International studio (42.1910)

Holiday Art Books

Copyright by Claude C. Washburn and Lester G. Hornby jS .ft SHI^B^^H^Bs^ ;;&£flHfl

"pages from the book of paris"

from nature, and attempt tO Conventionalize this Prom " Story ol Spanish Painting." Copyright, The Century Company

material on paper; we study historic ornament, miracle of s. hugo, by zurbaran

make careful copies from the various historic styles,

and adapt motifs found through this process to our complete representation of Romney's art in illus-

own needs; we visit shops and factories (some- tration of the new biography written by Arthur B.

times) and listen to interesting talks on the tech- Chamberlain (Charles Scribner's Sons). Among

nique of carving, weaving and metal work, on the the appendices is a list of modern engravings after

relation of pattern to material; we gather from George Romney, compiled by Ernest H. Hare,

practice in the 'arts and crafts' a superficial idea Mr. Chamberlain sets forth the personal life and

of the tools and materials of many crafts, but have character of the painter, with emphasis on his most

no thorough or practical knowledge of the technical attractive qualities. His estimate of Romney's art

demands of any one craft. We aim to produce is judicious and readably expressed,
studio-trained craftsmen. What we need most are "In his management of single tints," says the

shop-trained artists. The examples of industrial author, "and particularly in the way in which he

art which are so carefully treasured in our mu- dealt with large masses of white, Romney was sin-

seums and galleries were the work of shop-trained gularly happy. His color, cool, clear and often

men, not of studio-trained men." cold, is within its limits, most harmonious, and even

"The Reminiscences of Rosa Bonheur," edited in his least considered and most careless pictures it

by Theodore Stanton (D. Appleton & Co.), would is rarely discordant. An instance of the successful

appear to afford a sufficiently detailed record to ways in which he could deal with a color in itself

satisfy the curiosity of the painter's most ardent ad- unpleasant is to be found in the very ugly red of the

mirers. The author makes his discussion a bit large chair in Lord Burton's picture of 'Thomas

ponderous, as in his remarks on the painter's he- Fane' against which the little white-frocked child is

reditary background. The book, however, is made leaning—one of Romney's most successful and

up for the most part of original letters. If the rec- solidly painted pictures of childhood—which

ord is not particularly exciting or the material to strikes no discordant note in the color scheme."
any exceptional degree digested, the personal por- C. H. Caffin has followed his similar book on

trait is painstaking and thorough. Dutch painting with "The Story of Spanish Paint-

An interesting chapter describes the relations of ing" (The Century Company). He begins with a
the Bonheur family to the sect of Saint Simonians, summary of Spanish history and proceeds through
which had some of the characteristics of the a discussion of characteristics and a general pano-
Women's Rights movement and from which the ramie view to a more detailed treatment of El
artist drew her style of apparel. The book is illus- Greco, Velasquez, Mazo, Carreno, Ribera (Lo
trated with reproductions of paintings and a num- Spagnoletto), Murillo, Cano, Zurbaran and Goya,
ber of informal drawings. The celebrated Horse The book is illustrated with reproductions of paint-
Fair, owned by the Metropolitan Museum, is repro- ings in the Prado and elsewhere,
duced for frontispiece. In the series, " Great Buildings and How to En-

Seventy-three reproductions make an unusually joy Them," a volume has been added on "Roman-

xlix