ART AND ARTISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 74

ART AND ARTISTS.

—It is a matter for ooii'-titiit regret tliat photographic proocrtses ha\e killed the art of the steel engraver, as they ha\e that ot tlu j engrave' on wood: but it would seem, from a demonstration lately gnen of tho Johnston diepre^s, that steel plates may again come into vo^ue, not engraved byhand, but by mechanical piocess. and printed by a new method at the rate of 1000 copies por hour, as against the 200 01 300 pei day pobbibie under the old condition?. The company formed to engineer this new stcci engraving and printing process produced some sketches of the return ot tho City Imperial Volunteer.--, line engraved, in two days, vi Inch, if they had been engraved by hand, would have occupied months. There is a good future before such a quick process for book illustration, and the company al c o anticipate the production of three-colour pictures engraved on steel plate ; but this branch of the business is as yet only in an experimental stage.

—It i 3 well known 11 at nothing annoyed the late Mr Gladstone more than to be shown he had been mistaken. If ho were convinced he was in the wiong ( ( hose occasions were rare indeed !), he always* abruptly turned the conversation, or left the room. Mr Eddis. tho painter, used to tell a story about a discussion he had with the gieat statesman concerning colour. The question »a«. which is the brightest colour in Nature? Mr Gladstone said red; Mr Eddi« blue. Mr (.Tludptone declared there could be no reasonable doubt on the matter, and was very determined in his opinion. Mr Eddis reminded him that in twilight tlie red flowers disappeared long before the blue ones. But that argument failed to tell. Then Mr Eddis sought out a photograph of a flower-bed. The red flowers in that picture were perfectly flat and undistinguishable from their leave*, the blue were light and visible in all their forms. Then — "Good night, Mr Eddis," said Mr Gladstone, a->-he took up his hat and strode away. M. BENJAMIN CONSTANT AND QUEEN ALEXANDRA. M. Benjamin Constant, the notable French painter, writes thus in the Figaro respecting Queen Alexandra : — "Rather tall and blight and of elegant appearance, no Princess ever found in her Royal cradle more beauty, more grace, and charm. And youth haß remained in that sweet face with its noble lines, its eyes of pure and deep blue, with an almost shy, though observant look, in which nothing but the expression of generous kindness is to be seen. When I arrived at Marlborough House for my sittings her Royal Highness — must I say it?— was sometimes late, but as soon as I heard her coming I thought no more of the waiting. When her Royal Highness expressed regret at this I did my best to suggest some excuse for this delay. And all this she said with such simplicity, courtesy, and modesty, and in such perfect French, that I could not help thinking, 'Our Queens of France must have spoken like this.' The Princess was an excellent sitter. '"She thus gave me the most valuable assistance, and she granted me the necessary sittings in the most gracious manner. Mi^.s Ki:ollys, her first Lady-in-Waiting, who is remarkably clever, and was almost always present at the sittings, chatted a little with thp model and the painter, and the time passed quickly, even too quickty, while the Princess's small Japanese dog snored on the ci?i3hions of an armchair. J f=ee again in my mind s eye the improvised studio at Maryborough House. A few water coloni-, on the wall, some books, the simplicity of a schoolroom." At the conclusion of hi 1 ? interesting article jN r . Benjamin Constant points the moial. He lemarks that all the kindness thus shown to him tells its own tale significantly enough. There was a thorough absence of political prejudice when a French aitLt could he invited to paint these portraits. '"We should not be the intelligent people that we aie if we could not peieeive across the frontiers what is to our honour end profit. Gratitude is felt in mourning England at all the marks of svmpathr displayed in France." and. adcU M. Benjamin Constant, "it is> to be hoped that the reign which i.< now beginning will very poon reknit the bonds of friendship which the aged Queen, the great lovpi- of peace, the former ally of France and her friend duriug eveiy legime. did not eea*e to maintain." BIOGRAPHY OF A AVELL KNOWN PAINTER. John Jackson, R.A., the eminent portrait painter, is an example of one possessing many fine qualities in ait, yet falling riiorl of real excellence. He was the son of the village tailor at Lastingham, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, where he was born on die 31st of May, 1778. He was apprenticed to las father's tiade, but was foon known in. this out of-the-way -tillage by his attempts to draw the portraits of his companions : by these attempts he attracted the notice of Lord Mulgrave and Sir George Beaumont, the latter of whom induced him to make a trial at painting in oil, and lent to him, for that purpose. Sir Joshua's por trait of George Colman, the dramatist; but in his native village the. materials were wanting, and Jackson was indebted to the kindness of a friend, a house-painter, who gave him the use of his workshop and by whose aid the young artist soon improvised tools and colours sufficient to make a copy that surprised his patron, and satisfied him that Jackson wi>s intended by nature for the puisuit of art. Sir George is feaid, after consultation with Jackson's other patron, Lord Mulgrave, to ha\e advised the young painter to go to London, as the best moans' of enabling him to study for the profession, and to have generously offered him a table at his own expense and £50 a year, until he had gained a footing in the great capital. Under these favourable auspices he wont to London, and in 1805 was admitted a student of the Royal Academy. _ Jackson's attempts, although he had painted in oil before he left the country, had hitherto been likenesses taken in pencil, and slightly tinted with water-colour=, and his first portraits in oil did not give much promise. His watercolour portraits were, however, as lie improved, universally admned; the heads were well drawn, the likenesses faithful, and spiritedly though carefully finished. Many of the heads engraved in " Cadell's Portraits of Illustrious Persons of the Eighteenth Century" were diawn by Jackson m this manner, and hia water-colour practice was extensive, and already produced him a handsome income. He did not, indeed, abandon the hope of the higher distinction to be gained by portraiture in oil ; and trying the widespread canvas of that medium, he soon attained complete success. He was elected, an associate of the Royal Academy,

and travelled through Holland and Flanders, studying the art of the Dutch and Flemish f-chook. In 1818 he became a full member of the Royal Academy, and in the following year he visited the chief cities of Ncrthcrn Italy aiul Romo. Sitters gethered arcund him. Ho wrought with great facility and extraordinary inpidity. and dining tin last years of his practice his portraits c!;*played crrcat ability, solidly and powerfrlly painted, faithful, but wanting flection of character ; m i>is female portraits, simple, without any mentrioious attempts at simpering graces or the millinery of dicss. He jiaitiouiarly excelled in the sub dued ri( hne^ of his colour, a civilly i» which Leslie, R.A., said, "Lawience vvit.mily novtr approached him" : and, in another place, ■"that lie stood with Lawrence and Owen, and occasionally befoie either oi them, in the first lank of portraiture." His portrait of Flaxman (aho a Yoikshireman) was greatly admired by ins brother oitisi.., and, when exhibited. Sir Thomas Lawrence praised it warmly at the. public dinner before the opening of the exhibition, speaking- of it as "a great achievement of the English school, and a picture- of which Vandyke might ha\e frjt proud to own

! himself the author." ... It is ci.-o ig-j lated that a French aiu-t of eminence,, standing before this picture m the exhibition, waj heard to sjv. 'line. \oiy fine — almost as fine as Gerard" : aii'l, growing m admiration as= lie continued to examine it, "Quite as fine as Hcrai'd,' wlii'-h, from s Frenchman, was a high proof of his appre- ! elation of its excellence Two portia'ts by ' Jackson are ti he found :n tlic Shccpshaiilcs collection — one of himself, and one of thr : great Rpfoim Minister, Karl Urry; that of i 1 imself is finely painted, a^s at once, with ! great \igour, piu! with a ii i ■ 11 brush, the colour is much finer than mo->t of Lawurcnce s , head'-. The portiait of Karl (-2 icy is moic ' tame, and "omewhat sleepy: it c ecir.s overruixioiii in execution, anJ has !".-a of individuality than ti.e foimer work. Jackton's maiiiirr was original. <lif"f>nn n fi om that of his contemporaries, and when he laid himself oiu to produce a fn.o work l>e shewed that he had rearpowoi*.

— He. "I naked vonr father's consent by telephone." She: '"What was bis answer.'" - — "He t-aid, 'I don't know who you are, .. but it's a'l right