Color

Author(s): Carroll Beckwith

Source: The Art World, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Dec., 1917), pp. 176-179
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25588222
Accessed: 26-11-2025 20:24 UTC

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms

is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Art World

This content downloaded from 49.37.249.65 on Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:24:43 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 176 THE ART WORLD December 1917

drawing and expression for such cat's-paw stunts its melodious composition plus truthful drawing
he will some day find that every exaggerated scratch combined with truthful painting. It is this poetic
and dab of paint was a nail in the coffin of his veracity of line and color that makes it a charming
reputation. emotion-stirring work and not any peculiar "poetry
of color" alone, which is appreciated differently by
different people of equally refined and sensitive
To what extent should an artist be allowed in his nerves.
landscapes to falsify his drawing? He should be Monet will not be forgotten, but his future repu
as exact in drawing a form as in a figure painting. tation will rest entirely on the early work he did
Monet drawing the fagade of Rouen Cathedral (see -before he became a "color experimenter" and
page 175) so that we can scarcely distinguish a when his drawing was perfect and his form living.
form is dishonest because he could draw impeccably. The process of executing a conception selected by
Even Mr. Beckwith in his article, see below, admits the soul may be divided into two-the intellectual
it. Even he, who had criticised us, claims: "To and the mechanical; the one is done by the brain
attain completeness in our art requires the amal and the other by the hand, both being directed by
gamation of these two forces which are in our the soul. So that the quality of the result depends
nature, viz., mastery of color and mastery of entirely upon the quality of the soul of the artist.
drawing." If that is fine and exalting the total result will be
Notice now Monet's "London Bridge in a Fog" fine and exalting; if it is common or vulgar the re
(page 178). Here we do not need more form or sult will be common cr vulgar. There is no escaping
drawing because all the forms are veiled by the this. And all rational men will agree with Ruskin:
fog. But though the color has a charming rosy "You can always stand by Form as against Force.
gray, the picture soon palls upon us because of the To a painter the essential character of anything is
very lack of form and linear melody, although this the form of it, and the philosopher cannot touch
is a far more rational picture than the Rouen that." And we believe they will stand with us in
Cathedral spoken of. Now look at "The Pond" by the hope that our artists will see that they can
Corot (page 178), an exquisite composition made help along the flowering of great art in America
beautiful mainly by its form and line composition, only by agreeing with nature that, before we think
since the color is almost totally gray, a combina of color in art we must first insure the life and
tion of black and white which is called the no beauty of the form, which can only be obtained by
color colors. True, the grays are pearly grays of the utmost possible truth of drawing, even though
an extraordinary finesse of "values" and of tech we ultimately must follow nature's plan and glorify
nique. But its charm after all lies principally in the form by means of the color.

AS A CONTAIBUTION TO THIS SYMPOSIUM ON COLOR, WE PRESENT A SHORT ARTICLE

BY ONE OF OUR AVOWED PROTAGONISTSOF COLOR:

COLOR
BY CARROLL
BECKWITH
D EFERENCE certainly must be paid to the year he conceived the idea of portraying sunlight
group of painters who style themselves on the fagade of Rouen Cathedral and made another
"modernists" for their efforts (I cannot say series of paintings extremely interesting in color,
crowned often with success) in the direction of Color. but of such unsolid and "cheesy" texture that, no
There is a cheerful buoyancy attached to their can matter how far removed the spectator might be,
vases which, when successful, is like a ray of sun the sense of solidity of carved stonework was in no
light let into the gallery. Why, one is tempted to way conveyed. (See page 175.) I have, however, no
ask, is this successful result not oftener gained? intention of discussing the technique of my fellow
The answer seems to me not far to seek: we are painters but of advancing some generally admitted
all of us sensitive to the manner of application of and perhaps trite rulings that have been for a great
paint to canvas and this we deem one of the ex many years adopted in the studios of our predeces
ponents of an artist's skill. You have heard the sors, rulings which it may be not unwise occasion
expression "Throwing a paint-brush in the face of ally to review.
the public." Now I contend that a skilled crafts In the first place, there are two admitted divisions
man, a dexterous artist, suffers more upon behold of Color: warm and cold. Each can be subdivided
ing this class of work than the public-but it is into as many gradations as a sensitive eye can de
undeniable that a rough and repellant workmanship tect and each of these subdivisions made to play
may, and often does, harbor very beautiful elements upon a well-recognized set of human emotions. For
of color. example: the gathering together of dull grays,
I distinctly remember Claude Monet while I was purples, deep blues and blacks will produce to the
in Giverny painting a series of pictures from a human mind depression, sadness; while a display
curving row of poplars bordering the river Loing, of roseate pinks, violets and pale greens and yel
for the preservation of which he paid a con lows gives us the sensation of joy, of mirth, like the
siderable sum to make sure that they should not be allegro movement in music. To go a step farther:
felled for a year. These pictures were his master shrill yellows and violent vermilions act upon the
pieces, not only intensely original in motif but done human nerves as the blast of some strident instru
in an able and workmanlike manner. The following ment or a sudden shock.

This content downloaded from 49.37.249.65 on Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:24:43 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
December 1917 THE ART WORLD 177

Couirtesv of Knoedler & Co. FIG. 7 PAINTED BY DELACROIX

"THE BARQUE OF DANTE"

Here is already manifest a certain weakness of drawing in detail, the beginnings of Dela
croix's theory of the sacrificing of perfect drawing for color. Compare this with the fine
drawing of Velasquez, Fig. 1, aiid also with the even more marvelous drawing of Ingres, Fig. 3

I am sorry the accompanying picture, "The warm ochre, the latter wearing a slate-gray hood.
Barque of Dante" (see above) which I have chosen The note of rich cool green in the laurel worn by
to illustrate somewhat the idea I wish to convey in the Latin poet and the ardent flesh-color of the
this letter, is not reproduced in colors, since it back of Charon, as contrasted with the bloodless
would then more convincingly show my meaning. corpses which wrangle in the dark waters, combine
The picture was conceived and painted by Eugene to accentuate the horror of the scene.
Delacroix in the summer of 1821 when the young Here then is amply emphasized the dramatic
artist was in his twenty-third year. It is unques and emotional use of color and the picture illus
tionably one of the great masterpieces of French trates what I have already advanced. The palette
art; there is, perhaps, little question among the has all the responsive chords of a musical in
various groups of painters that Delacroix stood strument when that is understood and properly
forth among the very first in France to cast de handled; it can be called upon to play upon
fiance in the teeth of the established schools of the feelings of the beholder in almost the
classicism. As a Romanticist he was the most dar same degree as the strings or pipes are by a mu
ing and prolific and as a colorist his brush opened sician. It must not be overlooked that the skill
new horizons and lifted the curtain of convention of the artist in the rendering of his work has much
from the face of Nature. In this picture-one of to do with the impression produced. As a student
the crowning glories of the Salon Francais in the I have often stood and marveled at the elegance
Louvre-the emotional elements of the color-scheme of the modeling in the writhing torsos in the fore
are in harmony with those aroused by the subject ground of this painting, which are full life-size. I
in the mind of the spectator. A turbid, surcharged, have realized deeply what mastery this young man
sulphurous darkness pervades the painting. Glim had over his tools, as well as over the emotional
mering flames of yellow, white and red glare in the qualities of his color and composition! With his
distance, while the writhing torsos and faces of the palette and brush he seemed to play at will upon
figures clinging to the barque of Charon are of a the feelings of his beholder.
livid green. They are drawn and modeled with an Recently I was asked if there were "intellect in
anatomical knowledge and dramatic power which color." I am rather of the opinion that color is
genius, fortified by thorough training in draughts pure Emotion, as form and line are Mind. One
manship, alone could have executed. The figures of could be taught that certain combinations were
the two poets who stand upright in the boat are harmonious and others the reverse; but the mastery
clad, Virgil in dark blue and Dante in a robe of of color must come from the heart, as the mastery

This content downloaded from 49.37.249.65 on Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:24:43 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
 n.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4'
~a ~ ~ ,1 e>1nll of741igclo ui ntffcel oi

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_
i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 41~ ~ ~ ~ MA ~ ~ ~~~~~.

_l~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cotirtesy Kizocd'lcr')& Co.

Colo rtcsv of Knoedllr & Co. 1].. FIG. (3 PATNTED BYz
PU\N-TUD BY MONETr
CoriorE

"LNDNHRIG
"
DOTHERDG ION
POND" A OG
FG
o\ c.\dmplt]
Ani Ofbotlcarming
e\xlm ple ot color b1)111
)tl chi (rminig(010 1u (iisufficienit fOI II
Slnsffi( iellt fo)ina

This content downloaded from 49.37.249.65 on Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:24:43 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
December 1917 THE ART WORLD 179

of drawing, form, finds its source in the brain. on the merits of our works, and the more they are
To attain completeness in our painter-art requires cultured (not in the German sense) the more
the amalgamation of these two forces which are in discriminating they will become.
our nature. No two artists will be alike, as no two Carroll Beckwith
of us have the same degree of feeling for cool
Note: This brief on color by a ntotable painter was writ
grays, or deep rich shadows, nor could we render ten but a short time before his sudden and deeply lamented
them alike. But the minds of our critics will decide death.

WE ALSO ASKED MR. ELLIOTT DAINGERFIELD TO GIVE US HIS VIEWS ON COLOR AND
FORM, WHICH HE HAS KINDLY DONE IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE:

COLOR AND FORM-THEIR RELATIONSHIP

BY ELLIOTT DAINGERFIELD

C ONSIDERING color in its relation to the art the last he had become so heavily "doped" with
of painting, the mind immediately becomes a color sensation that form is lost, and we have a
very maelstrom of ideas, seething, useless, jumble of colors, each lovely in itself perhaps, but
many of them-and sometimes they are even vicious contradictory when considered as painting. And
-but presently certain things are thrown up that so the mind asks, what is it all about?
one may take hold of with very real hope of intelli At his finest, when there was a delicate search
gence, even helpful thoughts. ing for forms-with gem-like association of color
Intense scientific application will lead inevitably to reveal or to obscure, they are very beautiful.
to that sort of result which Humboldt desired when Titian, who is on a far higher plane, proceeds dif
he said all landscape was bad that did not show ferently, and for us he is the great colorist because
the geological stratifications. there is mastery everywhere. The use of his. color
We need not bother ourselves about wave lengths, is understood, and the turn of a child's cheek is
about the science of optics as affecting the human luscious, lovely, because the color makes the cheek
eye. We quite readily know that we see or appre turn. What a text, and how it might be enlarged
hend color through the eye and that it affects the upon! That he used broken color to secure this
mind; also it may be wise to stop long enough to lusciousness was because he knew that pigment
adjust ourselves to the idea that color and colors alone is flat, stolid, irresponsive, and that pigment
are very different things indeed-although one may overmixed to secure especial tint is deadened; that
scarcely believe such a proposition in the midst of is merely part of his sensitiveness to color. It is
the conglomeration of things presented to a suffer not necessary to explain here how he secured his
ing public as works of art! glowing vibrations by juxtaposition of pure color,
Many things are involved in the term color; at or by the playing of tint upon tint; that he did it
once quality, light, atmosphere appear as guardian is evident upon examination of his work-and ever
angels, each performing a special duty in the mys the command and the revelation of his form are
tery of welding or merging colors into color. evident.
While it is demonstrably certain that the art of Nowhere is there a flat or heavy pigmentation,
painting is based upon drawing, equally certain is nowhere a color note that is not relevant to the
it that drawing alone is but half the purpose; else, whole design; nor is there in Rubens, though his
why painting at all? And once this is discerned, forms may be to us gross or inelegant. Also, both
color comes into its own and proclaims itself essen men, and indeed all true colorists, know that color,
tial, equal. For the moment we need not consider however rich, is dependent upon gray, for gray
what its own qualities are, but rather its office, and makes possible gradation, and gradation is the
this is surely that of a revealer of form. So much means by which the flat surface of canvas or panel
of pigment which in its application is irrelevant, is is translated into the near and far of form. If this
foolishness, and any detached spotting of pigment be true, and it is demonstrably so by a study of
is no less than folly. Drawing defines form, color the masters, it sweeps aside every modernist work,
reveals it. We may then reach almost an axiomatic with all the impudent statements of crude color,
statement that color without form is chaos. No which really are statements of paint-gross, vile
haphazard assemblages of the palette, no flowing and not color at all!
together of chance tones may rightly be considered We are not ready to. return to the barbaric ex
color when we are considering the art of Painting. citement of a spot of red or yellow or to enter the
Quality, proportion, balance, juxtaposition, contrast, mad-house from a suffusion of yellow and purple.
all these and more must be taken into consideration, For this we cannot give up the exquisite delicacy
and immediately we enter the realm of form, for of nature, her sumptuousness of color and the magic
design is one of the highest attributes of form. of her grays.
Color is sensation, and because of this curious Everywhere in God's world, indeed, we find the
and powerful effect upon the nerves of man, it is Master Worker using form, color; color, form. Nor
possible for him to become inebriate, a color in is it out of doors alone that this law is at work;
ebriate, and when that happens he loses all or the delicacy of a child's face reveals it quite as
nearly all sense of form. A study of the works of entirely; and always the color must express the
Monticelli will show beautiful drawing in his earlier form. There has been much of rhapsody written
things, progressing then through various changes, about colorists. We are told of their going mad
as the power of color took hold upon him, until at in the glory of it, and then we see their things

This content downloaded from 49.37.249.65 on Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:24:43 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms