V
FRÉDÉRIC VALLOTTON
VALLOTTON'S work has probably appeared less frequently in the French press than that of many of his confréres to whom we are directing our attention.
His drawings are marked by a singular boldness of execution; and his skilful manipulation of masses of pure black gives his work distinction, and makes them attractive on any page.
Good draughtsmanship, and this clever use of unbroken black masses — wherewith ta indicate and model both his shadows and his half-tones — is wherein Vallotton struck out a new line for himself, and established his individuality, This he did, too, at a time when there was a lamentable aberration evident among the ranks of the French illustrators. It became the fashion for the comic draughtsmen to draw as though they could not draw — a proceeding which provided a grand opportunity for those who could not draw if they would to join their ranks
