ROYAL ACADEMY, "BRACEBRIDGE HALL," ETC.
The "opinions of the press" on Washington Irving's _Old Christmas_,
which Mr. J. D. Cooper, the wood engraver, is depicted reading to the
artist with so much glee, were all that could be desired; and they
fully justified the second venture (_Bracebridge Hall_), on which
Caldecott was already engaged.
In February he was "painting a frieze for Mr. Pennington's drawing
room" at Broome Hall, Holmwood, Sussex; and, later on, was "carving
panels for a chimneypiece."
In this year, 1876, Caldecott exhibited his first painting in the Royal
Academy, entitled, "There were Three Ravens sat on a Tree." The humour
and vigour of the composition are well indicated in the sketch. It was
hung rather out of sight, above (and in somewhat grim proximity with) a
picture of "At Death's Door," by Hubert Herkomer. Both artists were
then thirty years of age.
[Illustration: "THERE WERE THREE RAVENS SAT ON A TREE."
(Oil Painting) Royal Academy, 1876.
Cat. No. 415. 49 × 32.]
In the same room (Gallery V.) were collected that year, the works of
painters whose names are familiar--W. B. Richmond, A. Gow, H. R.
Robertson, E. H. Fahey, W. W. Ouless, Val C. Prinsep, Henry Moore, and
others.
[Illustration: "PRIVATE VIEW OF MY FIRST R.A. PICTURE," APRIL 1876.]
Besides "The Three Ravens" he exhibited in 1876 the metal bas-relief of
a "Horse Fair in Brittany," reproduced opposite. This was a more
masterful production than the picture, and attracted great attention in
the Royal Academy Exhibition. It was mentioned in the _Times_ of that
year, and in the _Saturday Review_, June 10th, 1876, we read:--
"Of low relief--taking the Elgin frieze as the standard--one
of the purest examples we have seen for many a day is Mr.
Caldecott's bas-relief, 'A Horse Fair in Brittany.' Here a
simple and almost rude incident in nature has been brought
within the laws and symmetry of art."
[Illustration: "A HORSE FAIR IN BRITTANY."
Metal bas-relief exhibited in the Royal Academy, 1876.
Cat. No. 1499. Size 14 × 5-1/2 in.]
In 1876 Caldecott also produced a relief in metal of "A Boar Hunt,"
which was exhibited in the Grosvenor Gallery in 1878.
To the world at large and in the opinion of many critics, there was, in
his Academy work of 1876, promise of an exceptionally successful
career. Decorative design and modelling in relief were Caldecott's
especial forte, and it is to be regretted that so few of these works
remain to us. "The Horse Fair in Brittany," in the possession of the
writer, is one of the few completed works of this character. He was not
destined to be a prolific painter, although strongly urged at this time
by members of the Royal Academy to devote his energies to painting.
Neither his health nor his previous training justified his leaving a
branch of art in which he was already becoming famous, that of book
illustration.
In 1876 the system of reproducing sketches in pen and ink by
photo-engraving became general in England, and in the pages of _Academy
Notes_ of that year there appeared, for the first time, sketches by the
painters of their exhibited works.
Amongst well-known artists--who powerfully aided in founding a system
of illustration which was destined to spread over the world--were Sir
John Gilbert, R.A., H. Stacy Marks, R.A., Marcus Stone, A.R.A., and,
the comparatively young, Randolph Caldecott. The three first-named are
masters in line each in his own style, and their methods were studied
and imitated by many other painters in England to whom line drawing was
then a sealed book. Several sketches of pictures in the _Academy
Notes_, 1876, were drawn by Caldecott, including the portrait of
Captain Burton, painted by Sir Frederick Leighton, P. R. A.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN BURTON, R.A., 1876.]
In June he made a series of illustrations, entitled "Christmas
Visitors," for the _Graphic_ newspaper; and about this time the
drawings for _Bracebridge Hall_ were finished.
[Illustration: FACSIMILE OF FIRST PAGE OF "BRACEBRIDGE HALL."]
[Illustration: "THE CHIVALRY OF THE HALL PREPARED TO TAKE THE FIELD"]
In _Bracebridge Hall_ we meet the fair Julia again in one of the most
graceful illustrations Caldecott ever drew. An extract from the text is
necessary to show the subtle touch of the illustrator.
"I have derived much pleasure," says Washington Irving,
"from observing the fair Julia and her lover.... I observed
them yesterday in the garden advancing along one of the
retired walks. The sun was shining with delicious warmth,
making great masses of bright verdure and deep blue shade.
The cuckoo, that harbinger of spring, was faintly heard from
a distance; the thrush piped from the hawthorn, and the
yellow butterflies sported, and toyed and coquetted in the
air.
"The fair Julia was leaning on her lover's arm, listening to
his conversation with her eyes cast down, a soft blush on
her cheek and a quiet smile on her lips, while in the hand
which hung negligently by her side was a bunch of flowers.
In this way they were sauntering slowly along, and when I
considered them, and the scenery in which they were moving,
I could not but think it a thousand pities that the season
should ever change or that young people should ever grow
older, or that blossoms should give way to fruit or that
lovers should ever get married." The harmony here between
author and illustrator needs no comment.
[Illustration: THE FAIR JULIA AND HER LOVER]
There were 120 drawings made for _Bracebridge Hall_, remarkable for
artistic qualities and fully sustaining the reputation of the artist.
The originals were drawn about one third larger, in pen and ink,
photographed on wood and engraved in facsimile. The effect of many of
the drawings in the first editions was injured by the want of margin on
the printed page; but an _édition de luxe_ is now printed with _Old
Christmas_ and _Bracebridge Hall_ in one volume.
[Illustration: "GENERAL HARBOTTLE AT DINNER."]
As it is the object of this memoir to record facts--and as the
originator of good ideas is seldom recognised--it should be stated
here that it is owing to Mr. Cooper, the engraver, that Washington
Irving's books were ever illustrated by Caldecott. The idea, he says in
the preface, "has been delayed in execution for many years, mainly from
the difficulty of finding an artist capable of identifying himself with
the author;" modestly adding--"whether this result has now been
attained or no, must be left to the verdict of the lovers of the gifted
writer in both hemispheres."
[Illustration: "AN EXTINGUISHER."]
The two next sketches mark with touching emphasis the serious change in
Caldecott's health which took place in the autumn of this year.
[Illustration: AT WHITCHURCH.]
In August he is writing from the country in high spirits as usual, and
planning out much work for the future. _Bracebridge Hall_ was finished,
and the success of _Old Christmas_ had brought him many commissions.
His illustrations on wood had turned out well, being fortunate in his
engravers, especially Mr. J. D. Cooper and Mr. Edmund Evans, who always
rendered his work with sympathetic care. He may also be said to have
been fortunate in his connection with the _Graphic_ newspaper under the
direction of Mr. W. L. Thomas, the artist and wood engraver.
But alas! in the autumn of this year his health failed him, and in
October he was advised to go to Buxton in Derbyshire.
On the 2nd November, 1876, he writes:--
[Illustration: AT BUXTON]
"I am as above. Walking solemnly in the gardens, or sitting
limply in the almost deserted saloon listening to an
enfeebled band."
The result of that visit was a series of delightful sketches, which
appeared in the _Graphic_ newspaper, the originals of which are in the
possession of Mr. Samuel Pope, Q.C.
[Illustration: A CHRISTMAS CARD.]