Studio: international art (10.1897)

Studio- Talk

Corporation of Wood Engravers, which means, of
course, that wood engraving is the only process
encouraged in its pages. And there is cause for
satisfaction in this, for this beautiful work has been
somewhat neglected of late years. Except for the
too plentiful display of drawings by M. Mucha, the
general standard of the new magazine is distinctly
high Special mention may be made of the wood
blocks by MM. Beltrand, Jeanniot, and Florian
("after" La Gandara) who with MM. A. Lepere
and Lucien Pissaro are fully qualified to lead the
art of wood engraving into its proper and legitimate
course. The number also includes illustrations by
MM. Fournery, Moulignie, P. Renouard, Christy
and others, while M. Eugene Froment contributes
an engraving in six colours of a curious piece of
work by M. E. Grasset, in which one may note the
faults as well as the undoubted merits of the illus-
trator of the Quatre Fils cTAymon. In the second
number of the magazine there are some excellent
reproductions of work by M. Jules Cheret, one of
which, through the courtesy of the publishers, we
are able to illustrate on page 127.

M. Henri Riviere, whose talents are well known
to your readers, has lately presented at the " Chat
Noir" another of the coloured series of ombres
chinoises, of which he is the inventor. The March.'
a FEtoile, the Enfant Prodigue and Sainte Genevieve
de Paris all displayed rare imagination ; and now his
Clairs de Lime come even closer to nature, and offer
a truly enchanting spectacle.

M. Ch. Houdard has just published a most inte-
resting etching in colours, called Soir sur la Jlfeuse,
very effective in point of tone, and full of poetic
feeling. A fine lithographic portrait of Tolstoi by
M. H. Lefort has recently appeared. The rugged
and characteristic features of the author of " Peace
and War " are reproduced in truly striking fashion.

The firm of Pilon, Huet and Rigotard has lately
brought out a new decorative cretonne by M. Felix
Aubert. It is very subdued in colour, with most
delicate effects of pale greens, milky whites, and
dull—almost violet—pinks, and represents a field
of lilies and iris, with intermingling leaves forming
the background. Nothing more charming could be
imagined. G. M.

BRUSSELS.—The fifth exhibition of the
" Cercle pour l'Art," which was ad-
vertised by a poster by M. Ciamber-
lani, was open at the Musee de
Bruxelles from January 16 to Feb-

128

ruary 15. Unquestionably the most prominent
exhibitor was Mr. Antonio de la Gandara. He
sent several big portraits, a delicious little canvas
called Un coin des Tuikries, and a large series of
dainty pastels, done on greyish paper, and very
slightly relieved by light colouring.

M. Storm van Gravesande, who is well-known
as an engraver of the highest ability, showed him-

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