DOI Heft:
No. 34 (January, 1896)
DOI Artikel:Reviews of recent publications
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17295#0272
Reviews of Recent Publications
another of its contemporaries, derived from only fault we have to find with it is that the
thoroughness in workmanship and directness and separate allusions to the various workers are too
simplicity of expression—qualities which, after all, slight. A word of praise is due to Mr. Gleeson
are the very foundation of all good architecture. White for his excellent design upon the cover.
Mr. Morris tells us, in his own pleasant way, of the The Sea Kings Daughter, and other Poems. By
old roofing with stone tiles " sized down," the Amy Mark. Designs by Bernard Sleigh. En-
smaller ones to the top and the bigger to the eaves, graved by the Designer and L. A. Talbot. (Bir-
which gives one the same sort of pleasure in their mingham : G. Napier & Co. Price 5_y. net.)—This
orderly beauty as a fish's scales or a bird's feathers." work is of especial interest to the book illustrator,
And again, of the " studded partitions, the car- as it is a laudable effort to revive the art of the
pentry of which is very agreeable to any one who wood engraver. We should like to be able to say
does not want cabinet-work to supplant carpentry." that it does so with success, because of the unusual
And of the old tapestries in the big panelled par- excellence of the designs. But we cannot un-
lour, which " were never great as works of art, and reservedly accord to it such a merit. In the effort
now, when all the bright colours are faded out, and to retain in the blocks the sharpness indicative of
nothing is left but the indigo blues, the greys, and hand engraving, which should be the distinguishing
the warm, yellowy browns, they look better, I feature of such work, insufficient care has been
think, than they were meant to look." With Mr. accorded to the freedom of the design. This is
New's characteristic illustrations, one of which we especially apparent in the very crude and un-
are permitted by the courtesy of the publishers to pleasant forms of the lettering. The admixture of
here reproduce, the article is one that will com- floriated capitals of Gothic form and the modern
mend itself to all who take delight in art. The " block" letter is in itself an anachronism, and it
number is in other respects, too, most entertaining, is rendered all the more unpleasant to the eve
Etching in Etigland. By Frederick Wedmore. by bad and irregular cutting. We cannot help
(London : Bell & Sons. Price 8s. 6d. net.)—Mr. but feel that had the whole of the designs been
Wedmore, as an art critic, is always interesting, drawn in good pen-work and reproduced in
and never more so than when he discourses upon facsimile by "process" blocks, the result would
etchers and etching. As an especial admirer of have been on the whole a happier one. Still,
the work of those men who have been successful the experiment is an interesting one, and by no
in giving force and expression to " pure line," means without merit. But its chief charm lies
which Mr. Wedmore rightly contends to be the in the decorative, yet soulful, conceptions of the
chief function of etching, he has given us in his illustrator,
volume, besides some
account of the etched
work of Turner, Gir-
tin, Wilkie, Geddes,
and Palmer, a series R^b^ x^^Pl
of short sketches of ^^ri^SK^^W^ ^
the productions of p##f Aajt&jJ&tifli
living workers — of i^lTlll i A ^Wj^^^^^^^^^Pl^y^^^^^^fe^
Whistler, Haden,
Strang, Holroyd,
Short, Watson, Hall,
Goff, Cameron, Pen-
nell, and Helleu. We
can but heartily ap-
prove of a book which
is written so closely
in harmony with the
opinions of the vari-
ous writers who have
treated upon the sub-
ject in the pages of
The Studio. The 'the quest" (g. napier and co.) drawing by e. h. new
255
another of its contemporaries, derived from only fault we have to find with it is that the
thoroughness in workmanship and directness and separate allusions to the various workers are too
simplicity of expression—qualities which, after all, slight. A word of praise is due to Mr. Gleeson
are the very foundation of all good architecture. White for his excellent design upon the cover.
Mr. Morris tells us, in his own pleasant way, of the The Sea Kings Daughter, and other Poems. By
old roofing with stone tiles " sized down," the Amy Mark. Designs by Bernard Sleigh. En-
smaller ones to the top and the bigger to the eaves, graved by the Designer and L. A. Talbot. (Bir-
which gives one the same sort of pleasure in their mingham : G. Napier & Co. Price 5_y. net.)—This
orderly beauty as a fish's scales or a bird's feathers." work is of especial interest to the book illustrator,
And again, of the " studded partitions, the car- as it is a laudable effort to revive the art of the
pentry of which is very agreeable to any one who wood engraver. We should like to be able to say
does not want cabinet-work to supplant carpentry." that it does so with success, because of the unusual
And of the old tapestries in the big panelled par- excellence of the designs. But we cannot un-
lour, which " were never great as works of art, and reservedly accord to it such a merit. In the effort
now, when all the bright colours are faded out, and to retain in the blocks the sharpness indicative of
nothing is left but the indigo blues, the greys, and hand engraving, which should be the distinguishing
the warm, yellowy browns, they look better, I feature of such work, insufficient care has been
think, than they were meant to look." With Mr. accorded to the freedom of the design. This is
New's characteristic illustrations, one of which we especially apparent in the very crude and un-
are permitted by the courtesy of the publishers to pleasant forms of the lettering. The admixture of
here reproduce, the article is one that will com- floriated capitals of Gothic form and the modern
mend itself to all who take delight in art. The " block" letter is in itself an anachronism, and it
number is in other respects, too, most entertaining, is rendered all the more unpleasant to the eve
Etching in Etigland. By Frederick Wedmore. by bad and irregular cutting. We cannot help
(London : Bell & Sons. Price 8s. 6d. net.)—Mr. but feel that had the whole of the designs been
Wedmore, as an art critic, is always interesting, drawn in good pen-work and reproduced in
and never more so than when he discourses upon facsimile by "process" blocks, the result would
etchers and etching. As an especial admirer of have been on the whole a happier one. Still,
the work of those men who have been successful the experiment is an interesting one, and by no
in giving force and expression to " pure line," means without merit. But its chief charm lies
which Mr. Wedmore rightly contends to be the in the decorative, yet soulful, conceptions of the
chief function of etching, he has given us in his illustrator,
volume, besides some
account of the etched
work of Turner, Gir-
tin, Wilkie, Geddes,
and Palmer, a series R^b^ x^^Pl
of short sketches of ^^ri^SK^^W^ ^
the productions of p##f Aajt&jJ&tifli
living workers — of i^lTlll i A ^Wj^^^^^^^^^Pl^y^^^^^^fe^
Whistler, Haden,
Strang, Holroyd,
Short, Watson, Hall,
Goff, Cameron, Pen-
nell, and Helleu. We
can but heartily ap-
prove of a book which
is written so closely
in harmony with the
opinions of the vari-
ous writers who have
treated upon the sub-
ject in the pages of
The Studio. The 'the quest" (g. napier and co.) drawing by e. h. new
255