Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2116 page)

Ultimately, on his return to Hampstead, Mr. Collins temporarily engaged a larger house than he had before occupied, near the Heath; intending it to serve the purpose of enabling him, by a short delay, to settle his plans judiciously, for a place of permanent residence. The difficulties attaching to the purchase of land, (which still continued) and the anxiety of Wilkie, who then lived at Kensington, that his friend should take a house nearer to him, had already raised doubts in the painter’s mind, whether he should do well to settle himself at Hampstead at all. While these were being resolved, he found full occupation in his temporary abode in beginning those pictures for the next Exhibition which he had determined were to illustrate the peculiarities of the French Coast and its population, on the principles which he had so successfully adopted, in his wonted representations of the same subjects on his native shores.

Throughout the remainder of the autumn my father’s attention was closely devoted to his new works; no interruption of sufficient importance to be narrated in these pages happening, to divert his attention from his professional labours, until the commencement of the new year — when an event occurred, which was not only personally distressing to him, but which cast universal gloom over the world of Art. This was the sudden death, on the 8th of January, of his intimate and admirable friend, Sir Thomas Lawrence, the President of the Royal Academy; with whom he had for many years associated in happy social, and intellectual intercourse, and to whom he was attached by the highest admiration for the endowments of his genius, and the most pleasing experience of the virtues of his character. On the last day of the old year, they had dined together; had conversed even more cheerfully and cordially than was their wont; and had parted in the highest spirits — Sir Thomas observing jestingly to his friend, as he wrapped himself up more carefully than was his custom, that he had “a slight cold,” and must take care of himself upon the principle of the old adage, that “good folks were scarce!” Mr. Collins had then seen him, alive, for the last time. During the next two or three days, the “slight cold” increased alarmingly; and the medical attendant called in, fearful of inflammation, bled his patient largely. On the day of his death, Sir Thomas appeared better, and was capable of listening to a book which was read to him by a relative. He had just been laughing heartily at some humorous passage in the work, when he was seized with a sudden faintness. “I am dying,” he whispered to his servant, who was attempting to relieve him. Medical help was called in, but it was useless, — he never spoke again; and on the same day he breathed his last. His funeral, it will be remembered, was public, — on a bitterly cold day, the members of the Royal Academy committed the remains of their honoured President to the grave, in St. Paul’s Cathedral. The agitation produced by the burial ceremony, and the exposure to the inclement weather which was a necessary consequence of it, severely affected Mr. Collins: for some time afterwards he suffered from an attack of illness, which temporarily suspended his usual labours in the Art, at this period of the year.

On the opening of the Exhibition of 1830, three Sea-pieces, on French subjects, appeared from my father’s pencil. They were entitled, “Les Causeuses,” — painted for Mr. Tunno; “Waiting the Arrival of Fishing-boats — Coast of France;” painted for Mr. J. P. Ord; and “Muscle-gatherers Coast of France” painted for Sir Thomas Baring, Bart.

“Les Causeuses,” presented the simplest of subjects — two French fish-women engaged in eager conversation, at one end of a pier overlooking the sea. In ordinary hands such an incident as this, when produced on the canvas, must have resulted in much that was conventional and little that was attractive; but under Mr. Collins’s treatment, this apparently unprofitable fund of material produced the freshest and richest of effects — grace and novelty in the attitudes; national character in the physiognomy, gestures and expression of the figures; with brightness, truth, and harmony of colour in every part of the picture, from the dresses of the women to the hues of the tranquil sea and sky, being the successful means of producing this brilliant and original work. In “Waiting the Arrival of Fishing-boats,” the same qualities of concentration of interest and grasp of effect were apparent, under different arrangements of colour and varied masses of composition. The figures in this picture were two women — one seated, the other standing by her, with a little child in an old basket slung at her back — and a boy placed near them, with a load of fish. “Muscle-gatherers,” was the largest picture of the three. The landscape portion of the scene was a distant view of the Pier at Boulogne; the figures in the foreground were fishwomen, talking, gesticulating, and packing muscles, with that genuine French confusion and excitement, which is at once so perplexing and amusing to an English eye. This picture was magnificently toned, and painted throughout with extraordinary freedom, brilliancy, and vigour.

In noticing among the characteristics of these works, their originality of design, their brilliant colour, and their faithful reflection of the peculiarities of the people and the scenery which they were intended to represent, a few remarks on the progress that had now been made for many years by the painter, in that important branch of the science of Art which is termed “execution,” may be permitted in this place; inasmuch as that progress was exhibited in his pictures of the present year in a remarkable degree. “Execution” — or the process of applying the tints on the canvas, and elabourating the whole surface of a picture — is, to a painter, what style is to a writer, a characterizing mark of his genius, which no imitation can ever completely copy. It gives individuality to the slightest, as to the most important, objects in pictorial composition; its value is never underrated by a great painter; and its excellence is always apparent as a remarkable component part in the beauties of his works. In Mr. Collins’s pictures, the gradual formation of his powers of “execution” is interestingly developed. Those of early dates, exhibit him as commencing his practice of this part of his education in Art, by the most resolute labouring and relabouring of the different objects in his compositions, until they presented the requisite finish, purity, and completeness of surface. Subsequently, his works would be found to display — could they be viewed consecutively — his anxiety to add to these primary qualities, variety of texture, and brilliancy of effect; while, still later, his increasing capacity to accomplish successfully the objects of that anxiety, might be traced, year after year, as his new efforts succeeded each other, up to the time of his attainment of that firm mastery over the manipulation of the brush, which was presented by his pictures painted about the period of his career now under review. It is in his sea-pieces on French subjects especially, that the extraordinary vigour and freedom of “execution” which he had now acquired may be remarked. Bold carelessness, or timid finish of “handling,” are alike avoided in them. Each object receives its due amount of manual attention, in proportion as it is necessary that it should recede from, or advance to, the eye. The firm shaping and reiterated application of the tints used to produce the solidity and roundness of the foreground masses, gives way to the light single sweep of the brush, where the line of the evanescent cloud, or the haze of the distant horizon, is to be expressed. And thus, harmonized throughout by texture and surface, pictures painted on these principles present nothing that is accidentally abrupt to the eye, but true in the balance of their individual parts, preserve the lasting attraction of variety and completeness in their general effect.

Additional remarks on this subject will be rendered necessary in other passages of the present Memoir; it is therefore inexpedient to continue them here. As new modes of study opened to Mr. Collins’s mind, new stores of knowledge must be noticed as added to his previous acquisitions; for in painting, however much may have been attained, there is still ever something to be learnt. It is the privilege of the longest life, the firmest patience, the highest genius in Art, to make the discovery that the paths which lead to its sanctuary are as endless as the delights which accompany its pursuit.

In relation to the picture of “Muscle-gatherers,” it may be mentioned that, while it was in course of completion, its possessor, Sir Thomas Baring, having seen one of the painter’s sketches of a French fisherman, was so struck with it, that he became anxious that the figure should be introduced among the other groups in the work which was preparing for him. The two following letters, referring to this desired alteration, are so characteristic of two main qualities in their writer’s disposition — his anxiety to oblige others, and his determination to do justice to himself — as to be worthy of perusal, notwithstanding their brevity:

“To SIR THOMAS BARING, BART.

“27th February, 1830.

“Sir, — As I feel exceedingly desirous that my present picture should be the best I have ever painted, and especially anxious to give you satisfaction, I purpose making the experiment of introducing the figure of the fisherman, — fearing, however, that the present principal figure will not bear so formidable a rival.

“I shall however this morning faithfully endeavour to effect the purpose you desire, and will have the pleasure of communicating the result to you by the next post.

“Your obliged and obedient servant,

“WILLIAM COLLINS.”

To THE SAME.

“28th February, 1830.

“Sir, — I have not only tried the figure in a standing position, but have also painted him sitting; and in both cases found him a great intruder. The picture had already so much matter, that it became crowded with the addition, and suffered so great a loss in the most essential of all qualities, —
breadth,
that I found it quite necessary, in justice to your interests and to my own reputation as a painter, to restore it to its former state.

“Trusting you will believe that, under other circumstances, it would have afforded me the greatest pleasure to have adopted your suggestion,

“I remain, Sir,

“Your obedient servant,

“WILLIAM COLLINS.”

Decided as was the tone of the second of Mr. Collins’s letters, the alteration therein referred to did ultimately take place. So ready to be advised, and so perfectly free from professional obstinacy was the painter, that when, some time afterwards, Sir Thomas Baring and another gentleman of taste requested him to make a second experiment of the introduction of the fisherman’s figure, he again attempted to produce the desired change. On this occasion, however, he was more fertile in his resources than on the last; and succeeded in making the required adjunct to his composition, upon the only condition on which (yielding as he was in all other directions) he would have permitted the change to remain on the canvas, — its non-interference with the pictorial value of the original groups. Indeed, so fully satisfied was he that the alteration as now effected was a decided improvement to his picture, that he refused all remuneration for the additional labour he had bestowed upon it.

During the summer of this year the painter again changed his place of residence. The inconvenience of his distance from London and London friends, combined with many disadvantages attaching to the accommodations of the house he had occupied since his return from Boulogne, had inclined him for some time past to resign all ideas of settling definitely at Hampstead, and to contemplate removing, as his friend Wilkie had recommended him to do, nearer to Kensington and to the metropolis. This project he accordingly executed, by taking a house at Bayswater; where he obtained a more commodious painting-room than he had occupied in his former abode, and where he found himself situated at a convenient distance from “London streets,” and placed within half an hour’s walk of the residence of his friend Wilkie.

About this period, also, occurred the death of Mr. Collins’s most illustrious patron, His Majesty George the Fourth. The painter’s Diary for the year contains some notice of this event, and presents also a short memorial of a conversation with the late Sir William Knighton, (to whom he had been recently introduced by Sir David Wilkie,) which must be perused with interest, as embodying some results of Sir William’s experience of the personal character of the greatest poet of the age — Lord Byron.

“DIARY OF 1830.

“July 15th. — The King is to be buried to-day. I owe him much. The firing of minute-guns and the tolling of the church bells was truly melancholy. 16th. — To-day the new reign may be said to have commenced; Seguier says our new sovereign has great views respecting the Arts. To-night the Academy has called a council, to prepare the address to his Majesty. 20th. — The new King and Queen, with the other branches of the Royal family, accompanied by Sir Robert Peel, Lord Farnborough, etc., etc., visited our Exhibition. They were received by the President, Keeper, Secretary, and Council. The party remained about one hour and a half, and expressed themselves highly gratified. The King, in passing from the Model Academy through the hall, stated that he should on the following day, at the levee, knight our President. After the departure of our visitors, we drank Martin Archer Shee,
Esquires,
good health. His kind, excellent heart, made him feel this deeply. The address was signed to-day, and prepared for presentation. * * *