International studio (23.1904)

Book Reviews

aid of note-books to assist assimilation, by one who
had not hitherto studied the whole history of art in
its unity, would alter the outlook of such a student
both upon all that he sees going on around him
and upon the entire learning he has acquired. We
heartily recommend every one who wishes to really
enrich his mind and increase his whole capacity to
make a study of the complete history of art, and no
American could do so more advantageously than
through the medium of Dr. Russell Sturgis’s version
of Liibke’s work.
American Renaissance. A Review of Domestic
Architecture. By Joy Wheeler Dow, Archi-
tect. Large 8vo. Pages 182. New York:
Wm. T. Comstock. $4.00.
The collection of these essays on American
architecture — one might indeed say American
classic architecture — amounts almost to a reve-
lation. One has been in the habit of admiring
isolated examples of the few harmonious expres-
sions of architectural conception in this country,
but with perhaps too vague a notion of the general
result to make a comparative study of them.
Thanks to Mr. Dow we now have a handsome
volume recording both pictorially and textually the
most distinguished examples of the various styles of
domestic architecture belonging to the best period.
Every one knows how much is owed by American
architects to the original work of other countries,
and the author has enhanced the value of his book
by making clear reference to the originals, and even
illustrating them alongside of their adaptations.
The illustrations are in half-tone and number no
less than ninety-six examples drawn from many
districts, reaching from Washington Square, New
York City, to Portsmouth, N. H., and from Phila-
delphia to Bristol, R. I. Amongst the foreign origi-
nals we have such well-known seats as Lambton
Castle, Pladdon Hall, and Hampton Court, England;
The Chateau of Chenonceau, of Pierre le Nepveu,
and of Azay-le-Rideau, France. Every one inter-
ested in American architecture will delight in a
careful perusal of both the text and the illustrations
of this volume. A complete index adds to its
value for reference libraries.
Rubens. By H. Knackfuss. Translated by
Louise M. Richter. Pages 159. New York:
Lemcke & Buechner.
The Knackfuss series of Monographs on Artists
answers superbly the requirements of the student
who, having visited and studied the originals of the
great masters scattered through the various galleries

of the world, desires to keep in his library such a
reminder of the characteristics of their technique
and of their work in general as will form a working
basis for further comparative study, or merely for
future reference and recollection. Germany, so
well able to cope with the scholarly necessities of
such a series, has as usual successfully conceived
and materialized it. This library has been trans-
lated into English, and we now receive from Messrs.
Lemcke and Buechner, New York, a volume on
“ Rubens,” for the translation of which into English
Louise M. Richter is responsible. The format of
the book is good for the purpose, being sufficiently
large to permit of the insertion of pictures without
confusion of the detail, and yet not so bulky as to
be inconvenient to handle. The illustrations are
numerous; in the present volume there are 122.
They comprise reproductions both of pictures and
of drawings. Printed along with the text, they are
not of high quality in themselves, but are entirely
sufficient for the purpose of the series, as indicated
above. The text itself comprises the life of the
painter, a full consideration of his various styles of
work, his workmanship, his influence, etc. An
index to the galleries in which the chief works are
now contained will be a valuable guide to the
traveller, who could well use the series not only as.
a reference after his return but as a vade mecum
during his travels.
The Legend of the Holy Grail; as set forth
in the frieze painted by Edwin A. Abbey for
the Boston Public Library. With description
and interpretation by Sylvester Baxter. 8vo.
Pages 126. Boston: Curtis & Cameron.
$1.50.
This little volume is comprised of four parts, as
follows : The Theme and its Relation to the Place ;
The Legend in Literature; The Artist and his
Interpretation; The Frieze; and one could almost
have wished that it had been confined to the two last
subjects; for it cannot be said that Mr. Sylvester
Baxter has made the best use of his opportunity
in treating of so richly suggestive a subject as the
first named, nor so inspiring a theme as the second.
Those who find descriptive commentaries on mural
decoration of assistance to their study of it will de-
rive benefit from the perusal of the third and fourth
sections of the book. Personally, we would prefer
the barest index to the main points of the author’s
conception, and be permitted to work out the rest
for ourselves, with the aid of sympathy and imagi-
nation, subject to the influence which all really
artistic work invariably exerts, and, we think, with
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