. Frank Brangwyn and his work. 1911 . to-day. Since lifeis war, let us think it better to fight and lose than neverto fight at all. Since death will come one day, why wearcrape as a habit, and keep in our thoughts an unendingsupply of black-edged notepaper? Good heavens! Iflaughter be at all difficult, surely that difficulty shouldurge us on into laughter ; for easy things are the leastworth doing. This, so I believe, is the spirit that underliesmost of the industrial phases of Brangwyns work. Detractors complain and ask for sentiment, a cheapquality indeed in English pictures ; one critic goi
. Frank Brangwyn and his work. 1911 . to-day. Since lifeis war, let us think it better to fight and lose than neverto fight at all. Since death will come one day, why wearcrape as a habit, and keep in our thoughts an unendingsupply of black-edged notepaper? Good heavens! Iflaughter be at all difficult, surely that difficulty shouldurge us on into laughter ; for easy things are the leastworth doing. This, so I believe, is the spirit that underliesmost of the industrial phases of Brangwyns work. Detractors complain and ask for sentiment, a cheapquality indeed in English pictures ; one critic going sofar as to declare—in the Westniinstey Gazette, April 22,1906—that Mr. Brangwyn has no more sentiment thanwould lie on a threepenny piece. Libels of this blatantkind ought to be subject to immediate public a writer in the Press forgets that it is impossibleto paint without emotion and that every form of emotionis a form of sentiment, protests should be made in the112 ii ^ a: ^ h -?. Some other Characteristics most public manner. There is as much sentiment in thefiercest jealousy of Othello as in his tender love. Senti-ment in art is just a mood of aesthetic feeling, whethertender or vehement, pathetic or joyous, contemplative orheroic. And when Brangwyn is judged by this principleof genuine criticism, he stands out as a master of sentimentas varied as he is manly. Though he takes no morbid pleasure in suffering,he has touched more than once the heart of the greatestsorrows, bringing us face to face with that dread Visitorwho claims every year from mankind 40,000,000 lives—a whole world of friends and neighbours. Death is thesubject of The Venetian Funeral, chosen as a colour-print for this book. It is a noble picture, powerfullyrhythmic in design, rugged, masterful, painted withtremendous vigour, and having just that degree of pathosthat a great sorrow can make known in a public thorough-fare without loss of dignity, without moving onlookerswith a feeling
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherbostondanaestes
