Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-26
A CHAT WITH Mr.. WILLARD.
Some Of His Studies and His Art ~ Applied
to Photography.

painter, has been spending several days at
the Augusta House, being called here in
connection with work he is doing for Au-
gusta parties. 1t was the privilege of the
writer to examine some of the studies which
Mr.. Willard has with him and which proved
a treat such as can but afford delight to any,
one interested in portraiture. The first of
the collection to which attention was called
was q rough and hasty sketch of Mrs. Car
yer, wife Of State Librarian Carver. It'll
indeed pleasing portrait and despite its
iacompleteness, has all the charm and sug.
gests all the accuracy of likeness it can
possess when all the detail has been sup
piled. Near 1t stands the study of the "a
nous Hermione BY Mr.. Willard. The
subject is q Cleveland lady. The feat
ures are the pure Greek, the coloring being
soft, exquisite and is in perfect harmony
with the ideal expressed. 1t was of this
that DR.. T. W. Parsons, the poet and long
time friend Of Mr.. Willard, wrote:
10 ok on this lady and behold In her
What woman could be, and what women were
In days gone by, before the excess of books
Had weighed their natures down and marred their
looks;
face that could not frown, and if it smile,
Reveals a soul incapable of guile;
SpirtO genta! believing others clean,
Thinking no scandal. noting nothing mean;
As far away from sourness as from vanity.
Perfect in purity,-not Puritanity.
Here the artist showed the writer a small
portrait of DR.. Parsons, a delightful speci-
men of genre work. Another study, ad-
mirably illustrating mastery of rich color
effects, is seen in the portrait of q lady. In
this the lights upon the hair and the rich
depths of color suggest Rembrandt. One
regrets, Notwithstanding the treat afforded
that the artist has not with him here a study
of his head of Summer, Of which Earle
Marble in bis description of Boston's
art collection at the Centennial written
for the Aldine says: I.... ~
There are not great many heads in
the collection that deserve mention after VIC
have passed the grand old Stuarts and
CopIeye
The most important head is the Summer
by William Willard. / know of nothing
in the present generation of portraiture
that excels it and few heads indeed that
equal it. In genuine art feeling it is the
nearest approach to a Stuart that the
present generation can show.
1t is very diaphanous in color transmitting
a light of its own when in subdued light.
1t is full Of honest, conscientious work, but
labor of love rather than of the studio and
shows the result Of method rather than
method ITSELF"
Sidney Dickinson, when art critic on the
Boston Journal wrote, "Willard's is the
nearest of all to Stuart's methods, practical
in showing likeness, indicating in rare
degree peculiar traits of mind and charac-
ter, opulent but always harmonious in color,
profound in technical knowledge and rep
reseutative widely and broadly, of all that
is of accepted value in portraiture."
And by the way, among the studies
which Mr.. Willard has with him ii. one of
Mrs. Dickenson, the wife of the critic, and
looking into the face one feels instinctively
in the living presence of the woman her
self.
IAN artist never is old so long as he re-
tains his physical vigor," remarked Mr..
Willard in turning to some photographs ly-
ing on his table. Indeed Mr.. Willard does
retain his physical vigor to remarkable
degree and when he displays the zest he
feels in the new ideas in photography which
he is putting into practice one easily be-
lieves that here is an artist at least who will
never grow old in ideas.
Many think that the objections made by
the painter to the photograph as correct
portrait arise from feeling that the cam
era has usurped the place once occupied by
the portrait painters skill. Some think so
but fortunately for the artist not those bet
ter acquainted with the distinctions between
the photograph and the painted portrait.
The painter will tell you the photograph is
a map and as usually taken affords no con-
ception of the rounded surfaces and OF
the harmony of light and shade. Mr..
Willard has managed to produce in
ph autographs the same effect from life that
the camera produces from masterpiece OF
painters art. The subject appears in the
photograph with all the tints of flesh, hair
and dress with color eliminated. The cor
rect values remain, the character is brought
out with exceeding delicacy and refinement.
Experts have pronounced them the finest
effects yet produced by photography. Mr..
Willard illustrated with two photographs
of little girl, one taken by the or
binary method and with direct light thrown
full in the face the other by the new method.
From the former picture stranger to the
child would be unable to tell her age within
eight years. The latter conveyed as accu-
rate likeness of the child as it is possible
for photography to do. BY means OF
screens light from above-none being per-
mitted to fall directly on the subjects re-
Elected, rerefected and infected to the sitter.
Mr.. Willard's artistic knowledge OF the
atmosphere enables him to adjust the screens
to suit warm or cold .atmospheres, enables
b;r, - -h.k 1;uhf M fnuo 0f the