MR. WEDMORE ON GENRE PAINTING.* THERE is one question which
the reviewer of the present day is continually called upon to answer, though it is hardly less diffi- cult of solution than the enigma of the Sphinx, and that question is this,—given a man who professes to instruct his fellow-men upon any subject, how far can he be excused for not using plainly intelligible words ? Will any gifts of sympathy and insight that he may possess, avail to render his work good, if his phraseology is affected or obscure, his thoughts half-expressed, his meaning scarcely certain? With all humility, for we know the current of popular opinion is against us, we submit that a negative answer should be given to the above query,—that a writer who professes to instruct is never justified in not saying his counsel, reproof, or exposition, with the utmost clearness that lie can compass. This seems to us to be more certainly the case, where the subject-matter is one where it is difficult, at the best of times, to find any good starting-ground for dogma,— such subject-matter, say, as that of religion or art. Where most people have half-ideas, it is surely heinous in the extreme for their teachers not to strive to their uttermost to speak plainly as well as truly, lest they should appear to sanction the conclusion that half-ideas are all that can be formed on such
• Gears Painting. By F. Wedmore. London : C. Kagan Paul and Co.
matters, and thereby encourage the very useless and what George Eliot calls "expensive ignorance" which it should be a teacher's duty to correct.
It is upon this ground that we find the greatest fault with the work upon Genre Painting, by Mr. Frederick Wedmore,. which forms the subject of our notice, for it is a work which,.
though evidencing considerable power of expression anti acquaintance with its subject, is yet intentionally affected in style, and singularly inconsequent and unreasoning in judg ment. Instances of both these faults are given below. Before, however, we substantiate our assertions, let us do justice to the one conspicuous merit of the book, namely, its readableness.. Though Mr. Wedmore's lucubrations are continually illustrated by references to individual works by the master or masters of whom he is speaking, these references are introduced so cleverly,.
are, to use a painter's expression, so nicely "touched in," as to rather enliven than interrupt the writing; and there are few modern works upon Art where there are prettier bits of descrip- tion of the subjects'and incidents of various pictures. One of these, not even an exceptionally good one, we give as a speci- men of how well Mr. Wedmore can write, when he dares to be- natural :—
"With his back to the window, from which a placid light falls on his age-whitened head, sits James Lutma, goldsmith, meditating on his work. By him are the implements of his art, used but a minute since, and soon to be resumed. Meanwhile, the nervous, active hand—an old hand, but subtle yet, and in which ancient skilr struggles with age—is greatly relaxed, and there is not even the anxiety of a pleasant busyness in the goldsmith's face. For it is a happy and tranquil face ; still not unobservant, yet greatly at rest. In the main, the work of life is done, and it has prospered : a goodly gift has been well used. There is rest in the thought of past achievements, a kindly smile on the aged mouth, happily garrulous of far-away work-days."
Then follow a few words of judicious and observant admiration for various technical merits in this portrait, which is by Rem-
brandt. Here, as we have said, Mr. Wedmore is at his best; and his best is very good, could scarcely be much better, in a book written like this, namely, for those who love pictures; but know little about them. Nothing could be more fit- ting than the strain of appreciation—a little too sensitive, per- haps, but still not altogether undiscriminating—of the passage we have quoted; for it is one of the provinces of a critic, and by no means his least important province, to arouse in others less sensitive than himself, the enthusiasm for worthy work, and to, dwell a little fondly upon hints of meaning which might other-
wise have passed unnoted.
A reading of the whole work is almost necessary to appreciate- the truth of our remarks upon the affectation of Mr. Wedmore's style, as it is one which shows itself more in the unnecessary introduction and unusual arrangement of ordinary words, than in any especially bizarre phrases, though such are by no means uncommon. One of the salient characteristics is the frequent use of such words as "hardly," "very," "sure," "gracious," "precious," and "greatly," which are continually appearing where they are not wanted, like a too obedient genius, when his talis- man is unintentionally acted upon. If we were analysing the. style of this book for the purpose of imitation, we should pro- bably discover that what the writer would call its " secret " lay in taking an ordinary thought, and watering it down till, like- a grain of quinine in a glass of amontillado, its presence is rather suspected than felt. Take, for instance, the first sentence in the book,—that is, the opening lines of the preface. Mr.. Wedmorewishes to say that in writing of genre, he wishes not to repeat former writers, and this is how he says it :—
" In trying to tell the story of genre painting, as it is found in the lives and works of the greater masters, it has seemed not amiss to pass somewhat lightly over what has already been satisfactorily written of, and to concentrate attention, if that may be, on artists of whom English criticism has had little to say. I have thought it chiefly waste of time to dwell in detail on the work of Ifogarth, but very necessary to insist upon the excellence of Jan Steen and Watteau."
Such is the opening of what Mr. Wedmore calls the " note " to his book, and a very true key-note it is, for throughout the work we find the same redundancy of expression, the same half- delicate, half-artificial use of words, in which it seems as if there was a struggle going on between the author and his phraseology, in which now one, now the other, got the upper hand.
Pictures are "alive and a-sparkle," groups in the composition are" of most ingenious invention, and most pointed pourtrayal ;" an artist is spoken of who "recoiled from no coarseness, yet rose to the rendering of the sweetest ;" canvasses are "touched fram end to end with consummate dexterity and painter's art." One painter has a "rhythm of line turned into subtle compli- cations ;" another, "a calculated vagueness which may suggest movement;" a third has "at his sure command a power of noble draughtsmanship generally unsuspected in his work." So might examples of these Osric-like expressions be multiplied almost to infinity, were it worth while, but it is sufficient to call attention to the unfortunate effect of allowing writing which is in many respects both good and entertaining, to be spoilt by the introduction of words and phrases like the above, some of which are without meaning, and only serve to irritate any man of ordinary understanding.
A final word should be said as to the worth of the critical opinions given by Mr. Wedmore. Whenever exposition alone is needed of the subject, or the narrative of the incidents of the artist's life, it would be very difficult to find it better done, though it might be more plainly expressed. But when the work of the artist haste be assigned to its proper place in relation to other works of art, Mr. Wedmore is not so much an unsafe guide as no guide at all. He is no guide, for this reason,—that he habitu- ally uses, in relation to inferior works, terms of approbation so strong, that they convey the impression that the work is of the highest quality. He is apparently blind to the artistic demerits of his subject, and only cares to dwell upon its excellences. Consequently, this work gives a very one-sided view of the sub- ject it treats, and its judgments must be considered to be as the speech of a special pleader.
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