Description of Sixty Studies,
pp.viii-ix
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preface, page viii:-
intending to depreciate the merit of the landscape painters of the present day, among whom there are artists of the greatest talents, the writer confidently appeals to the walls of the Royal Academy, of the British Gallery, and of the two Water-colour Societies, for proofs of the different modes in which different landscape painters have been taught, or have taught themselves, "to see nature," as it is termed. Yet nature is invariable. - Fully sensible of his own defects as an artist, defects arising in a great degree from causes connected with the foregoing observations, the writer settled at Ambleside in the year 1800, with a view to remedy his errors. The page ix:- object which he has unceasingly pursued for the last ten years has been to divest himself as much as possible of manner, and to adhere as faithfully as possible to nature. How far he may have succeeded, it is not for him to determine. Proposals were made in the spring of 1807, for publishing sixty prints from sketches of his largest size. In 1808, thirty of the sixty were laid before the public; in 1809, twelve more; and the remaining eighteen are now published. He trusts that they will be found good examples for beginners in the art, who may wish to acquire some mechanical facility before they apply to nature herself. For the accommodation of those who prefer |
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