This showed that the artist’s brain was acting in two directions at
once, controlling two distinct limbs in similar but diverse operations,
for it was observed by our informant that the acts of draughtsmanship
were strictly simultaneous and not alternate. Had the latter been the
case the feat would have been of deft draughtsmanship, about which no
one would have questioned the ability of Landseer. This feat far
surpasses that of chess-players who continue six games at chess at one
sitting, without seeing any board. Feats like that of the chess-players,
however wonderful, differ in kind from the unparalleled one we have
described. These are efforts of astoundingly powerful memories and acts
of the clearest mental vision combined with that faculty with which
chess-players seem to be specially endowed, possession of which,
however, by no means proves superior mental ability. Landseer’s feat was
another sort, and proved him capable of “doing two things at once,”
things which singly were, no doubt, easy of accomplishment by an artist
of his faculties, but when simultaneously performed in duplicate were
such as have not hitherto been recorded. Mrs. Mackenzie has enabled us
to confirm this account of her brother’s feats in draughtsmanship.
“The Stone-breaker’s Daughter,” a picture of the year 1830, engraved by
J. Burnet, shows a group by a Highland roadside; an old man, with a
plaid over his head, squats on the ground, hammer in hand, snuff-mull by
his side; his pretty daughter, of twelve years or thereabouts, has
brought the old fellow’s dinner in a basket; a dog licks her hand
affectionately, as the damsel loiters to gossip with her father. This is
an agreeable picture, but possesses no particular interest of sentiment
or technical value.
[Illustration: _Cow and Calf._
_Chal. G. L. 1847._]
“Waiting for the Deer to rise,” 1831, otherwise “Poachers
Deer-stalking,” represents three Highlanders crouching near the summit
of a hill, one of whom holds a dog round the neck to restrain him, while
another, with a gun in one hand and a branch in the other, looks for the
coming of the game. It was painted for Mr. E. Holden, of Aston Hall,
Derbyshire, and some years afterwards sold for 819_l._ It measures two
feet three inches by one foot eight inches and a half.
“Hawking,” 1832, shows a lady mounted on a white horse, with attendants
riding and on foot, with dogs and hawks; the group is on the border of a
lake; a falconer in the mid-distance flies a hawk at a soaring heron on
our left; a bare-headed page stands at the head of the lady’s palfrey,
holding its bridle. “Waiting for the Countess,” a portrait of a dog
belonging to Lady Blessington, engraved by Wass, was painted in this
year.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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