Pictures. 1t is in the form of
a letter from Mr.. Michael Angelo Tit
marsh, anJ bears date, with all that
particularly WHICH distinguishes the
correspondence OF EnSlisbmen, LORDS
Hotel, New Street, Covent Garden,
Tuesday, 18th May, 1888" 1t is adj
dressed with equal minuteness of detail
to ''Monsieur Ara1ole lsidor Hyacinthe
Achille Hereuse de Bricabrac, Peintre
d'Histoire, Rue Moutfctard, Il Paris"
1t gives an elaborate account OF the
paintings exhibited in London, in the
spring Of 1888, in the three picture gall
leries OF hat city. 1t is full OF the warm
enthusiasm with which he always re-
joiced to recognize merit in his contem-
poraries, and the bright humor and
satire with which he always equally re-
joiced to attack p%retension. His anger
is reused by the place of exhibition.
The Royal Academy Exhibition is held
Sin one wing of II little building like a
ginshop." He is SO impressed with
this that he repeats the same comment
the next year. He then goes on:
Thanks to your lthe Frenchl govern
ment patronage. your magnificent pub
lie galleries, and above all your deli
cious sky and sunshine, there is not a
scavenger in your nalion who has not a
feeling for the beauty Of nature, which
is neither more nor less than art.'
This love of the beauty OF nature is the
very keynote OF all Thackeray's writ
ings about art. Without that, art and
art-criticism are impossible. -EpArasm
Young ia November atlantic.