Development of Water-Colour Painting

Peter De Wint (1784-1849) used a rich palette, saturated his paper and while it was wet brushed the colour into it. In this manner he maintained, or avoided disturbing, the bloom which is one of the beauties of water colour, and which accounts for the transparency of his tones. Superimposed colour almost always deadens brilliancy and makes it look sodden.

De Wint, and also Cox, obtained a beautiful quality in their sketches. De Wint obtained fine colour effects in his broad rough way, using the brush vigorously and with interesting suggestive ness, not bothering with, nor caring for the naturalistic, but creating an impression of air and wind, and solid things. Cox's sketches took the form of notes, design not playing much of a part, but his loose handling and reminiscent colour imparted a great charm to his work.

Dayes used water colour in an architectural manner, choosing subjects possessing great detail and handling these compositions in a large way. While he was inclined toward colour and experi mented freely with that method of expression, yet he never fully accepted it. Dayes' influence on Turner's early work was un questioned.

Girtin profited also to a large extent through Dayes' experiments in warm and cool colour. By the last years of the 18th century Turner and Girtin had surpassed Dayes in quality and colour. Turner may be classed as the most important colourist of this period. Another note of interest is that Turner's water colour practice exerted a very strong influence upon his oil painting. He was able to experiment quickly and easily in this medium and to obtain the effect of clarity and richness. He realized that the transparency and fluidity of the lighter medium would tend to lift oil out of its heavy dull manner, as it was practised at that time. This was a matter of evolution, of one medium flowing into another. Water colour has a verve and spirit all its own and the painters of this period realized its value both as an individual art, and as a helpmate in reclaiming oil from its sloth of dullness.

Lustreless blues and browns gave way rapidly to Turner's swift and fresh sense of colour. It is an extremely noteworthy fact that sketches, tinted drawings and water colour paintings reveal the spontaneous artistic soul of an artist. He seems freer and less bound by convention and an academic view of Art. Turner, through the use of water colour, vitalized his oil painting and developed its brilliancy.

John Sell Cotman used water colour with great freedom and simplicity. His pattern and form show a fine judgment in selec tion. He did not clutter up his composition by useless detail. He held the masses of his picture clear and strong.

The Society of Water Colour Painters was formed in London in 1804 and its first exhibition was held in Brook Street on April 22, 1805. Most of the distinguished water colour painters exhib ited their work in this society excepting Turner, who was never a member. Among the noted water colourists of this period were William Blake (1757-1827); E. Dayes (1763-1804) ; Thomas Walmsley (1763-1806) ; Francis Towne (1740-1816) ; John White Abbott (1763-1851) ; J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851) ; John Constable (1776-1837) ; Thomas Girtin ( I775-18o2 ) ; John Varley (1778-1842) ; Cornelius Varley (1781-1873) ; William Fleetwood Varley; John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) and David Cox (1783-1859) ; A. V. Copley Fielding (1787-1855) ; Peter De Wint (1784-1849) ; G. F. Robson (179o-1833) ; William Hunt (1790-1864).

Third Perio

this time a number of bitions were being held and the painters were afforded the oppor tunity of showing their work to advantage. For many years past the water colour exhibitions have been important artistic and social events in England. In addition to these advantages the finest paper and colour is now preferred and sold by colour makers. The only difficulty is that too many hues and tints are made to-day. The beginner in this interesting form of art becomes confused and is liable to select a complicated and impossible palette. Simplicity still rules the world of art.

Among the many outstanding water colour painters of this period may be mentioned Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898), and Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882). They had a great deal in common. Their work was decorative and colourful. Burne Jones used water colour in designing many stained glass windows.

More recent was the rich and dramatic art of J. D. Innes (1887-1914). Among others who in the first quarter of the 20th century produced excellent work were Sir W. Orpen, A. M. McEvoy, J. Holland, S. Palmer, J. F. Lewis, W. Callow, T. Shotter Boys, B. Foster, A. W. Hunt, E. M. Wimperis, T. Collier, E. B. Lintott, A. J. Munnings, Arminell Morshead, P. W. Steer, W. Tryon and Frank Brangwyn.