Page 22 - Studio International - September 1974

Post-Impressionism and for the delaying of we have judged a thing a work of art, we have From New English to Camden Town
the acceptance of Paul Cezanne in judged it ethically of the first importance and The degree of support mustered then and now
England.) put it beyond the reach of the moralist' — for Whistler's aesthetics as against Ruskin's,
By the beginning of this century there were Clive Bell, 'Art' 1914.) The alternative to the comparative success (in the long term at
few among the more advanced artists who saw compliance in this scheme very soon least) of the former's appeals on behalf of his
reform rather than downgrading of subject- becomes a matter of resignation from the imagination,4 the distinction earned by the
matter as means to development. It was profession. painter John Singer Sargent simply by virtue of
assumed that it could now be left to the Where this interpretation of history is the superior elegance of his manner — these were
individual artists' unique imagination to decide adopted retrospectively, the Modernist critic all symptomatic of a change in the terms of
the criteria of suitability of subjects. or historian typically works to win for the reference for a concept of the artist's
Opposition to this view was left almost subjects of his research the coveted status of profession in England at the end of the
exclusively in the hands of artists already `most advanced', careless of the fact that they nineteenth century. The typical British picture
`discredited' by virtue of their extreme may have been best valued in their own time of the 189os was of an unrealistic subject
conservatism. The art of Walter Richard according to quite different criteria. Where meretriciously painted. Whistler and Sargent,
Sickert was for a short time to provide the only the Modernist concept of progress is adopted who were both American by birth and who
really powerful alternative from among the in the practice and criticism of a current art both at times pursued careers in Paris, were
more advanced painters. The 'Neo-Realism' the effect is to promote procedures for sorting certainly more cosmopolitan than other artists
of his younger associates Charles Ginner and `progressives' from 'reactionaries' in terms of in Britain around the turn of the century, but
Harold Gilman was a late (1913-14), brave the purely formal characteristics of the work were as certainly not candidates for reprieve
attempt to articulate some priority for the of art. Over the turn of the century and from William Morris' condemnation. Theirs
interpretation of 'Life in all its effects, moods especially during the years between 190o and was indeed a feast of dainty food among
and developments' over `decoration' as the the outbreak of the first World War, the starving soldiers.
`unique aim of art'; their stand was a formulation in Britain of a Modernist Whistler's atmospheric compositions had
significant outcome of the influence of Sickert interpretation of art led to the drawing of lines already by the end of the 186os prepared some

and the days of Fitzroy Street and Camden of demarcation where none had been ground in England for the acceptance of a
Town. But even by as early as 1911 the climate necessary or applicable before. manner of painting which, in the face of the
was against the assertion of such priorities. We should be cautious, with the larger natural or suburban world, served an interest in
The history of the art of this period can thus view of the history of art before us, of seeing composing upon phenomena rather than in
be interpreted by means of that schema the various controversies of the years around embodying significance. Sargent, 22 years the
according to which Modernism is 1910 as representing stages in some heroic younger, was a close friend of Monet in the
characterized in various disciplines. Modernist battle for the establishment of a progressive 188os. At the formation of the New English
art is restless, self-critical, self-determining. (Modernist) over a reactionary (traditionalist) Art Club in 1886 Sargent was among the founder
The artist who subscribes to this view of sensibility. Specifically, if we follow such members and the influence of Whistler was
history identifies his discipline through its `modern' writers as Roger Fry and Clive Bell evident among the work of several of his fellows.
power to generate the sense of a need for in their assertion of the importance of These included Philip Wilson Steer, George
progress, where progress is seen in terms of `pure aesthetic criteria' over criteria of Clausen, Sir John Lavery, Fred Brown and the
victory for one 'paradigm' of practice, one relevance to circumstances, and if we French painter Theodore Roussel. Sickert
`hypothesis', one 'concept of art', one manner undervalue the work of those few like Sickert who joined in 1888. The New English was founded
over another less novel. As each manner were concerned during this period with some by comparatively young men, largely to provide
achieves a measure of orthodoxy it is subject to traditional problems regarding the illustrative an alternative exhibiting facility to the Royal
increasing pressure from another or others. functions of painting, then we are in danger of Academy, with which the majority of them
Controversy becomes a matter of argument conniving in the promotion of a well-refined felt out of sympathy, at that stage in their
between practitioners rather than a matter of modern art with a well suppressed bad careers. According to one witness the
questioning the validity of a practice. ('Once conscience. members were 'in utter revolt against the
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