International studio (26.1905)

tion is intended to give an adequate view of Men-
zel's remarkable work, especially as a draughtsman.

y-^OOK REVIEWS.
^ LESSONS ON FORM. By A. BLUNCK,
^ Architect. Written and Drawn at Special
Request of the Prussian Ministry of
Commerce and Industry. Translated from the
German by DAVID O'CoNOR. With 104 plates
and descriptive text. Quarto (8^ x 12 inches).
Pages 124. New York: Bruno Hessling. Price
$3.00 net.
A. Blunck's "Lessons on Form" appears in a
translation made by David O'Conor from the press
of Bruno Hessling. The book consists of over 100
large plates of outline drawings on square ruled
paper, giving exercises in geometric forms, natural
forms, leaves, Rowers, fruits, animals and the hu-
man Agure, artificial forms and a number of designs
and architectural renderings. Prefaced to this ex-
cellent series of drawings are descriptions of the
plates, with hints upon their use in the classroom.
The lessons have for their purpose two objects,
the acquirement of a knowledge of form, and prac-
tice in free hand drawing. Experience with this
method of teaching has given encouraging results.
The pupil acquires insight and knowledge in the
general principles of ornament. He gains an under-
standing of those geometric, natural and artistic
forms which serve well as models or motifs. He
learns to distinguish the natural relations existing
between the conformation and the ornament ap-
plied. He is helped to see ornament as a symbol
of connection, of support, of free and confined
endings, and as decoration for plane surfaces. The
idea, in short, is to show the pupil what ornament
means, how he can employ it, and where he may
And models and examples.
The method followed in this style of instruction,
setting the pupil to draw from drawings, includes
the use of the blackboard. The teacher transfers
the design to the blackboard in sight of the pupils
so that they may observe the design in process.
And whenever it is possible, the natural object,
leaf, Rower, stalk or what not, upon which the de-
sign is based, is exhibited, thus comparing the
object with the simple delineation in outline. The
reasons for the simplihcation are to be made clear
by the teacher. The blackboard and the drawing
paper are ruled into corresponding squares to guide
the pupil in his copy. With this aid the drawing
does, to be sure, lose the quality of "free hand."
But under the conditions in which drawing is

ordinarily taught in the usual school, where a small
fraction only of school hours is devoted thereto, this
method justiAes itself in the rapidityof the student's
progress and the growth of his conAdence, and proves
perhaps the best preparation and the shortest
approach to free hand training. The series of plates
comprises a selection of rising technical interest and
diAiculty and should prove an invaluable aid to
teachers engaged in this style of instruction.
ADDRESSES DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE
UNVEILING OF THE MURAL DECORATIONS IN
THE BALTIMORE CouRT HouSE: "The Burning
of the Peggy Stewart," painted by CHARLES
YARDLEY TURNER; and "Religious Tolera-
tion," painted by EDWIN HowLAND BLASH-
FiELD. Illustrated. Narrow 8vo. Pages 119.
Baltimore, Md.: Municipal Art Society.
We have received from the Municipal Art So-
ciety of Baltimore a commemorative volume of the
recent unveiling of the mural decorations in the
Baltimore Court House, which have been described
in THE INTERNATIONAL SiUDio. The book is illus-
trated with reproductions of Charles Yardley
Turner's painting, TAe .BMTWMg 0/ Peg-gy
.SYewaH—an overt act against the importation of
dutiable tea following, in the fall, the famous Boston
Tea Party, from which it diSered mainly in a cour-
ageous disregard of all secrecy and disguise—and
Edwin Howland BlashAeld's allegorical decoration
called PeffgMMX celebrating the policy
of Lord Baltimore. The addresses made on the
occasion of the unveiling include, for the first paint-
ing, a presentation speech on Turner and his work
by Theodore Marburg; the answer of the Mayor,
E. Clay Timanus; some remarks on the episode
historically by Governor WarAeld, and a letter from
the artist; for the second decoration, an address by
Dr. Ira Remsen and a letter from the artist; fol-
lowed by extracts from the proceedings of the Muni-
cipal Art Society and a letter from Mr. Turner
upon his painting, CaJver/'x TTeaZy wfP;, 7w-
THE ARTIST'S YEAR BoOK. A Handy Reference
Book wherein may be found interesting data
pertaining to artists; and their studio, home
and summer addresses for 1905-1906. Com-
piled and edited by Arthur Nicholas Hosking.
8vo. Pages viii, 230. Chicago: Art League
Publishing Association.
A ITAo'x ILAo for artists has been issued by the
Art League Publishing Company, of Chicago,
under the title, "The Artists' Year Book, 1905-

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