When G. J. Pinwell first called on us he brought a small water colour drawing with him. The subject was a lady of the "Old Ballad" style, with a decided sense of beauty in it, and in colour looked as if he had been studying the work of Holman Hunt. We recognised at once his cleverness, and that study and practice only were required to develop his great ability.
We first gave him some work on Fun, as is shown by this letter from him:
"Dear Sir,—I now send you a Fun drawing, which I hope you will like. I think it will print well.
"Believe me,
"Yours truly,
"G. J. Pinwell."
We also gave him, and obtained for him, work of the most varied kind, such as sets of illustrations for boys' books. He soon became a regular contributor to Good Words, and in its pages over one hundred of his drawings appeared. From several of them he painted water colour drawings, perhaps the most important being a highly finished work: "Landlord and Tenant," which shows his appreciation of character in the landlord, and of deep pathos in the fine group of the poor woman and her children. This picture was painted expressly for us and was never exhibited.
The Sisters.
PINWELL'S FIRST HIGHLY FINISHED PICTURE.