DOI Heft:
No. 3 (June, 1893)
DOI Artikel:New books on art
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17188#0141
New Books on Art
student in making them. The advice—to study Modern Painting. By George Moore. (London:
from manufacturers' pattern-books (which areprac- Walter Scott. 1893.)—These chapters, reprinted
tical if nothing else)—is good. from The Speaker, were, so the author tells us,
The " Making of Cartoons for Stained Glass " designed as portions of a complete sequence now
(14 pp.), by Mr. Selwyn Image, is the work of an at last arranged in their intended order. The
educated craftsman who knows his business. He closing words of the whole, " the object of the new
very modestly writes, in a colloquial manner, of art criticism is to give free trade to art," may be
his own method, while stating that there are others, not unfairly chosen as a summary of the book,
His sermon is divided into heads, which is an which is almost entirely devoted to destructive
advantage; the whole process is explained in criticism of certain British painters, notably the
a pleasant manner ; and his concluding remark Royal Academicians, and appreciation of Whist-
—".... I think any one with a real turn for ler, Degas, Manet, Claude Monet, with some few
the thing will find themselves able to carry through members of the new English Art Club, and two or
a cartoon at all events in a practical manner "—is three notable outsiders, who are also found worthy
very nearly right. of mitigated praise. The style is terse, the argu-
One of the best and most thorough is the ments well presented and forcible, and the author's
paper on " Drawing for Reproduction" by the technical knowledge of the painters' craft singu-
editor himself. He discusses in a searching and larly evident throughout. A more suggestive book
exhaustive manner; deals with recipes (which are for artists to read were hard to find. Intolerant
often withheld) and materials; so that no student and bigoted as it might appear from a hasty
who follows it can fail. perusal, further study redeems it from any sus-
The " Preparation of Designs for Bookbinding " picion of that dishonest pleading which, it need
(10 pp.), by Mr. Harvey Orrinsmith, contains useful not be said, is the bigot's favourite weapon. That
suggestions, by an experienced and well-known Mr. Moore's judgments have been well matured,
worker, which will help the student. But why that his summing up is admirably considered, may
should he use the term "Book-binding" when he also be granted ; yet, despite entire agreement with
deals only with the decoration of the sides and nearly every sentence, the whole book does not quite
back ? carry conviction. The attack on commercialism is
Mr. Arthur Silver's contributions are also clear obviously right; but is it of such vital consequence
and thorough, though somewhat colloquial. He to art that bad pictures for the moment fetch high
treats of "Woven fabrics" in 33 pp., "Printed prices? To the artist as a man, the income is of
fabrics " in 30 pp., and " Floorcloths, &c." in 9 pp. course of great importance, but after all it is a
He gives the best explanation of the drop-joint domestic question, and whether the R.A. flourishes
method of design which has yet appeared, and on his ten or twenty thousand a year, while the
illustrates it in a perfect manner. The additional neglected genius has to be economical on a pit-
tints, resulting from over-printing in transparent tance, seems, so far as art is concerned, to be of
colours, and the effects produced by roller-printing, little more importance than details of the weaving
are well dealt with : in fact, for these treatises there of his canvas or the manufacture of. his pigments,
is nothing but praise. The genius may be enriched by a sudden legacy,
Mr. George Hake", in his 43 pages, has given an the R.A. may be of frugal ascetic disposition and
admirable treatise on " Design for Wall-papers," care little for his bank-book, so that the accidental
which is full of judicious advice, and adequately importance of money may, or may not, influence
illustrated. tne work of either. To consider the financial
The figures inserted will serve to show the success of the Academy as a factor for or against
practical nature of the book. Its teaching entirely its artistic excellence is surely to adopt the position
coincides with the present teaching of design at Mr. Moore has elected to attack. Apart from this,
South Kensington ; and it should be adopted as a one might quote pages in proof of the author's
text-book by all Schools of Art throughout the complete sanity as a critic, while here and there
country. . Hugh Stannus. are evidences of sympathy with the more subtle
RE-ARRANGEMENT OF REPEATS OF A DESIGN TO PROVE ACCURACY OF JOINTS
(Practical Designing)
123
student in making them. The advice—to study Modern Painting. By George Moore. (London:
from manufacturers' pattern-books (which areprac- Walter Scott. 1893.)—These chapters, reprinted
tical if nothing else)—is good. from The Speaker, were, so the author tells us,
The " Making of Cartoons for Stained Glass " designed as portions of a complete sequence now
(14 pp.), by Mr. Selwyn Image, is the work of an at last arranged in their intended order. The
educated craftsman who knows his business. He closing words of the whole, " the object of the new
very modestly writes, in a colloquial manner, of art criticism is to give free trade to art," may be
his own method, while stating that there are others, not unfairly chosen as a summary of the book,
His sermon is divided into heads, which is an which is almost entirely devoted to destructive
advantage; the whole process is explained in criticism of certain British painters, notably the
a pleasant manner ; and his concluding remark Royal Academicians, and appreciation of Whist-
—".... I think any one with a real turn for ler, Degas, Manet, Claude Monet, with some few
the thing will find themselves able to carry through members of the new English Art Club, and two or
a cartoon at all events in a practical manner "—is three notable outsiders, who are also found worthy
very nearly right. of mitigated praise. The style is terse, the argu-
One of the best and most thorough is the ments well presented and forcible, and the author's
paper on " Drawing for Reproduction" by the technical knowledge of the painters' craft singu-
editor himself. He discusses in a searching and larly evident throughout. A more suggestive book
exhaustive manner; deals with recipes (which are for artists to read were hard to find. Intolerant
often withheld) and materials; so that no student and bigoted as it might appear from a hasty
who follows it can fail. perusal, further study redeems it from any sus-
The " Preparation of Designs for Bookbinding " picion of that dishonest pleading which, it need
(10 pp.), by Mr. Harvey Orrinsmith, contains useful not be said, is the bigot's favourite weapon. That
suggestions, by an experienced and well-known Mr. Moore's judgments have been well matured,
worker, which will help the student. But why that his summing up is admirably considered, may
should he use the term "Book-binding" when he also be granted ; yet, despite entire agreement with
deals only with the decoration of the sides and nearly every sentence, the whole book does not quite
back ? carry conviction. The attack on commercialism is
Mr. Arthur Silver's contributions are also clear obviously right; but is it of such vital consequence
and thorough, though somewhat colloquial. He to art that bad pictures for the moment fetch high
treats of "Woven fabrics" in 33 pp., "Printed prices? To the artist as a man, the income is of
fabrics " in 30 pp., and " Floorcloths, &c." in 9 pp. course of great importance, but after all it is a
He gives the best explanation of the drop-joint domestic question, and whether the R.A. flourishes
method of design which has yet appeared, and on his ten or twenty thousand a year, while the
illustrates it in a perfect manner. The additional neglected genius has to be economical on a pit-
tints, resulting from over-printing in transparent tance, seems, so far as art is concerned, to be of
colours, and the effects produced by roller-printing, little more importance than details of the weaving
are well dealt with : in fact, for these treatises there of his canvas or the manufacture of. his pigments,
is nothing but praise. The genius may be enriched by a sudden legacy,
Mr. George Hake", in his 43 pages, has given an the R.A. may be of frugal ascetic disposition and
admirable treatise on " Design for Wall-papers," care little for his bank-book, so that the accidental
which is full of judicious advice, and adequately importance of money may, or may not, influence
illustrated. tne work of either. To consider the financial
The figures inserted will serve to show the success of the Academy as a factor for or against
practical nature of the book. Its teaching entirely its artistic excellence is surely to adopt the position
coincides with the present teaching of design at Mr. Moore has elected to attack. Apart from this,
South Kensington ; and it should be adopted as a one might quote pages in proof of the author's
text-book by all Schools of Art throughout the complete sanity as a critic, while here and there
country. . Hugh Stannus. are evidences of sympathy with the more subtle
RE-ARRANGEMENT OF REPEATS OF A DESIGN TO PROVE ACCURACY OF JOINTS
(Practical Designing)
123