How Sir Frank Dicksee Turned Painting Into Poetry

There are moments when an artist is captivated by the imagination of the romantic and the dramatic tales from history, literature, or legend. When the mind bursts to life with endless creative possibilities, a blank canvas is no longer empty. It becomes a thrilling invitation, eagerly awaiting the artist's touch to transform inspired thoughts into a masterpiece. What does Frank Dixie exhibit this year? was a question so frequently asked after the opening of each recurring exhibition at Burlington House that this fact alone is a sufficient testimony to the prominent position attained at a comparatively early age. Frank Dixie was born on November 27, 1853, at Russell Place, Fitzroy Square, an area long associated with some of the most distinguished names in the art world. He was immersed in an artistic environment from an early age, growing up in a family where creativity flourished. His father, T. F. Dixie, was a prominent exhibitor at the Royal Academy for many years, while his uncle, John Dixie, was also well regarded in the profession. Even his sister earned notable recognition, securing a distinguished place at the Academy on multiple occasions. It is rare for so many members of one family to exhibit such remarkable talent within the same artistic discipline. Frank Dixie received his earliest artistic instruction from his father, laying the foundation for his future success. In his own words, he cannot remember when he did not draw. His love for art grew with his development and strengthened with his gift. At the age of sixteen, he left the school in Bloomsbury where he had been educated, and worked at home for a year to prepare himself for entering the schools of the Royal Academy, which he succeeded in doing before he was seventeen. In 1872, he was fortunate enough to obtain the silver medal for a drawing from the antique cast, and in 1875 the gold medal for his picture of Elijah confronting Ahab and Jezebel in Naboth's Vineyard, and the first he exhibited at the Royal Academy hung in what was then called the Lecture Room. It is a fact worthy of note that at this period a great deal of Mr. Dixie's time was devoted to illustrative work for various magazines, including the Cornhill and the graphic publications. He also worked for a considerable time making depictions for church windows and decorative work generally, and this varied experience, no doubt, did much to foster that powerful drawing and careful finish of details for which his work is distinguished. His early and careful training was soon destined to bring about notable results. By 1877, the well-remembered picture Harmony was exhibited, and it is not too much to say that it took the world of London by storm. What the academicians themselves thought of it was indicated by the position in which it was placed, that is, as a centerpiece in the first room, and it was at once purchased by the Council under the terms of the Chantry Bequest. This beautiful work, so original in subject and treatment, so instinctive with true poetic feeling, was vividly remembered by all who saw it on the walls as it was later recorded. The girl seated at the organ, the lover listening in rapt attention, the glory of the evening light through the stained-glass window forming an aura around the girl's glistening hair, the subdued but beautiful in color, the carefully finished yet not too prominent detail, all formed a veritable poem on canvas, bringing indefinite connotation as with all beautiful abstractions, whether of music, poetry, or painting. It was contracted for the copyright of this picture and published as an etching, of which many thousand copies were subsequently sold, and the painter's fame was now assured, and the artistic world looked eagerly for the next production of his pencil. But Dixie did not exhibit the year as he was much occupied, among other things, on the illustrations for Cassell's edition deluxe of Evangeline in the ambitious painting by Dixie entitled, Is It Nothing to You, All You That Pass By? A writer on art took the late William Eastlake to see this picture when it was in the artist's studio, considered one of the keenest critics of the day as he was acquainted with most of the leading artists, who never missed an opportunity to visit the studios before the sending-in day to exhibits. Visiting Dixie's after seeing this picture, he said, I have seen nothing to approach that in color and power in any of the studios I have visited. It reminds me of the work of the old Venetians. In the next painting, we learn Dixie was asked to paint a legend, a commission from J. Ed Esquire of Hyde Park Terrace, which resulted in chivalry and exhibited in 1885. In this picture, there was a return to the rich, harmonious coloring of the artist's earlier work. The effect of the night in complete armor, in strong relief against the rich glow of the evening sky, is very striking, and the whole picture possesses the overall richness that painters can delve deeply into with all the trappings of vigorous picture-making. Frank Dixie pursued his own path. It is written of his work and style that with his intense devotion to his art, with his conquest over technical difficulties, with his fine poetic feeling, and his actual shrinking from anything at all approaching the vulgar or commonplace, we may look with confidence to the production of a long list of equally good works. Judging by what he has done, it is safe to assert that there is no painter living who has a more refined feeling for art. Indeed, he is one of the few exponents we have of poetic art, which does not take its subjects from common life, nor from the books which have been so continually drawn upon, nor from the classics. He works up to an ideal, evolved from his inner consciousness. An idea strikes his mind, it grows, it is embodied on canvas, it assumes definite shape, but is still more or less an abstract ideality. For in many cases, when his picture is nearly finished, he has not even given it a name. It is somewhat difficult to define Mr. Dixie's position with regard to contemporary art. His sources of inspiration do not appear to be drawn from any particular school or painter. His method is peculiarly his own. His texture is exceedingly rich. His colour, as previously remarked, is suggestive of the Venetians, that the feeling for colour is intuitive. If asked whence he drew his inspirations, he will tell you that he has always been surrounded by an atmosphere of art, but that he cannot recall any special circumstances beyond his daily surroundings that influenced his style or fostered his love for painting. It is probable that had his early studies been pursued in foreign influences or galleries, in the studios of Paris or Brussels, his work would not have been distinguished by such marked individuality. His conceptions are born of a purely poetic mind. His skill results from careful training and intense and continuous application of his trade. Before Mr. Dixie sets to work on a picture, he has devoted much time to thinking it out in detail, has fully studied all questions as to costume and accessories, and has made careful preliminary drawings for each part of it. He is thus able to devote himself steadily and without distraction to the definitive expression of his idea, and to the adequate clothing of it in a fitting scheme of light and colour. To this sound academic method may be the singularly high level of accomplishment they display. Some may be more brilliantly successful than others, but there are no failures. His studio interior displays a well-organised workshop. On his teaching and portraiture we have the story of a lady artist, of an author's acquaintance, who remembers with gratitude the help she had from Mr. Dixie when she was a student at the Royal Academy Schools. From no other academician did she have such helpful criticism and counsel. And yet it was remarked by the students that, while others had their favourites among the students, to whom greater attention was paid, Mr. Dixie impartially treated all alike. At least, she added, he made only one exception, and that was in the case of a sickly deformed girl. We always notice that he took a special pains with her. Then there is the canvas, the two crowns that was the best picture of all, as it was recorded and purchased for two thousand pounds by the trustees of the Chantry Bequest, and is, along with Harmony, in the Tate Gallery, where they illustrate the artist's manner at the beginning and the later maturity of his career. In The Two Crowns is the story of a medieval king riding home in stately triumph from victory, with music sounding, banners flying, the populace shouting joyfully, and bands of lovely girls throwing roses under the hooves of his grand white charger. In later years Dixie was more and more involved with that of portraiture. Unfortunately, the temptations to stray from the higher paths are great in these days, as one commentator expressed it. The highest art is not always the most profitable, though in this respect hitherto Mr. Dixie has no reason to complain. Indeed, his pictures have commanded exceptionally high prices. Still, it is undoubtedly the case that the higher the art, whether in poetry, painting, or music, the narrower is the circle of real admirers. Mr. Dixie must be prepared for this, but he must not let it daunt him. He will have his reward in the knowledge that those of the highest culture and the most refined minds are his warmest admirers, and that the things of beauty he produces are to them a joy forever. Such were the thoughts of Sidney Hodges on Frank Dixie. In working on this presentation we were able to get just a partial group of Dixie's output, and omitted some of his larger compositions, only seen in old publications and not readily available as yet. But he is an accomplished artist, and we trust you enjoyed the craftsmanship and diligent effort he expressed by way of an ideal, a poetic viewpoint he envisioned and accomplished. So with that, we trust you enjoyed this look at Sir Frank Dixie's wonderful work and the romantic side of picture making. And finally, be sure to check out our e-book collection for your library archives. Just click the link below, and thank you.