Studio: international art (22.1901)

PARIS. — Religious art has long been
monopolised in France by inferior
artists, ignorant and clumsy manu-
facturers of what M. J. K. Huysmans
so wittily called " bondieuseries." All the
more, then, should we applaud any attempt
to restore religious art to its bygone glory, and
to revive the lovely traditions which existed for so
many centuries. That M. Poussielgue-Rusand, the
goldsmith, and M. Muller, the ceramic artist,
should have thought of applying to an architect of
such merit as M. Genuys to provide them with a
design for an altar to the Virgin, and to M. Camille
Lefevre for the statuary and the decoration of this
altar, seems natural enough; yet it is altogether

an exceptional event. The reproductions of the
ensemble and certain details of this admirably
honest piece of work, now given here, afford ample
proof that the artists I have named have
collaborated with the happiest results. The
architectural portion, by M. Genuys, is as simple
and as novel as can be, and has uncommon solidity
and strength. As for the sculpture and the deco-
ration, by M. Camille Lefevre, they strike me as
being quite remarkable, and well worthy of this
distinguished artist, alike in conception and in
execution. The panels adorned with lilies, the
two figure panels representing the Nativity and
the Childhood of Christ, also the two angels
relieving with their pure outlines both sides of the

DECORATIVE PAN EI. FOR ALTAR
130

BY CAMILLE LEFEVRE