The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-05
The Late George Illness.

The phases Of nature that MIR. inness
often chose 10 depict are those iran
sient eVanescent moments winch upiil'
the mind. thrill us. and then are gone.
The fin de steele school Of Hight mas
furnished critics with whole Nocapu-
larry of terms with which TO label me
peculiar deXterity Of a painter put mere
we have a genius who offers US the rich,
est products of art in which TECHNICAL
elements are properly subservient, ana
II would be obviously unfair in TINS IN
stance to over-emphasiZe qualities when
fine pa,nter himself seemed TO hold as
secondary | do not wish TO ignore the
very effective methods that MI. lrhess
made Use Of in his art; but | would rath-
or sneak at first of raIer phase OF
his genius than that Of Skilful workman
ship. ,..
In the face of nature this vehement
intense and imprisoned mentality khe"
no rest. His method was probably the
last thing he thought of when painting
wind-driven clouds or representing the
volume and structure of immemorlai
oaks. OF close and accurate studies from
nature he had doubtless made many, but
those | have seen were in no way re-
markable If considered from the point Oh
view of his matured worys. lhhess
learned his language patiently knowing
that in the resistlcSs moments or crea-
tive passion there must be no stumbling
for means of expression. Ana that lhl5
artist experienced resstless moments OF
creative effort no one who knew him wei
can DENY There were times when he
would suddenly break off CONVERSE
ton and without stopping 10 explain,
rush for palette and brushes, much as Il
writer will sometimes hurriedly seek pen
and paper TO fix a passing thought. Al such
moments tllis sensitive painter would
stand like some frightened animal, body
auivering and eyes dilating; for he had
perhaps caught a glimpse OF an eternal
truth he feared To lose. Contemporary
with the production of so much That Is
material and realistic in art this is a
strange thing TO record for with many
painters il seems question rather of
sight than of feeling which they seek TO
verify But the sight of Inness was sp;r-
itual: it. was insight, and its profundity
would occasionally startle even himself.
Caring little for what things were IL
they could but move the soul, this ar
list sometimes failed to respect SYM
pathetic response In others which per-
haps he himself had excited. And Tits
peruB ai;lty presented certain practicaf
difficulties. For instance, all anecdote Is
told of his disposng Of a picture, and the
purchaser on receiving the canvas find
ing totally different mood of nature
EXPRESSED there from that which had
attracted him TO the work. When the
ANNOYED and disappointed owner ventur-
ed 10 protest against the entire change
in the aspect Of the picture which he
had purchased. The reply was character
istic: What of IL? 1t Is a better one
than that you bought" And 1t was with
difficulty that the painter could By per-
suaded of the reasonabeness and equity
OF the remonstrance.
In this search for truth Mr.. lnness
could never spare himself; where truth
led he must follow. And besides the
great physical exhaustion incurred
through such self-forgetfulness. his ex-
acting spirit placed him often In situa-
tons which would have been embar-
RAISING TO a man Of lesser gifts, but
which were somehow excused or forgiven
in him; as. for example, this peculiar
practice of changing the whole scheme of
a picture after II had been accepted as
finished by a satisfied purchaser--an oc-
currence, ! fancy. by no means rare with
him. Although temporarily disappointed,
Ii is more than probable that leniency on
the part OF the owner was repaid by
the possession of a superior example OF
the artists work.-liarper's Weekly.