Page 8 - Is the Camera the Friend or Foe of Art - The Studio - June 1893

Is the Camera the Friend or Foe of Art?

the instantaneous process, for action in figures and From Mr. WALTER SICKERT.
animals, as well as for the character of skies and SIR,—In proportion as a painter or a draughts-
sea, and other rapidly moving objects. In such man works from photographs, so is he sapping his
cases, however, only the skilled artist can apply it, powers of observation and of expression. It is
as he does a few leading character lines in black much as if a swimmer practised in a cork jacket, or
and white. a pianist by turning a barrel-organ. For drawing,
Photography has been a great evil in causing which should express three dimensions, is substi-
mechanics in art to make laborious unartistic tuted a kind of mapping, and colour is simply
studies and persist in calling them pictures. Such non-existent. Coelum, non cameram mutat, as Mr.
artists, so-called, often despise and reject true art, Whistler recently said of a much-travelled photo-
because it does not give those photographic details painter. It would be well if the fact that a
which are called finish. Photography has in no way painting was done from or on a photograph were
benefited true art, the proof being that nearly all always stated in the catalogue. A serious critic
the greatest art was produced before it was dis- should be able to detect the most blatant cases for
covered; the best art is that which is furthest himself. It is extremely misleading to the public
removed from photography. and to young students to find work of that order
JAMES ORROCK. critically compared to works of pure craftsmanship,
48 BEDFORD SQUARE, W. without a hint of the means employed. It sets
false standards, and compares things that have not
From Mr. JOSEPH PENNELL. a common denomination. The sentence that seems
to me to contain both the aesthetics and the
SIR,—I don't think photography has had any
morals of this question, I heard from the lips of
influence upon modern art at all—that is, upon
Sir John Gilbert, a splendid authority. "I think,"
the art of men like Whistler, Degas, Chavannes,
he said, "an artist must do it all himself."—I am,
Rodin, Gilbert, and Gaudeur.
sir, your obliged and obedient,
The use of photographs by artists, however, is a
WALTER SICKERT.
very different matter, and I do not propose to give
CHELSEA.
away the tricks of the trade. By refraining I have
no doubt I shall receive the silent blessings of
the multitude of duffers among whom I find No doubt the correspondence opened under the
myself.—Yours truly, above heading will arouse others to express their
JOSEPH PENNELL. views upon the subject, and although in a magazine
CAEN. which appeals to a large number of different tastes,
it is not possible to promise to publish every com-
From Mr. JOHN M. SWAN. munication that may be sent in, yet the editor will
be pleased to hear from any one interested in the
SIR,—In answer to your letter of the 9th instant,
matter. If any amateurs or professionals have
I consider photography of great value as a scientific
taken pictures which fulfil the conditions set forth
aid to the education of the sight, but in no way
in the article on "The Naissance of Art in
related to art, which is essentially human and emo-
Photography," or which contradicting any of them
tional. The instantaneous photographs of Muy-
yet remain genuinely valuable for their artistic
bridge and Anschutz reveal the truth of the
excellence, they will be equally welcome. It is
Japanese in their rendering of the flight of birds
necessary, however, that such subjects should be
produced long before photography.
essentially pictures. Coming to practical details, it
I consider one half of the pictures of modern
is best that such pictures should be ordinary silver
exhibitions at home and abroad developments of
prints, and if the owner reserves the right of repro-
photography. The photograph is the historian of
duction the fact must be clearly stated ; otherwise,
light and time, and may be, like Herodotus, the
the editor holds himself at liberty to have blocks
father of lying—one cannot fathom the depth of it.
made from any sent in to illustrate the points raised
The art is still with the savage, working in pro-
in the discussion. It should also be said that
found ignorance, but with the affection of a child,
technical excellence may or may not be admirable
the pattern of his club.—I am, my dear sir, yours
from our point of view, and that any photographs,
very truly,
JOHN M. SWAN. whether landscape, marine, costume, or the nude,
3 ACACIA ROAD, N.W. will be considered entirely in their pictorial aspect.
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