The Sculptor Speaks Book

THE SCULPTOR SPEAKS JACOB EPSTEIN TO ARNOLD L. HASKELL A series of conversations on Art GARDEN CITY NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY, DORAN AND COMPANY, INC 1932 SELF PORTRAIT 1920 Dedicated by the Author to MRS. JACOB EPSTEIN CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Arnold L. Haskell i CHAPTER I. ON ART CRITICISM AND THEE WRITING OF BOOKS I II. MAINLY AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL. EARLY DAYS PARIS THEE STRAND STATUES THEE OSCAR WILDE MEMORIAL. IO III. A DISCUSSION ON BEAUTY RIMA. A RESUME OF THE CRITICISM OF RIMA 2.1 IV. THE STATUE OF CHRIST 3 3 V. NIGHT AND DAY. A RESUME OF THE CRITICISM OF NIGHT AND DAY 40 VI. IN THE STUDIO ON PORTRAITURE PSYCHOLOGY AND ART MODELLING AND CARVING NAMING A WORK DISTORTION IN ART 56 VII. PRIVATE VIEW DAYS GENESIS A DISCUSSION ON BAROQUE SCULPTURE AFRICAN ART THE MEANING OF INFLUENCES IN ART JJ VIII. PUBLIC MONUMENTS PICASSO PRIMI TIVE ART PERIOD AND NATIONAL ITY SUBJECT MATTER IN ART CONTENTS continued. CHAPTER PAGE SENSUALITY RUDE AND LA MAR SEILLAISE 95 IX. PAST AND PRESENT MICHAEL ANGELO AND DONATELLO RODIN BRANCUSI MODIGLIANI MAILLOL GAUDIER - BR ESKA HENRY MOORE IIJ X. CHARACTERISTICS OF GREAT ART TRADITION AN INTRODUCTION TO THE APPRECIATION OF ART 134 XI. AMERICA AND AMERICAN SCULPTURE 148 Appendix I. An article by the late T. E. Hulme. Appendix II. Catalogue raisonn6 of the works of Jacob Epstein, 1907-1931. Appendix III. Exhibitions held by Jacob Epstein, ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE SELF-PORTRAIT Frontispiece SUNITA charcoal drawing faing iv THE MADONNA AND CHILD xi THE SERAPH 4 ELLEN JANSEN IO THE LITTLE NEGRESS pencil drawing 12 PROFESSOR JOHN DEWEY 21 MAY 26 RIMA 29 DAME SYBIL THORNDIKE 34 DAY 47 NIGHT 50 ESTHER 55 THE RT. HON. THE VISCOtJNT ROTHER MERE, P. C. 59 THE SICK CHILD 6l .-THE VISITATION 63 THE RT. HON. JAMES RAMSAY MAC DONALD, P. C. 68 THE MADONNA AND CHILD detail 70 MARCHESA CASATI 78 GENESIS 3 82 ILLUSTRATIONS continued PAGE THE HON. STEPHEN TENNANT facing 84 BIBLICAL SUBJECT pencil and wash drawing 91 ISRAFEL 3 , 94 DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH 99 A PORTRAIT ,, 1 08 ELSA LANCHESTER 112 MIRIAM 117 PUTTI 122 DR, CRAMER iz6 JOAN GREENWOOD 131 DAISY DUNN 135 PAUL ROBESON 139 MIRIAM PLICHTE 143 LYDIA 150 AFTER TWO DOVES 169 AFTER THE CHRIST 3 175 AFTER THE SUN GOD , 190 AFTER LYDIA 191 INTRODUCTION I CANNOT in this introduction explain Epstein, and in his own conversation Epstein cannot and does not attempt to explain himself. The French painter Vlaminck summed up the situation admirably when he said La bonne peinture cest comme de la bonne cuisine, ca se goute mais a ne sexplique pas. We can only hint. His work is there for all to see. It is extremely unlikely that this book will convert anyone to the view held by the writer of this introduction that Jacob Epstein, almost alone in the world to-day, holds the secret of true beauty, and that his work like all things truly beautiful will endure without relying in any way upon fashion for its appreciation. It may well be that so positive a statement of belief at the very beginning of this study does my subject a disservice in the eyes of the reader not prepared to follow me to such lengths, or who may well already be in positive and violent disagreement with me. But I have reached my conclusion after very many years and a close study of all the work, and I am therefore unwilling to state it in a more INTRODUCTION subtle and roundabout manner, were that possible. There is altogether too much vague and incon clusive writing on art, and enthusiasm is too often carefully hidden under a mass of so-called technical jargon. I am not prepared to call every work of the sculptor a masterpiece, just because it is signed Epstein to do that would most surely infuriate the artist, and under such conditions this book would never have been written. But my position with regard to Epsteins vision is clear, and I stress it fully conscious of the risk of losing sympathy at the outset...Read More