An Appreciation of Robert Fawcett... continued

Continuing Henry C. Pitz's appreciation of Robert Fawcett, from the October 1953 issue of American Artist magazine:

It would be difficult to find his equal as a draftsman or a builder of tightly and justly constructed compositions. The dovetailing of the basic forms of his pictorial structures often has a sense of inevitability that is very rare in an age of composition by cliché and by accident.


And when he takes his brush in hand to implement his skeleton plans, the forms grow and acquire volume, the seemingly abstract darks and lights take on meaning and the picture rounds into being under those supremely competent strokes that excite the admiration of those who know a little of the difficulties of picturemaking.


Here the general public cannot follow but they are not barred from participation for a lack of specialized knowledge. There is something for everyone with a modicum of intelligence.


[Fawcett] recognizes illustration as his destined calling. He practices it as an art and a dignified pursuit; he has passing contempt for those who regard it as a racket. This is important because contemporary illustration contains within itself the seeds of decay; there are too many within its ranks who work without conviction, ideals or integrity.


[Robert] Fawcett has the admiration of an important bloc of the lay public, of his fellow illustrators and of the young students. The last are perhaps the most important group, for they will be producing tomorrow's illustration. They try to imitate his technique, his compositions, his drawing. If in doing so they capture some of his steadfast purpose and integrity, they will have the best of him.

* My Robert Fawcett Flickr set.