DOI Heft:
No. 386 (May 1925)
DOI Artikel:Reviews
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21402#0305
REVIEWS
REVIEWS
A History of Sculpture. By George
Henry Chase and Chandler Rathfon
Post. (Harper.) 165. net. This am-
bitious and embracive book seeks to treat
the development of sculpture from the
Egyptians and the Greeks to the present
day. While Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece
and Rome occupy seven chapters, the
general sculpture of the East is dealt
with very summarily in sections of half a
page to two pages with such headings as
Java, Japan, Cambodia and so on. In
the modern section a like method is
unfortunately adopted, which results in
Prince Troubetzkoi's appearance as the
only Russian sculptor, and the absence
of the name of Egide Rombaux, Belgium's
most talented artist; results, too, in the
omission of any mention of at least half a
dozen European countries which have
living sculptors of the first rank and an
honourable history in the art. The index
is inconveniently split into two; only
sculptors, places and monuments are
noted and no other information is tabled.
The very incomplete bibliographical notes
are somewhat stupidly discounted by
comments. The idea of giving a history
of sculpture in 600 pages was an impos-
sible one, but the attempt might and
should have been more successful. This
at any rate provides a really splendid series
of photographs which serves to emphasize
the need for a really adequate survey ; it
should have been attempted by a man
with some power of generalisation and
with a keener nose for research ; one who
could have boiled down his materials and
extracted their juices rather than have
complained at their poorness as is the
case here, especially in the chapters on
modern work. The book is useful for
reference, well produced but decidedly
fragmentary, and some of its critical
pronouncements are ridiculous. 0 0
The Art of Etching. By E. S. Lums-
den, A.R.S.A.; with 208 illustrations.
(Seeley, Service & Co.) 215. net. " A
complete and fully illustrated description
of etching, drypoint, soft-ground etching,
aquatint and their allied arts, with technical
notes upon their own work by many of
the leading etchers of the present time."
A thoroughly practical volume in the
" New Art Library," which, if it is de-
signed for the assistance of the practitioner,
is of no less interest and value to the con-
noisseur and the collector. The author
tells you everything, and in a manner that
makes you enjoy as well as appreciate the
value of what he is telling you. 0 0
Pittura Italiana del '600 e '700. Notes
and impressions on the Exhibition in
Florence, in 1922, by Margarita Nugent.
(Societa Editrice Toscana, San Casciano.)
25 lire. This handsome volume of nearly
400 pages is like an unexpected but most
welcome supplement to the very useful
official catalogue of the exhibition of
seventeenth and eighteenth century pic-
tures at the Pitti Palace three years ago.
In England there are thousands of Italian
drawings of this period, at present " out
of fashion," and to collectors of these this
volume will prove an invaluable guide,
as well as a great encouragement. 0
Chinese Art. (Burlington Magazine
Monograph. B. T. Batsford, Ltd.) 25s.
net. The sub-title of this superbly illus-
trated volume is " An introductory review
of painting, ceramics, textiles, bronzes,
sculpture, jade, etc.," and its scope is
defined by a preliminary essay by Mr.
Roger Fry, the rest of the letterpress being
short articles on the various subjects by
Messrs. Laurence Binyon, A. F. Kendrick,
Bernard Rackham, W. P. Yetts, Osvald
Siren, and W. W. Winkworth. Dealing
as it does with the earliest periods, which
have only been recently explored, and by
a very few people, it may be regarded as the
ceremonial opening to the public of a
profoundly important study: a study
which in time to come may effect undreamt-
of changes not only in the art, but in the
education and thought of modern Europe.
There is something so vast, and yet so
sound and comfortable in this early
Chinese art, that it seems to involve all
who meet it like a celestial cloud. 0 a
Mr. John Gibbins, who recently opened
the Ruskin Galleries, at Chamberlain
Square, Birmingham, is displaying com-
mendable enterprise in the introduction of
fine works of art in all mediums to the
public of one of our largest provincial
cities. Among his exhibits have been
works by Boudin, Brangwyn, Gauguin,
Monet and Pissaro. 0000
299
REVIEWS
A History of Sculpture. By George
Henry Chase and Chandler Rathfon
Post. (Harper.) 165. net. This am-
bitious and embracive book seeks to treat
the development of sculpture from the
Egyptians and the Greeks to the present
day. While Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece
and Rome occupy seven chapters, the
general sculpture of the East is dealt
with very summarily in sections of half a
page to two pages with such headings as
Java, Japan, Cambodia and so on. In
the modern section a like method is
unfortunately adopted, which results in
Prince Troubetzkoi's appearance as the
only Russian sculptor, and the absence
of the name of Egide Rombaux, Belgium's
most talented artist; results, too, in the
omission of any mention of at least half a
dozen European countries which have
living sculptors of the first rank and an
honourable history in the art. The index
is inconveniently split into two; only
sculptors, places and monuments are
noted and no other information is tabled.
The very incomplete bibliographical notes
are somewhat stupidly discounted by
comments. The idea of giving a history
of sculpture in 600 pages was an impos-
sible one, but the attempt might and
should have been more successful. This
at any rate provides a really splendid series
of photographs which serves to emphasize
the need for a really adequate survey ; it
should have been attempted by a man
with some power of generalisation and
with a keener nose for research ; one who
could have boiled down his materials and
extracted their juices rather than have
complained at their poorness as is the
case here, especially in the chapters on
modern work. The book is useful for
reference, well produced but decidedly
fragmentary, and some of its critical
pronouncements are ridiculous. 0 0
The Art of Etching. By E. S. Lums-
den, A.R.S.A.; with 208 illustrations.
(Seeley, Service & Co.) 215. net. " A
complete and fully illustrated description
of etching, drypoint, soft-ground etching,
aquatint and their allied arts, with technical
notes upon their own work by many of
the leading etchers of the present time."
A thoroughly practical volume in the
" New Art Library," which, if it is de-
signed for the assistance of the practitioner,
is of no less interest and value to the con-
noisseur and the collector. The author
tells you everything, and in a manner that
makes you enjoy as well as appreciate the
value of what he is telling you. 0 0
Pittura Italiana del '600 e '700. Notes
and impressions on the Exhibition in
Florence, in 1922, by Margarita Nugent.
(Societa Editrice Toscana, San Casciano.)
25 lire. This handsome volume of nearly
400 pages is like an unexpected but most
welcome supplement to the very useful
official catalogue of the exhibition of
seventeenth and eighteenth century pic-
tures at the Pitti Palace three years ago.
In England there are thousands of Italian
drawings of this period, at present " out
of fashion," and to collectors of these this
volume will prove an invaluable guide,
as well as a great encouragement. 0
Chinese Art. (Burlington Magazine
Monograph. B. T. Batsford, Ltd.) 25s.
net. The sub-title of this superbly illus-
trated volume is " An introductory review
of painting, ceramics, textiles, bronzes,
sculpture, jade, etc.," and its scope is
defined by a preliminary essay by Mr.
Roger Fry, the rest of the letterpress being
short articles on the various subjects by
Messrs. Laurence Binyon, A. F. Kendrick,
Bernard Rackham, W. P. Yetts, Osvald
Siren, and W. W. Winkworth. Dealing
as it does with the earliest periods, which
have only been recently explored, and by
a very few people, it may be regarded as the
ceremonial opening to the public of a
profoundly important study: a study
which in time to come may effect undreamt-
of changes not only in the art, but in the
education and thought of modern Europe.
There is something so vast, and yet so
sound and comfortable in this early
Chinese art, that it seems to involve all
who meet it like a celestial cloud. 0 a
Mr. John Gibbins, who recently opened
the Ruskin Galleries, at Chamberlain
Square, Birmingham, is displaying com-
mendable enterprise in the introduction of
fine works of art in all mediums to the
public of one of our largest provincial
cities. Among his exhibits have been
works by Boudin, Brangwyn, Gauguin,
Monet and Pissaro. 0000
299