THE LIFE OF CONRAD MARTENS 



masters of his predilection and throws some side-lights on the 

 enthusiasms of his student days. He praises Danby, Turner, 

 Stanfield, Cox, Cattermole and Copley Fielding : " Cox, above all, 

 for his wonderful faithfulness in colour, form and texture " ; and 

 Turner's Liber Studiorum " a book to be studied with the greatest 

 advantage. Here will be found breadth, grandeur, and a total 

 absence of all petty details." In speaking of the angle of vision 

 that may be included by the painter, the astronomer in Martens 

 warms to the theme. " Fifty-five degrees of the circle," he states, 

 " is the most that should be included from left to right of the 

 subject " ; and he gives the rule, saying it can always be found by 

 holding up the paper before your eyes at a distance equal to its 

 width. " Taking now ... a smaller angle, say forty degrees, 

 for the extent of the picture, grandeur and magnitude will be the 

 result, without in the least departing from the truth .... 

 And I may here take the opportunity to add that this was one 

 of the first practical lessons which I myself learnt by carefully 

 comparing the drawings of Turner with the scenes which he 

 represented." 



He was, then, familiar with the work of Turner and the men of 

 the Old Water-colour Society, had followed up their exhibitions 

 and was intimately acquainted with their finest tradition ; and this 

 went with him overseas when chance brought him to Australia. 



Upon the father's death the family left London and settled in 

 Devonshire ; and the many sketches made by Conrad and dated 

 at Exmouth point to that town as its place of stay. Martens 

 sketched along the coast and in the neighbouring villages, affecting 

 particularly Salcombe Castle, which he approached from more 

 than one angle. These sketches are clear but conventional, and 

 from a careful study of them I have come to conclude either that 

 it was towards his twenties, or within them, that he went to 

 Fielding, or that he was one of those who develop slowly and 

 " arrive " late. 



His last drawing made in England is a pencil sketch of Marly, 

 the seat of Sir G. Broderick, dated the 1st of March, 1832, and in 

 August of the same year he is at Monte Video, come thither from 

 Rio. What breath of adventure blew Martens to South America 



