G.F. Watts

In 1904, Chesterton wrote a book about the painter Watts, who died in that year. The book is not really a biography; there is only the bare minimum of details about Watts' life, it is more a discussion of Watts's art.
The book I borrowed from the local university library counts 76 pages, with (officially) 31 photographs (some were missing). On the web, one can easily find full color pictures of Watts' paintings.
Chesterton starts by discussing how the nineteenth century is, by the time of his writing, already started to be 'unintelligible'. Watts, however, is 'so deeply committed to, and so unalterably steeped in, this early Victorian seriousness and air of dealing with great matters', that it is necessary to discuss three essential points which define Watts as a nineteenth century painter: 'first, the sceptical idealism, the belief that abstract verities remained the chief affairs of men when theology left them; second, the didactic simplicity, the claim to teach other men and to assume one's own value and rectitude (see my posting of Jan 30); third, the cosmic utilitarianism, the consideration of any such thing as art or philosophy perpetually with reference to a general good.'. This century has passed, whether for good or for evil.
Watts' education and relation to the pre-Raphaelites are then discussed, followed by other influences and friendships. His two main types of pictures: portraits and allegories (see my posting of Feb 1) are discussed in detail in the last part of the book.
Though Chesterton does not pretend that Watts' is in all aspects a perfect painter, he does excite an interest in these paintings which is way beyond I ever had for any Victorian painter.