Evening star., 1940-06-09

must London have been during
those three-score and seven years!
Among the writers of that period
were Hume and Gibbon, Goldsmith,
johnson, Boswell, Fanny Burney
and Lady Mary Wortley Montague;
among the painters, Ramsep, Rey-
nolds, Wilson and Gainsborough.
Garrick and his associates brought
special glamor and distinction to
the stage; there were outstanding
statesmen and clerics. Boucher,
Chardin and Greuze were paint
ing in France; Canaletto, Tiepoli
and Guardi in Italy-Where, by the
way, PlraneSi was making his
famous engravings of architectural
subjects. In Germany, Back was
composing, and in England, Handel
1t was a time of great creative
activity in the arts to which Hogarth
undoubtedly was indebted, but to
which he also made contribution.
He had a remarkable career.
When he was Is his father, school
master and hack writer. apprenticed
him to a silversmith Five years
later, he turned to engraving as a
profession, and by 1920 was able
to set up as an engraver himself
/ His first business card is still in
existence. In 1925. he came to
prominent notice through plates
made for Buffers "Hudibras. Mean
while, he had been studying art
at Sir James Thornhill's Academy,
/ Covent Garden, and in 1923 ran
away with his masters only daugh-
ter, an elopement which seems to
have turned out happily for all
concerned. AS painter, his repu-
tation was made by series of
pictorial canvases, "A Harlot's
Progress" followed later by "Rake's
Progress" and eventually Marriage
la Mode" all of which were
satires on contemporary English
life. These paintings also were en-
I graved by Hogarth, through which
means they were given wide circu-
lation. In these and other paintings
of like character. the subjective
interest was SO great that, to a
large extent, it obscured artistic
worth. In fact, not for a half
century after his death was Hogarth
given due rank as painter.
Even Ellie Faure, contemporary
French critic. in his summary of
Modern Art" holds Hogarths pro-
clivity for satire and reform against
him. declaring him so deeply i'm
printed by Puritanism that he is "the
most Puritan of all" and his work
seriously damaged by his interest in
the cause of righteousness" and
desire for the Happiness of man
kind" One thinks first of the sub
ject.' he says in connection with
these paintings, and if there is on
the canvas a passage of savory
painting, one perceives it only after
having had good laugh" But there
are other opinions. John Van Dyke
calls him. at his best, quite perfect
painter. Miss Abbot compares him
to Chardin and Ter Borch on the
basis Of the technical excellence and
esthetic value of his Marriage a la
Mode" series, which, in scale, color
and craftsmanship are full of delight
to the lover of fine art.
Canvases Were Stage"
Hogarth himself said that his can
vases were the stage on which the
men and women he painted were the
players. But, as Sir Walter Arm
strong has said, his ''moralities" wed
good design to dramatic force. in
asmuch as he was good story
teller. consummate technician and
true artist.
All this has special interest today
because of the fact that Hogarth
was successful in doing what SC
many are now trying-and falling
to do. He broke away from tradi-
ton, turned the eye of the people
to contemporary life, and disclosed
its weakness. But he brought tc
bear upon his task rare genius
trained craftsmanship and unusua
intelligence. Also, he never lost
sight of the essential dependence
of art upon beauty-beauty of line, Of
color and of light and shade. In
his late years he wrote a treatise
on this subject entitled Analysis
of Beauty which was based upor
his theory of line. Added to Ho.
garth's many other honors is thai
of having obtained, in 1735. the pas
sage of an act by Parliament which
vested in artists the exclusive righ
to their own designs-an act still II
force in Great Britain, but no
matched in liberality by any law or
our statute books here.
Because of the interesting char
acter of Hogarth's subject, picture
with satirical implication, his meri
as a painter of portraits has, to ,
great extent, been overlooked. Thi
is unfortunate, for in this art h,
was exceptionally gifted. Especial.
notable are his portraits of Garricl
! and of Peg Woff1ngton, at one tim
his leading lady, both of which ar
4 now included in the British nationa
! collections. He painted his owl
/ portrait several timss-once will
! palette in hand and on it the ser
I pentine line of beauty and grace
] also portraits of many others, anon,
] whom were those of highest socia
| position. In his late years he wa
| made sergeant painter to the crown
\ Luckily, there are two of his por
! traits in public collections here, on
in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, in
\ cluded in the w. A. Clark collection
i and hung in the large gallery at tn
q heod of {ha {o;re &bo o&eAr l.. ~,