Studio: international art (19.1900)

Reviews

of a pointed for a semi-circular arch or a lintel, or
as a method of architecture in which mouldings
and ornamentation are treated in a certain way, is,
of course, by now an exploded one. The charac-
teristic differentiation of Gothic from the preceding
and subsequent styles is essentially a structural one.
The state of rest and passivity of the lintel and
round-arch systems are exchanged for the activity
of a method which called into play the vital and
continuous force of thrust met by carefully adjusted
counter-thrust. By this structural law, and by
none other, can Gothic architecture be judged, and
while agreeing to accept it, in common with Mr.
Moore, as a standard of definition, it seems to pro-
vide us with the means of contesting the main
thesis he has embodied—at the cost of much and
careful study—in the present work.

It is a hard saying, and one only to be accepted
on due proof shown, that " the English claim to
any share in the original development of Gothic or
to the consideration of the pointed architecture of
the Island as properly Gothic at all, must be
abandoned," and the "exclusive existence" of
Gothic in France must needs be very cogently
substantiated before we accept as fact a theory
which, it seems to us, a larger and more generous
treatment of the English evidence would end by
rebutting. To duly apportion evidence, the case
for the defence should surely receive as much con-
sideration as that for the prosecution, and one story
is only good till another has been told. The very
excellent index to the present book (for which all
credit is due to Miss Grace Reed) contains, for
instance, fifty-one columns. Of these only half
a dozen are devoted to English Gothic work men-
tioned in the text, and an impression is—perhaps
unfairly to the author—created in the reader's
mind that the few examples cited in support of his
case were selected ad hoc, and that a fuller body
of English evidence might quash the indictment.
Mr. Moore's book is, all the same, highly interest-
ing and suggestive; the engravings are models of
architectural illustration ; and, as we have said,
the difficult work of indexing has been admirably
and most helpfully performed.

The National Gallery. Edited by Sir E. J.
Poynter, P.R.A. (London : Cassell & Co.,
Limited).—Our great national collection of pictures
in Trafalgar Square is acknowledged by all critics
to be of surpassing beauty and value. The
important illustrated catalogue, two • volumes of
which have now been published by Messrs. Cassell
& Co. is of exceptional interest, for, when
completed, it will contain an illustration of every

picture in the gallery. The text is alphabetically
arranged and follows that of the official catalogue,
the descriptions being taken from the same source.
The paintings have been carefully photographed
and reproduced by means of excellent half-tone
"process" blocks. Mr. Edwin Bale, who is
responsible for this section of the work, may be
congratulated on the care with which it has been
carried out. The whole work is beautifully
printed. The volumes are indispensable to every
art library, and deserve a cordial reception by
the general public. Upon the completion of the
third and final volume we hope to refer again
to this work.

The Education of Mr. Pipp. By C. Dana
Gibson. (New York : R. H. Russell ; London :
John Lane.) Price 20.?.—Of the varied collections
of drawings by the highly gifted American artist,
C. Dana Gibson, which have appeared from time
to time, this is, assuredly, one of the best. No
doubt the interest with which we regard the
illustrations is augmented by the fact that
they are inter-related, and that the whole collec-
tion forms, as it were, a species of novel without
words ; but, beyond this, we find a growing
maturity of expression in the drawings themselves.
If only regarded as examples of line-work, they are
full of distinction and go far to proclaim the artist
one of the most powerful exponents in black
and white of the present day. The volume is
decidedly one of the most fascinating drawing-
room books of the season.

Pottery and Porcelain. By Frederick Litch-
field. (London and New York: Truslove,
Hanson & Comba, Ltd.) Price 15s. net.—As a
general guide to collectors, this volume will be
found most useful. The subject is a wide one,
and in his effort to embrace it in its entirety the
author has been compelled greatly to limit his
remarks upon each class. Partly for this reason,
doubtless, his references to the Oriental branches
of the potter's art are meagre and inadequate.
His remarks upon Japanese ceramics are strangely
limited, and his allusions to Satsuma and the
Corean influence most misleading. He omits
altogether any account of the Damascus pottery,
one of the most charming of Oriental wares. On
the other hand, his description of English wares
is sufficiently full to meet the requirements of
many collectors, and the numerous illustrations
with which the book abounds add greatly to its
practical value.

Histoire du Chateau de Versailles. By Pierre de
Nolhac. (Paris : Societe d'Editions Artistiques.)