CHAPTER V.

_FREDERICK WALKER, A.R.A., R.W.S., CHARLES DICKENS, PROFESSOR HUBERT VON HERKOMER, R.A., GEORGE J. PINWELL, R.W.S., A. B. HOUGHTON, R.W.S., WARD & LOCK, FREDERICK BARNARD, JEAN INGELOW, ROBERT BUCHANAN, J. M. LAWLESS._

Fred Walker often said that he wanted to come to us as a pupil, but that we would not have him. When he left the North London Collegiate School, where he was educated, he came to ask our advice as to the method of drawing on wood, and as to the chances of earning money as an illustrator. We advised him to begin by copying, in pen and ink, pictures from the _Illustrated London News_ and other illustrated periodicals, specially recommending the works of John Gilbert and Birket Foster as the best models for style and manner.

He then went to J. W. Whymper, who at that time took pupils to learn the art of drawing on wood. There he studied and copied the works we had recommended, and so quickly acquired the manner of John Gilbert that when he made designs, so close was his imitation that his drawings might easily have been taken for Gilbert's own work. But his own individuality soon began to assert itself, and he quickly developed into the great master he was. During this period he occasionally came to us for advice on various subjects, and we gave him commissions on some boys' books for Routledge and other publishers, including "Hard Times" and "Reprinted Pieces," by Charles Dickens.

On sending Dickens a set of finished proofs of the latter, we received the following letter in reply:

"FRIDAY, _Fourth October, 1861_.

"GENTLEMEN,--I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the India proofs you have had the kindness to send me, of the illustrations to 'Reprinted Pieces.' Both in conception and execution the illustrations are very satisfactory indeed.

"Faithfully yours, "CHARLES DICKENS."

Walker made many drawings for _Good Words_. One struck us as being so exceedingly beautiful that we asked him to make us a water colour drawing from it, which he did; and, apart from its being rather crude in colour, it is a charming work, called "A Dinner in the Fields"--a group of rustic children. This, we believe, was his first commission for a picture. His early paintings were not fine in colour. He did not evince much capacity in this direction until he went down to West Somerset, and worked side by side with his friend, J. W. North, whose influence, aided by the lovely colour of the district, brought about a marvellous improvement in both his tone and mode.

Walker was of a very excitable nature, and with his rapidly growing power and popularity, soon got a high sense of his own importance. One day he came to us in an angry, irritated state, saying he had just finished a large water colour drawing that a well-known dealer had promised to come and see, but had failed to do so. "I want, when he comes to-day, to be able to say, 'That picture is sold.' Can you help me in this humiliating position?" After a few words of consultation, we said, "Yes, we will give you a hundred guineas for it." The picture was not a good example either in subject or treatment. It was a social scene, called "Strange Faces," but had a special interest in the fact that William Harvey, whom we had introduced to Walker, stood as model for the principal figure.

His first picture in oil, exhibited in the Royal Academy, was done from his drawing, "A Woman in the Snow," published in _Good Words_, and engraved by us.

About this time we commissioned him to make thirty drawings on wood the same size as those of Birket Foster's "Pictures of English Landscape." These he willingly undertook, and worked at earnestly; but the great demand for his pictures increased so rapidly that the drawings came less and less frequently, and at last the scheme fell through, after his having given us some eight or ten. All of these were perfect works of their class, and it would have made a grand book had it been completed. Later, we published the engravings with those of other artists, mostly by G. J. Pinwell and J. W. North, first in "A Round of Days" and "Home Affections," and afterwards in an India paper edition, as "Pictures of English Rustic Life," by Frederick Walker, A.R.A., and G. J. Pinwell, R.W.S. One of the designs we had a small water colour drawing of, "Come in out of the Rain"; also one of "Strange Faces," which, being in his later manner, was far better than the original picture.

Of these rustic drawings, fortunately, through the aid of photography, several of the originals were saved, some of which are at Kensington Museum, where the beautiful manipulation of the work may be studied--the material and method; the mixture of pencil, point work, in some instances ink, and wash; the delicate colour of the wood, and the skilful use of body colour (Chinese white), all combining to bring about a most beautiful result.

Walker had a fine sense of humour, which was shown in the few drawings he did for _Punch_.

At a social gathering the commencement of a new story by Miss Muloch was humorously discussed. The opening chapter dwelt much on early childhood. The term, "Sacred Blue Pinafore," being used frequently so tickled Walker's fancy that he there and then made a rough sketch in blue chalk, which we here reproduce. The same evening he made the portrait sketch of his friend, W. P. Burton, a clever but eccentric character, who was present at the time.

Fred Walker's art culminated in the production of his "Harbour of Refuge," one of the greatest English pictures for beauty, pathos, and grandeur ever painted. He said one day to a friend, "look at that little old man sitting against the distant tree: that is a portrait of myself when I get to be as old as he."

We considered ourselves fortunate in securing a few of his water colour paintings. Independent of those already referred to, we may mention "Philip in Church," which was the first picture that brought him into prominent notice, and has always been considered a thoroughly representative work. It certainly helped to secure his election into the Old Water Colour Society.

Years after, Professor von Herkomer produced a very charming etching of this picture, the same size as the original.

Gilbert Dalziel, son of Edward Dalziel, sat to Walker for the boy in "Philip in Church." Walker took a great fancy to him, and they had many games together. The following is a letter from him to his youthful model, which will give an idea of the nature of their friendship:

For the first two years after the picture was finished it was seldom in our possession for more than a week or two at any one time, it being in frequent request, either for exhibition in the provinces or abroad; and not infrequently in Walker's own studio, when he wished to show it to his friends.

"_Feby. 21, '66._

"MY DEAR MR. DALZIEL,--I have just received a letter from Miss Minnie Thackeray to say her sister, who comes to town to-day, is so unwell as to be unable to visit us to-day. Will you have the kindness to let the picture, which has just arrived, remain here for a day or two? and with many thanks,

"Believe me, "Sincerely yours, "F. WALKER.

"GEORGE DALZIEL, ESQ."

With reference to the following letter from Mr. Allen E. Everet, containing an application from the Birmingham Society of Artists that the picture might be exhibited at their rooms, we were given to understand that the Society awarded Walker their gold medal for the best water colour picture of the year. A like honour was bestowed by the Council of the Paris International Exhibition of 1865; in Dublin also, where it was on view, it was awarded a prize.[18]

"SOCIETY OF ARTS, "BIRMINGHAM, "_2 July, 1864_.

"DEAR SIR,--I just take the liberty of writing a line to ask if you have been able to obtain for us the loan of your fine drawing of 'Philip,' for our ensuing Exhibition, as all the members of this Society will feel most anxious to see this most interesting work on our walls this autumn? Hoping, therefore, that you will be able to oblige us,

"I remain, dear Sir, "Respectfully yours, "ALLEN E. EVERET, "_Hon. Secretary_.

"F. WALKER, ESQ."

Perhaps it is hardly necessary to say here that, with the exception of the first two, Walker made the entire series of illustrations to Thackeray's novel of "Philip; his way through the World," or that this picture is an elaborately finished painting from one of these designs. Walker held this gifted author in very high esteem.

In a note addressed to us, dated December 28th, 1863, we find the following passage:

"I have not been very well, and should have passed a happier Christmas but for this sad news of poor Thackeray. I have lost a good friend."

* * * * *

Our first knowledge of Professor Hubert von Herkomer, R.A., came to us in the form of a parcel, containing two or three drawings, through the post from Southampton. They were not very remarkable, but had sufficient skill to justify us in using his work. His development was wonderful, showing a facility of design and artistic taste far above the average. But in spite of his all-round cleverness he had severe struggles in the early days. He always had dramatic taste, and he told us that it was a chance whether he persisted in his painting or went on the stage. He is a well-trained musician--a composer as well as an executant; and one time thought of joining a Christy's Minstrel troupe. In fact, he offered himself as "bones," but there was "no vacancy," so he continued drawing and painting, getting decorative work to do at South Kensington Museum, where he did some stencilling on a ceiling, under conditions explained in the following letter:

"32 SMITH STREET, CHELSEA, "_Monday Morning_.

"MY DEAR SIRS,--Would you kindly send me the proof of my two drawings this week? I am working at Kensington Museum, doing some decorative work, which will at least keep the wolf from the door and still give, or rather leave, me plenty of time for other work.

"When I have some more things done I will take the liberty to show them to you.

"Yours very faithfully, "HUBERT HERKOMER.

"P.S.--The zither still continues to be my dearest companion."

All this while he was gaining power, and whenever he had the good fortune to sell a picture he immediately "speculated" to the extent of going abroad for fresh study and experience.

The first picture of any importance that he exhibited in London was a large water colour--"Harvesters"--at the Dudley Gallery. It was a very clever work and fresh in style. We advised Mr. Strahan to buy it, which he did for forty pounds. Herkomer also made a full page drawing on wood from this picture for _Good Words_. On this success he went to Treport. It was at the time of the Franco-Prussian War; and here he painted a market scene called "Reading the News," which news was evidently adverse to the French. The groups of angry women and gloomy men tell the tale very clearly. When the people got to know he was of German origin, so great was their anger and hatred towards him that he was obliged to beat a speedy retreat for England; but not before he had finished a very clever and characteristic picture, which, with the exception of the colour, holds its own with much of his later work. Upon this he was invited to join the Royal Institute, from which he retired, and later in life became a member of the Royal Water Colour Society.

We were fortunate enough to become the owners of the picture immediately on his return.

It was after one of his successful visits to Bavaria that he built a small wooden studio in the back garden of his house in Smith Street, Chelsea, and there painted, in 1875, his large oil picture, "The Last Muster," a production that will always rank as one of the finest English works. Soon after this he was elected an Associate, and in due course a full Member of the Royal Academy of Arts, as well as receiving several Continental decorations. Subsequently he succeeded John Ruskin as Professor of Painting at Christ College, Oxford. But all this is too well known to be dwelt upon here. Our own personal experience of Herkomer is that he is as good and generous as he is clever, and that whatever service we were able to render him in the past has been recognised by him over and over again.

When G. J. Pinwell first called on us he brought a small water colour drawing with him. The subject was a lady of the "Old Ballad" style, with a decided sense of beauty in it, and in colour looked as if he had been studying the work of Holman Hunt. We recognised at once his cleverness, and that study and practice only were required to develop his great ability.

We first gave him some work on _Fun_, as is shown by this letter from him:

"DEAR SIR,--I now send you a _Fun_ drawing, which I hope you will like. I think it will print well.

"Believe me, "Yours truly, "G. J. PINWELL."

We also gave him, and obtained for him, work of the most varied kind, such as sets of illustrations for boys' books. He soon became a regular contributor to _Good Words_, and in its pages over one hundred of his drawings appeared. From several of them he painted water colour drawings, perhaps the most important being a highly finished work: "Landlord and Tenant," which shows his appreciation of character in the landlord, and of deep pathos in the fine group of the poor woman and her children. This picture was painted expressly for us and was never exhibited.

He made a few drawings for "Dalziel's Arabian Nights," but did not go far, as we had placed entirely in his hands our edition of "Goldsmith's Works," for which he made a wonderful set of drawings considering the short time allowed for their production. He, however, lost nothing in force of design or in excellence, the manipulation only being a little less painstaking but more suitable for rendering in the reproductions.

Pinwell always objected to working against time: he held that if a thing was worth doing at all it must be done at his best. He often said that "money was not enough for him."

Amongst his most careful and finished work are the exquisite rustic pictures which we issued in "A Round of Days" and "Wayside Posies," also those to illustrate "Poems by Jean Ingelow," notably the sets for "The High Tide" and "Winstanly." He also did some strong character work for Robert Buchanan's "North Coast and Other Poems," some of a classic and romantic kind for his "Ballad Stories of the Affections," and a small set of illustrations to Charles Dickens' "Uncommercial Traveller." The pictures of "Old Time and His Wife," and "The Tramps," were amongst the best, and for these we gave him a commission to paint water colour drawings, and very exquisite examples they are.

When Pinwell was a little boy a lady asked his mother what she intended bringing him up to. She said she did not know, but that he was so fond of drawing she thought he would like to be an artist. "Oh," said the lady, "do not let him be that, for none but the best ever make any money." "But," said Mrs. Pinwell, "why may not my George be one of the best?" The dear old lady, of whom Pinwell always spoke with reverent affection, did not live to see that he was "one of the best"--aye, of the very best--of that wonderful group of young men with whom he was associated; for he possessed some of the finest and highest qualities in a supreme degree; his sense of beauty, his fine colour, his grace of design, his poetic art, being equalled only by his force of character. In much of his work there is a tinge of sadness; but as a rule, and in his water colours particularly, beauty dominates everything.

Outside our close connection with him as an illustrator, our interest in him as a painter was constant from the commencement up to the day of his death--owning his first finished picture and his last, on which he worked the day before he died. His first he called "The Sisters"; his second, a very highly finished picture, was "The Rats," from "The Pied Piper of Hamelin." While this was on the easel we commissioned him for two others from the same poem, "The Children," and "The Piper Bargaining with the Burghers in the Market Place." The latter was never done. "The Children" we lent to the Paris Art Exhibition, where it was hung under a glass roof and "baked" until the colour was all taken out of it, to the extent that he said he would repaint it; but after he had gone so far with the _replica_ he found it so hard a task that he set to work on the first picture, the modelling all being perfect, and restored the colour to its original beauty.

One of the last pictures we purchased from Pinwell was "The Old Clock," it being a repeat of one of the rustic drawings he made for us.

At the time of his death we had acquired a great number of his finished works, both large and small. At the sale of the remainder of his works at Christie's we purchased about one third of the collection. Amongst them were two for which he had been commissioned by us--one, a repeat of "The Elixir of Love," smaller than the original, and, although unfinished, much the finer work of the two; the other a water colour repeat of an oil painting of "Vanity Fair," which he had in progress.

Two or three other unfinished efforts in oil, "The Earl of Quarter Deck," "Sally in Our Alley," and "The New Slipper," all go to show that he was a perfect master of the material; and had he lived to complete any of these, his election into the Academy would have been assured.

Pinwell had not the advantage of high culture early in life, but he was a true gentleman; though sometimes rough and brusque in manner, which showed most strongly when he came across or heard of any act of petty meanness, in all the ordinary ways of life he was good-natured, genial and sociable, brimful of tenderness, of a vivid imagination, and generous to a degree. His life was a truly domestic one, spending most of his time at home with a charming wife and a few chosen friends, amongst whom, perhaps, E. G. Dalziel and A. B. Houghton were the closest and most constant. He was the soul of good fellowship, perfectly human, and sympathetic in the highest degree. Sir John Millais, speaking of him, summed him up in his own emphatic way, saying, "no man could produce work like his who was not a man of exquisite taste and refined poetic feeling."

Pinwell had all his life been in delicate health, and succumbed to a lung trouble at an early age.

* * * * *

A. Boyd Houghton was perhaps one of the most versatile of the black and white draughtsmen of our time. Amongst his early friends he was called "The Young Genius," and his first efforts in art showed that he well deserved that appellation. He did not require the model set before him--to look at his subject was sufficient. It was like a "snap-shot" fixed on the brain, and memory was enough for his purpose. He had a vivid fancy, and was brimming over with the finest qualities of the designer's art. Our connection with him was a long and very close one. He was a most delightful companion--his fine sense of humour was coupled with a pleasant tinge of satire, such as comes from a man who knows the world in its various phases of life, but always cultured and refined.

One of his characteristics was his great love of children. It was a pleasure to him to get a party of young people together, and go off to the fields to romp and play all sorts of games and antics. His taste in that way is fully shown in the set of some thirty or more drawings he made for us of "Child Life," which we published, through Routledge, as "Home Thoughts." But he made other pictures of the little ones: "Kiss Me," done for _Good Words_, is an excellent example.

He had special advantages to assist him in his work on our edition of "The Arabian Nights." He was born in India. His father, his brothers, and many relatives were Indian army men, who had fine collections of articles of virtu, curios, costumes, and every sort of thing invaluable for the illustrators purposes, much of which he placed at the disposal of Thomas Dalziel, thus enabling both to work with uniformity in all necessary details.

Houghton was the essence of kindness and generosity. His impulsive nature knew no bounds. If any case of distress to a brother artist came before him he was the first to offer help. We could give many special instances where he emptied his pockets that he might help those in immediate want.

* * * * *

Although we had done much work with the house of Ward & Lock from their first commencing business, it was not until 1863 that we held any financial interest in what they published. In that year we entered into a contract with them to produce a series of popular standard works, fully illustrated, to be under the able editorship of Dr. H. W. Dulcken, and to be published with the general title of "Dalziel's Illustrated Edition." We were to share equally in the cost of production, and participate equally in the profits, if there were any. Before the first number appeared, Mr. J. Stephens, proprietor of the _Family Herald_, was so much attracted by the probable success of the scheme, that he begged to be included in the partnership, suggesting that all costs, losses, or profits should be equally borne by the three parties. To this we agreed.

"The Arabian Nights' Entertainments," it was decided, should be the first of the series. Some of the drawings were made by Sir John E. Millais, P.R.A., Sir John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, R.W.S.,

Though these two books, upon which we bestowed much anxious care, were very highly appreciated by the press generally, and still more highly by the art-loving world, the public, unfortunately, did not respond so enthusiastically as we had expected, and, as a large debt had by this time been incurred, all further progress in the scheme was abandoned.

Amongst much interesting work in which we were associated with Ward & Lock, was a very charming edition of "The Pilgrim's Progress," containing 100 beautiful pictures, drawn entirely by Thomas Dalziel--thus adding another to the many editions of this wonderful book which we had been called upon to embellish.

Our connection with Messrs. Ward & Lock continued for many years after "The Arabian Nights" transaction had terminated.

* * * * *

It was through an introduction by G. J. Pinwell that we first met J. W. North. He began as a pupil of J. W. Whymper, in whose studio he made many small drawings, most of which were modelled on the works of Birket Foster. North said that all the art teaching he ever got at Whymper's was that when a subject was given him, a print of one of Foster's was placed before him, with instructions to make his drawing in that manner. We were struck, not only with the earnestness of his method, but the beautiful drawing and his sweet simplicity of style. But it is a fact that publishers generally did not care for his work, and, broadly speaking, all the drawings he did for us were in the form of commissions given direct by ourselves, and at our own risk. Most certainly we have nothing to regret in this; for in different forms he gave us some of the finest English landscapes that have been produced in black and white. Amongst the most important are those which we placed in our "Round of Days," in "Home Thoughts," and in "Jean Ingelow's Poems." And whatever reputation North may have gained in other branches of art, we feel assured that these early works will form no small part of that distinction.

From his earliest practice of art he devoted much time to water colour painting, and was elected, on his first "sending in," to the Royal Water Colour Society, where he at once became one of its most prominent members, producing, year by year, landscapes of singular beauty. He also painted several important landscapes in oil, which called forth much attention at the Grosvenor and at the New Gallery, and for some years now has had the distinction of A.R.A. as an affix to his name.

It has always been a pleasant memory to us in having had it in our power to be of some service to this talented artist when he started on "the battle of life."

We became possessed of several of his very charming water colour drawings, one of the most important being two beautiful rustic children looking at a dead robin lying on the snow; another, "An Old Wooden Bridge," the design of which he used in illustrating one of Jean Ingelow's poems; and "A Storm at Sea," which is an exquisite piece of colour.

Our first introduction to Jean Ingelow was through Mr. Niles, of Roberts Brothers, Boston, U.S., who wanted some illustrations done for her poems. Some six or eight page drawings were made by J. W. North, and the success of that venture induced us to make terms with her for the elaborately illustrated edition of "Jean Ingelow's Poems," for which we retained the English rights, and which we produced and placed in the hands of Messrs. Longman, her English publishers. The pictures were by various artists--Pinwell is at his very best in "The High Tide," "Winstanly," and many others; so is J. W. North, who gave us numerous examples in his most refined manner. Wolf, Small, and Houghton are all there in good form. There is one fine example of Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A., of "Euphrosyne," and there are a number of our own drawings of which it is needless to particularize.

* * * * *

It was in our connection with _Good Words_ that we first came in contact with Robert Buchanan, who was at that time coming right to the front as a popular poet. At our invitation he was induced to write and procure verses to the set of pictures by Fred Walker and others, which were published as "Wayside Posies," and for which he gave us much beautiful work. After this we made arrangements with him to produce an illustrated book, to be called "North Coast and Other Poems," which afforded plenty of scope for pictures of varied kinds. Commencing with "Meg Blane," a strong dramatic story of the sea is fully illustrated by A. B. Houghton and Thomas Dalziel. "An English Eclogue" has a fine example of G. J. Pinwell; the same may be said of "The Battle of Drumlie Moor," and of the illustrations to "The Ballad Maker" and "Sigurd of Saxony." Houghton's pictures to "The Northern Warning" and to "The Saint's Story" are all powerful works. There are also two very fine drawings by William Small from the truly pathetic story of "The Exiles of Glen Oona."

"Ballad Stories of the Affections" was always a favourite book with us--the fine old ballads giving such an opportunity for pictures of an imaginative, poetic character. Two of Pinwell's--"Maid Mettelil" and "Young Axelvold"--are of exceeding beauty. Of A. B. Houghton's those for "Signelil, the Serving Maiden," and that for "The Two Sisters" are amongst his best. J. D. Watson has some good pictures, and those by J. Lawson illustrating "Aage and Elsie" are strong dramatic work. As to our own drawings, which are numerous, we will only say that we loved the subjects, and had much pleasure in making the drawings.

Among the many truly gifted young artists who came under our notice at this period was J. M. Lawless. His drawings were of such a refined and accomplished character that he at once took a place amongst the distinguished men of the time. He exhibited some few pictures at the Royal Academy which brought him prominently before the public; one of these, "A Midnight Mass," another, "A Sick Call"--a poor woman has been to fetch a priest, who, with his acolytes, is being rowed across a river; the woman's deep grief, and the solemnity of the entire scene, gives a touch of pathos to the group, and suggests it being a case _in extremis_. From "A Man at the Spinet," which we give, he painted a sweet water colour. Lawless was regarded as a "coming man," but, alas! like others of that "golden period" of Illustrative Art he passed away at quite an early age.

FOOTNOTES:

[18] It is a curious fact that on this occasion the picture was lost for some two or three months, but was ultimately restored to us uninjured.