ART.
THE LATE MR. ABBEY.
THE death of Mr. Abbey removes from the artistic world a figure of great interest and influence. There has been a reaction of late years among young painters against realism, and many whose natural bent did not run to abstract forms of art, but leant rather to painted historical romance, turned to him for guidance and inspiration. Indeed, recently it has been something of an annoyance in the exhibitions of the Academy to find so many imitations of the outward forms of the master's art. Considering the influence wielded by this painter it will be of interest to consider what were the special qualities he possessed. Of late writers on aesthetics have divided pictorial activity for purposes of classification into the purely artistic and the illustrative. The former occupies itself with the more abstract questions of form and construction, and special mus- cular movements of the body with their reactions on the general form. The illustrative artist depends on different qualities, and requires for his success the power of visualizing scenes and figures in endless variety. To him the important thing is not so much the solution of problems connected with form and modelling as the achieve- ment of beautiful combinations of figures with expressive gestures and harmonious surroundings. In this department of art Mr. Abbey takes a high place: be was an exquisite teller of stories in graceful form and splendid colour. He was the romancer, the ballad maker ; he could call up a world either of past history or of romance and clothe it with an infinite variety of shapes, appropriate and beautiful.
Mr. Abbey's career as an artist was remarkable. He began by being a brilliant draughtsman with the pen, and his success was such that he was too busy to travel much into the realms of colour. However, the moment arrived when black and white was to give way to painting, and with incredibly little pre- paration Mr. Abbey put forth a series of easel pictures which remain among his finest works. With startling originality the painter of the Richard III. picture called up the heraldic world of the Middle Ages : be made us believe and delight in a scene unlike anything we had been accustomed to. In this picture and in others the artist showed a modern manifestation of the spirit which we find in the Ricardi Chappel, the Appartamento Borgia, and San Giorgio dei Schiavoni. Benozzo Gozzoli, Pinturicchio, and Carpaccio were above all things story- tellers and creators of a romantic world, and their modern descendant inherited not a few of their qualities. He, too, was able to call up a world and make it visible for us. This was the great attraction of the Holy Grail series of wall decora- tions which Mr. Abbey painted for the Boston Library. In these there was an endless flow of fancy and creation like that to be found in some mediseval tapestry. Of late years Mr. Abbey was almost entirely occupied with large wall paintings. How far his style was adapted to this form of art only those can judge who have seen them in their places on the walls in America. It would be quite unfair to insist on a feeling produced by such of them that were exhibited in London that perhaps the style of the painter was too complex, and his interest in the varied creation of detail too great for complete effectiveness on a very large scale. But if the artist had possessed a style more austere and more monumental he could not have given us those delightful works the Richard III., 0 Mistress Mine, The Trial of Catherine of Aragon, and many another picture of charm and grace. The late Mr. Abbey was a worker of immense industry, and he spared no labour in collecting material if it would add to the effect of the work in hand. His knowledge was great; he had the scholar's instinct and a wide appreciation of the art of the past. His artist friends will deeply regret the loss of one whose conversation was a delight, and whose kindliness and penetrating insight made his criticisms of high value. By
his death his friends have lost a charming personality, and art a man who was a romantic creator and a splendid
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