Laughter that Destroys all Pomposity
"No doubt Aubrey Beardsley was the more original artist; also the more limited. Even if he had lived I doubt if he would have gone much beyond his strictly linear style. Whereas Ricketts painted from a rich palette, and was also an accomplished sculptor in the manner of Rodin. From the point of view of reputation with posterity, versatility is a dangerous gift, and seems to arouse a sort of jealousy. Ricketts did everything well, bringing to each a branch of art or craft a feeling for design, a sympathy with the medium and an inexhaustible gift of invention. And, in addition to his technical endowments, all his work shows the stamp of a superior character. Bernard Shaw described him as ‘the noble and generous Ricketts…a natural aristocrat as well as a loyal and devoted artist.’ And it is perhaps a good thing that he should be remembered in this form. But those of us who knew him will always think first of his laugh, destroying all pomposity and encouraging us to say outrageous things. "
Kenneth Clark in the foreword to Stephen Calloway’s Charles Ricketts: Subtle and Fantastic Decorator.
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Just as Oak Knoll Books is the place to go for all who love Books on Books, The Kelmscott Book Shop is a must for those who adore the art and ambiance of England in the 1890s. Listen here to my interview with proprietor Fran Durako.