New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-23


Rroakcs first made known 10 many n"'', 10,
readers through a biography published in inc Por'
foIos and accompanied by many repinuuo'o',s VI ~,
pencil drawings. Some Of these drawings "'er"aiu
appeared In Wide Awake and they arc no" cooo'ou
I'm this dainty little volume with an accompaniment
of biographical notes By Mr. Lehcrbrow, inc "u'ho'
of the papers in "Ths Portfolio Such a pfeseh'a
t,on Of tho artists studies of chlldc Is fully Jusuhed
NV their quality In illustrative as In academic arr
personality is not common that IT'S re0oe"'"'"
should pass unnoticod. These DRAWINGS however
were not primarily illustrative we gather Una. 'io
artist preferred pencil TO brush for his syIhpathe'c
studies of dis children and, so far as we KNOW MS
use of color was altogether secondary to his WORK IN
hI.ch and white That he should have reached such
exprrssive results in severe a medium becomes
the moro remarkable when we are acquainted with the
limitations OF his life.
Warwick Brookes the son of Lancashire factory
operator, was born in 1908, in Stafford, suburb VI
Manchester. At the age of nine, after three years
st school. he became tier boy" under his uncle,
block printer in somo calico printing works. Here
as at school the boy occupied his leisure time in draw
ing and some of his drawings came to the notice Of
his master, fortunately appleciative, who removed
him TO the designing room. lie became "shech-
Maker and a draughsman of patterns on the Dioch'
and for fifteen years he remained with MS hrs' eh-
Mover "dIlgently seeking TO improve in drawing
and In art apart from the business of design although
his surroundings were sadly against him. In 100
the visit of Hayden awakened the ambnnoh vi ""''
chester and the FOLLOWING year School OF DeSs'
was founded, with Ny. Brookes As ono OF inc ms
m,ps The master. Mr. Boil. who had studieo III
Rome was an accomplished drauehtsman ana designer
~ Tho figure and although the teaching was very
different from tbs encyclopedia instruction OF tho
present day. Mr. Bell impaired knowlcose oi ioIIi'
Of proportion, tho analysis OF light ana Shaue' INC
principles OF ornament and design, composltloh INC
knowledge of the human figure and nobility OF syle
sfv
had studied his earlier years. the frczes OF Parhe
non were placed before him and the new opportunities
were so well improved that IN Two years nc game"
a prize for a lfs-sizc study from the living mouoi
This study of the figure and tentative efforts III PANT
ing camc 10 an end with the resignation OF MI Zen
in Is43 but Mr. Brookes and his friends immediaeN
formed an Independent class for study from life ana
two years later they received Hayden on second
visit and exhibited to him drawings which mat pas
sionato scfwilled. most ambitious ana most unhappy
apostle of art received with the highest praise keh
Ing the perseverance, OF these young men to the hdeN
Of the early Christians. At these classes Mt BrooAeS
exhibited some Sketches from nature, from Shake
speare Spcnscr and Wordsworth and some illustrations
of the Journal OF Poor Wear His first appear
ance IN a public collection at the Manchester eN-
lbiti0n in 1857 hive years after his marriage IL Is
said that his contributions, dozen pencil drawings
and an oil pauting OF cats. were singled ont anu al
nred by the Prince Cousor but no important &C.
In 1865 there began most painful period of seven
teen years Of invalidsm. printing company with
which he had been connected retained him as pen
soner until his independence rebellcd, but there was
pressing need of aid, and fortunately recognition was
obtained al the right time. some friends photo-
eraphed various drawings of children and brought
the portfolios Of photographs TO the notice of Sir
Waller C. James. Lord Hardinge sir Francis Grant
tfen president OF the Royal Academy and finally MI
Gladstone We have such art on the walls
OF the Academy the verdict OF Sir Francs
Grant and the author Of : ab ard his Friend wrote,
when engaging Mr.. BrookeS to make some drawings:
Genius such as yours best left 70 its own prompt
ings; you are thoroughly original without being in the
least odd or strained You remind Inc most Of the
German Richter. but you more yourself than any
body else"
In spite Of invalldism. this was the begnn-
ing of the sunncst Period Of the artists
life Ills letters from 1870 to 1873 de
scribe his enjoyment Of visits 10 Lord Northbournc
and the Duke OF Argyl. and he records the infinite
kindness with which he was received by Mr. and Mrs
Gladstone at Hawarlen in 1876 Five years before
through the efforts of Mr. Gladstone. who had enlisted
the personal interest OF the Queen and other members
Of the royal family, q grant was made to Mr. Br0okes
Of clO0 year on the Civil list Thus the later
Years OF the artist passed in comfort and hap
rtness due not only to his work in art hut also TO APP
rrccat;on of a life noble. pure and beautiful to
quote the words of letter from Mr. Gladstone writ
len soon after the artists death in 1882.
Ii will be seen that the strongest Influences of the
artists period of sttly were classic, and the elect
& sometimes felt in MS arrangement OF drapey ana
flow of line. Yet ii would be easy to make too much
Of this implication. In simplicity and purity Of
eral design, and in certain severity of line. ilo
beautiful drawing called Bedtime shows classic
affiliations. Yet the feeling OF low-Iclef i'm the mod
cling aud the actus,ty of expression, might well be
derived from study OF the art of Donaellos time;
he NH
like the pastoral studies, might trace likeness TO
some modern German painters OF genre. But nothing
can he more Improbable than the hunting down OF
resemblances in tho case OF an artist whose sympa-
fhies fresh and whose expression is so essentially
original "Gracc of form. beauty Of expression and
harmony of combination existed precisely rs in the
Attic days; all that was wanted was tho seeing eye.
Themes models and costumes all within the four
walls of his dwelling, and the simple horney
and pathetic prose OF family life eoame, IN his mind
a poem and then a picture Neatly all his drawings
were done with hali-penny black lead pencils. lie
never az his work used easel but STOOD ana
held his paper in his hand. like that strange genius
Meryon among the architecture of old Paris. IT IS
obvious praise OF the artist becomes TO al extent
praise OF hts power Of sympathetic appreciation, his
understanding of the artessnesS Of childhood. HIS
reproductions Of the qualities which impressed his own
sensitive nature vary in their merit Some Of the
larger drawings like those upon pages AZ and 90. have
suffered from certain CONSTANT and excess Of
"prcttfnesss which apt TO follow artists over
conscientious desire for finish" In the minor draw
irgs como 10 the artist drawings like the
ConvaleScent' where The figures at once vinGicate
their truth of line and action, or "Grcving.' or \
Slate Picture Despite the bioSrapher, 1t must be
said that the drawing and indications of form beneath
costumes are not impeccabe, witness two figures on
page 80 Neither do ever find the naked line SO
forciby expressive In Milets Pen and ink Sketches
for his grandchildren 1t has been easy for admira
ton of the lovely character OF the artist 10 include his
ar without any exceptions, bat thore arc exceptions
to be tskcn, although the genuine value of this art
win remain a constant quantity. For this work
teaches us again that originality is not that discovery
Of something which is forever veXing the souls
OF artists liiterateurs and wouldbe amateurs, but
yatber return TO tho origin of all thngsthat is. to