Harold Speed

I checked out Harold Speed's The Practice & Science of Drawing and Oil Painting Techniques and Materials from the library. Am only a small way into each of these, but so far greatly enjoying his biting and accurate critiques of what was to him "modern art" (both books date from the early 20th century). He decries the lack of craftsmanship in the artistic trends of the day, and it only got worse after he wrote -- I'm sure the likes of Pollack turned his stomach.

The Knitting Curmudgeon posted this quote a while back, and I'm sure Speed would have agreed with it:
Skill without imagination is craftsmanship and gives us many useful objects such as wickerwork picnic baskets. Imagination without skill gives us modern art.--Tom Stoppard