New-York tribune., 1896-01-19
AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION.
THE STORY OF LOUIS LOEB.


| American Illustrating. Like so many American
| artists he has now returned to his student home'
where life Is simpler where artistic SURROUNDINGS
are inspiring. where the struggle for eNis,e"oe 10
| not keen and where a man is not tempteu u u'
too much work, and may hope to do 1t much oe''ei'
| In his case. taking into consideration oniy MS
| illustrative work. his return to Paris was happy
| choice We have but little of his black ana
white the last year. but what has appeared mas
been OF a fine order. showing vast Improvement III
imaginative qualities and technique The drawings
Of the Greek plays given in Avignon and accom-
panying Mr. Janvers article I'm the June Centur!
challenge comparison with the best modern iius-
trat!vc WORK. 1t a great subject appealing en-
thusiast.cllly to the imagination, ana the art3t
chosen worthy of It,
| The illustrations OF the Passion Play at Norder-
Thiersee appearing In the December number of the
same magazine show only an artistic advance in
| work but many admirers of the Greek play artcie
| experienced n feeling of disappointment with the
one that followed. Probably the subject had not
| so many possibilities and perhaps the exigehcies
OF reproduction greater and for these the
| illustrator must suffer. The writer had the good
fortune TO see the original OF both the Greek play
and Passion play drawings at Mr.. Loebs Paris
studio before they were sent to America
! Illustrating Is such a popular feature OF Ameri-
can ar, now that the question OF reproduction seems
a pertinent one. but It Is always hard to make MT
| Loeb talk ab9ut art and /; med particularly ali
/ ncult to get his opinion this subject.
do you think the progress Of reproduction mas
kept pace with frustrating in America the .ast
| five years. he was asked.
That is a very difficult question 10 answer ne
said 'Of course a reproduction Is not an original
drawing but there is no reason why 1t should rot
/ fully explain the original
| Put does IL always"
1T does sometimes even satisfy The illustrator
but not always too often. The best magazines
make the same endeavor to secure tine best en-
| gravcrs that they do to command the work OF the
| best illustrators one may often be a disappo1nt-
nent 70 the other EngraVers often enter fully into
the sprit Of the drawing and there are cases where
| they have helped Il: but again. it IS discouraginS
! experiment for an illustrator when drawing II re-
| nroduced with subtle effect he has aporeh
over for days entirely lost lie is -eay very much
nj the mercy OF the ensraver and then again OF the
| printer"
| what are the advantages Of the new process
work engraving?
process Is a photograph through net in the hrst
! mace. It cannot destroy change the outline
but rul..s II is carefully gone over aTd engraVen
af,crwarl ali the tones ami values may he iost
or entirely changed. In engraving. the drawing i
followed and reproduced by hand, exactly at'er 'ne
| dr. lwlng or not according 10 the skh OF the en-
| graver believe engravIngs are easier prlhIe"
| than process work. ard apt to be finer in color
and texture"
is 1t not a fact that certain form or 9tyl" OF
| WORK reproduces better than another
"It has seemed to M be much matter o.
chance. some smole things come out ollN anu
some dncul; compositions very we'll or course
clever outline work I'm pen ana INK OF c'dSo" - "P'
10 reproduce the bosi."
| And yet yor r,r.iY DO it"''
~ man must do things IN the way that ne secs
them and b. the medium best adapted fo' thef
expression II article or story formS 4 P''"'r
I'm my mind / must make pictur" ot H. "'''
| consider tho Nmitaionsif ther" must be any-o'
/ IN
| a. whom n leaves my hands anl use exactly the
sam. methods IN illustrating that do In painting
a picture / 80 IT in no other way even use
color In ms work: Il help, me. and think helr'
the engTAycr. although Of course only the Color
! that ono puts into black and white is seen in the
| reproduction.
Nr Locb's method OF working Is very Interesting
| II he is illustrating an article or story. the
scene OF which Is laid ir certain place. he visits
the plnce and spends several weeks among the
peouic dealt with IN the written text He MS MS
mind With mental notes and his sketch book with
studies OF characteristic heads bits Of architectural
drawing or a sketchy Impression OF the country
mere mcmorand, to refresh his memory arfrward.
He written notes as well put Ih''Y "'"N''
any complete pictures.
"you think then that there is no advantage IN
doing the complete drawing on the spot?
Il hardly think -. unless ono wishes pho'o-
graps!c rather than characteristic impression oi
| a particular place. photograph VIII sh"" you
things exactly as they are. ana mss s'h''''N '''
essence that Hnc and distinctive quality more IL
lu,traiiyo ihan any eahoiateness = dftih can d.
,rh.n I, seems 10 mo rot a bad idea 20 let yoir
iinrreqs.on OF u place meo" for time. ~ u.s.
;ance thnss are apt To assume uucr proportions
| am at work now on a series OF drh"ihsF ior Il
story o, an oui-of-the-way par' OF the world. l
10 mt IN, weeks OF Tho early summer on the = an
s,udyin, the people and making notes N my
sk.tchbook | have just begun to arrange these
into such picturcs as seem characteristic TO me-
and nnd that my interest in tho place and Its
n,ctorlai possibilities ls stronger than 1t was
when was there
..Do you think that illustrator should follow
! alvavs the exact lines OF the text In making his
awnings"
.In AN article think It is 10 the readers advan-
age 70 follow Independent lines. for In that case he
IS given two pJin,1 OF View. Sometimes the pic
ures are drawn before the text. and again the
text is finished first. As a rule. writer and Illus
traitor talk the subject over and there is rarely any
| danger % any great difference OF opinions. Some
| times they see the country together. In the case
| ~ the Greek plays | went 10 Avignon with Mr..
rauvier II was a most enjoyable experience
Won can Imagine Every b; OF Provence is familiar
| 70 and Is loved by him. At the same time We took
notes for another article which has not ye, ap-
| pcarcd.
.Tn illustrating n story I think the illustrator
should look al things from the writer's point OF
view and stories are a rule far more interesting
TO me- I am fond OF dramatic situations"
When Mr. Loeb undertook the drawings for THE
| Cumberland Vendetta" he made trip through the
| Kentucky mountains with Mr. John Fox. In that
instance the artists point of view and the authors
| were the same. for Mr. Fox wrote auerward.
| "You have put my Kentucky mountalneers Into
| life" While making tn" illustrations for Charles
Egberi Craddock's Tennessee story. Mr.. Loeb took
n studio IN Knoxville and did the drawing near the
spot; but over here he prefers TO work in his own
studio.
His present quarters are characteristic of their
occupant. They form workshop rather than
studio The atccr Itself is an enormous room with
one side of windows and the top skylight. an
| immense affair which can be opened or closed with