April 1879: The Water Colours In The Glasgow Institute Exhibition – “The Frugal Meal”, by Israels

The article on page three of The Glasgow Herald, on Tuesday the 1st of April, 1879, opens

with The Frugal Meal, by Israels. It reads:

 

“THE WATER COLOURS IN THE GLASGOW INSTITUTE.

 

‘The Frugal Meal’ of Israels, 530, a small water colour drawing in body colour,

is in itself sufficient to make memorable the water colour collection in the

present exhibition. The drawing is from the oil picture of the some (sic) subject

which was an attraction of the galleries some time since, but it is not an ordinary

replica. It is rather another picture in which certain traits are perhap more

delicately suggested than in the larger work. Refinement rather than commonplace

‘cleverness’ give exceptional value to the drawing. With no trace of arrangement—

either in the figures or in the colour—the picture has the best artistic qualities. The

imitator gains no insight from the simple workmanship of the artist. Floating

transparent colour over opaque, the drawing has none of the dull look of body colour

work, but without loss of richness, gains in precision. The execution of this drawing

gives our own water-colour artists a lesson in humility. The drawing has, moreover, a

quality our own art rarely reaches. It expresses a true pathos not to be mistaken for

theatrical emotion, and in this lies the art of Israels. The picture is an admirable

example of the painter, whose constant purpose is to ennoble simple lives untouched

by the vulgarities of wealth.”

 

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, September 2025.