Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1885 — “Pot-Boilers.” [ARTICLE]

“Pot-Boilers.”

“Pot-boilers” are highly colored and well-varnished paintings, carelessly, rapidly and conventionally executed, with the sole purpose of selling as soon as possible. Although such a picture is bad art, it is better than the “manufactured 4 ’ paintings done by the yard from patterns and seat te auction rooms as “genuine oil paintings in real gold gilt frames,” In even a “potboiler” the artist feels some interest in his work, and weaves into it some fragmentary glimses of his mere loyal mciods. As for composition the popular “pot-boiler” always has a surrounding of purely conventional and stereotyped arrangement, a distance, middle distance and foreground, a tendency to vivid yellow, purple or emerald. Sunset scenes and marine views are very oommon, the latter for tfi’o reason that an economical perspective, and an expanse of lifeless blue or green waves, can be “painted in” with vast rapidity. The gay barge in the center of tne canvas cflih be gotten up with little drawing and much color. The entire picture may be “done” by an accomplished “pot-boilerist” without a sketch before him. He knows to a cent the price he will get for the result, and his art is leveled to almost the grade ©f {he frame-maker. —The Hour ,