The Art of Thomas Girtin. By Thomas Girton and David
Loshak. (Charles Black, 50s.)
IN recent years there have appeared one or two
first-class monographs on British artists of the eighteenth century, which include short texts and descriptive catalogues of the works that are as full as available evidence permits. So far the artists treated have all been painters in oils, like Reynolds and Wilson. With the publication of the volume under review a water colourist is treated M the same way and with the same thoroughness. The book begins with a short chapter on the development of the English water-colour school as a whole, which is interesting and informative, even if it does not add a great deal to knowledge. It is followed by a chapter on Girtin's life, which contains rather more completely new material. But it is the long third chapter that contains the most that is new; it takes the form of an analytical study of Girtin's stylistic development. The authors divide his works into six groups according to period, whereas previously only three had been distinguished. They are doubtless right, but without a very intimate acquaintance with the originals, it is not always easy to follow their arguments. The monochrome illustrations, though useful for purposes of identification, do not assist greatly in profounder study. Girtin's very. gentle, subtle style does not lend itself to reproduction in monochrome, as Cotman's more forceful, formal manner would do. The final chapter is less uniform in conception than the others: it is partly taken up with a few last words on Girtin's life and character, and partly devoted to inquiries of a more universal type, such as the nature of vision. But it makes interesting reading none the less. Girtin hat not been neglected in art-historical and critical literature. as. for example. Richard Wilson was until very recently, but there was room for a convenient, authoritative and up-to-date mono- graph, and this volume fills the gap admirably.
D. TALBOT RICE
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