DOI Heft:
No.129 (December, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Reviews
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0288
Reviews
by Miss Jessie King —Dr. Evans gives full par-
ticulars of the more important renderings of the
original legend. He claims, however, that in his
own he has given for the first time what he takes
to be, " in all good faith, the original story of Sir
Perceval and the Holy Graal, whole and incorrupt
as it left the hands of its first author." The new-
version follows, in the main, the example set by
that true reviver of the early English style, William
Morris, retaining throughout the quaint medieval-
ism so appropriate to the "High History."
The Cardinal's Snuffbox. By Henry Harland.
Illustrated by G. G. C. Wilmshurst. (London
and New York : John Lane, 1903.)—This new
edition of Mr. Harland's successful book calls for
mention, especially on account of the illustrations
which have been provided by Mr. Wilmshurst."
There are twenty of these, all full-page plates, and
they have certainly more than average merit.
The artist is apparently a student of the methods
of Mr. Dana Gibson, but he is not a copyist, and
shows a very fair measure of originality, both in
his manner of considering his subjects and in his
mode of execution. His use of line is frank
and expressive, and his management of tones
is judicious. On the whole, he deserves a
place among the more able of present-day illus-
trators.
Great Masters. Reproductions in Photogravure
from the Finest Works of the Most Famous Painters
down to the year 1800. With Introduction and
Descriptive Text by Sir Martin Conway. Parts
I., II., III. (London: W. Heinemann.) 55.
each Part.—The work of popularising the best art
by means of good and inexpensive reproductions,
which began with "English Water-Colour" and
" Representative Art of Our Time," will receive
useful impetus from the publication of " Great
Masters." Each part contains four plates, fifteen
by twenty inches, and all the plates are of remark-
ably fine quality. With Part I. are given Jan Steen's
portrait of himself, Reynolds' Mrs. Carnac, Van
Dyck's Prince of Orange, and Hackaert's The Ash-
tree Avenue; in Part II. are Gainsborough's
Mrs. Robinson, Franz Hals' A Man with Guitar,
Rembrandt's Saskia, and Botticelli's Virgin, Infant
Christ and St. John; while Part III. contains
Ghirlandaio's Portrait of a Lady; Holbein's
George Gisze; Ruisdael's Castle Bentheim; and
Velasquez's The Surrender of B?reda.
Sir Joshua Reynolds. By A. L. Baldry. (London:
George Newnes, Ltd.) $s. 6d. net.—In this, the
second volume of Messrs. Newnes' "Art Library,"
Mr. Baldry reviews the life and artistic career of
Sir Joshua Reynolds in a brief but comprehensive
essay, full of valuable information clearly and attrac-
tively epitomised. Sixty-five reproductions of char-
acteristic paintings accompany the essay, while a
classified list of the artist's works, with the names
of the persons or galleries to whom they belong,
helps to make the book one of the most useful to
students of Reynolds yet issued.
The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems. By
William Morris. With Illustrations by Jessie
King. (London : John Lane.) 5^. net.—This
charming collection of several true gems of litera-
ture, with their dainty illustrations by Miss Jessie
King, will be welcomed by all lovers of William
Morris' beautiful interpretation of the oft-told tale
of Guenevere. Truly decorative, fanciful and
graceful, the drawings are equal to any previously
produced by this clever artist, but it is to be re-
gretted that Miss King should adhere so constantly
to her favourite background of a stone wall, which
is in many cases anything but appropriate. The
drawings for Gilliflower of Gold and the Sail-
ing of the Sword, in which water and foliage
replace the usual wall, are especially delightful ;
and the Nor any brings me flowers in the
"Guenevere," with its open window, through which
the queen is gazing, is full of poetic feeling.
De Koopman van Venetie. Translated into
Dutch by Dr. Edward B. Koster. (Rotterdam :
Pieters.) Such a translation as this is useful alike
to the Englishman studying Dutch, and the Dutch-
man learning English. A competent knowledge of
English is so common in educated persons in
Holland that this work is probably intended for
school use, and the elementary character of the
notes confirms us in this view. The low-comedy
scenes seem the least successful; the leest, perhaps,
are the idyllic speeches in the last act. Portia's
famous appeal to the Jew strikes us as particularly
good; Bassanio's speech on opening the leaden
casket is less happy. Detailed comment, however,
impossible here. The book may be recommended
to the student, who will learn much both of Dutch
and of his own language by re-translating it into
English for comparison with the original—a very
useful method of self-instruction.
Twelve Drawings of Familiar Characters in
Fiction and Romance. By Monro S. Orr.
(London : J. M. Dent.)—Clever and amusing
though these interpretations of familiar characters
of fiction undoubtedly are, they cannot be said to
be altogether satisfactory, their colouring being
somewhat harsh and crude, and in several cases
harmonising ill with that of the paper on which
271
by Miss Jessie King —Dr. Evans gives full par-
ticulars of the more important renderings of the
original legend. He claims, however, that in his
own he has given for the first time what he takes
to be, " in all good faith, the original story of Sir
Perceval and the Holy Graal, whole and incorrupt
as it left the hands of its first author." The new-
version follows, in the main, the example set by
that true reviver of the early English style, William
Morris, retaining throughout the quaint medieval-
ism so appropriate to the "High History."
The Cardinal's Snuffbox. By Henry Harland.
Illustrated by G. G. C. Wilmshurst. (London
and New York : John Lane, 1903.)—This new
edition of Mr. Harland's successful book calls for
mention, especially on account of the illustrations
which have been provided by Mr. Wilmshurst."
There are twenty of these, all full-page plates, and
they have certainly more than average merit.
The artist is apparently a student of the methods
of Mr. Dana Gibson, but he is not a copyist, and
shows a very fair measure of originality, both in
his manner of considering his subjects and in his
mode of execution. His use of line is frank
and expressive, and his management of tones
is judicious. On the whole, he deserves a
place among the more able of present-day illus-
trators.
Great Masters. Reproductions in Photogravure
from the Finest Works of the Most Famous Painters
down to the year 1800. With Introduction and
Descriptive Text by Sir Martin Conway. Parts
I., II., III. (London: W. Heinemann.) 55.
each Part.—The work of popularising the best art
by means of good and inexpensive reproductions,
which began with "English Water-Colour" and
" Representative Art of Our Time," will receive
useful impetus from the publication of " Great
Masters." Each part contains four plates, fifteen
by twenty inches, and all the plates are of remark-
ably fine quality. With Part I. are given Jan Steen's
portrait of himself, Reynolds' Mrs. Carnac, Van
Dyck's Prince of Orange, and Hackaert's The Ash-
tree Avenue; in Part II. are Gainsborough's
Mrs. Robinson, Franz Hals' A Man with Guitar,
Rembrandt's Saskia, and Botticelli's Virgin, Infant
Christ and St. John; while Part III. contains
Ghirlandaio's Portrait of a Lady; Holbein's
George Gisze; Ruisdael's Castle Bentheim; and
Velasquez's The Surrender of B?reda.
Sir Joshua Reynolds. By A. L. Baldry. (London:
George Newnes, Ltd.) $s. 6d. net.—In this, the
second volume of Messrs. Newnes' "Art Library,"
Mr. Baldry reviews the life and artistic career of
Sir Joshua Reynolds in a brief but comprehensive
essay, full of valuable information clearly and attrac-
tively epitomised. Sixty-five reproductions of char-
acteristic paintings accompany the essay, while a
classified list of the artist's works, with the names
of the persons or galleries to whom they belong,
helps to make the book one of the most useful to
students of Reynolds yet issued.
The Defence of Guenevere, and Other Poems. By
William Morris. With Illustrations by Jessie
King. (London : John Lane.) 5^. net.—This
charming collection of several true gems of litera-
ture, with their dainty illustrations by Miss Jessie
King, will be welcomed by all lovers of William
Morris' beautiful interpretation of the oft-told tale
of Guenevere. Truly decorative, fanciful and
graceful, the drawings are equal to any previously
produced by this clever artist, but it is to be re-
gretted that Miss King should adhere so constantly
to her favourite background of a stone wall, which
is in many cases anything but appropriate. The
drawings for Gilliflower of Gold and the Sail-
ing of the Sword, in which water and foliage
replace the usual wall, are especially delightful ;
and the Nor any brings me flowers in the
"Guenevere," with its open window, through which
the queen is gazing, is full of poetic feeling.
De Koopman van Venetie. Translated into
Dutch by Dr. Edward B. Koster. (Rotterdam :
Pieters.) Such a translation as this is useful alike
to the Englishman studying Dutch, and the Dutch-
man learning English. A competent knowledge of
English is so common in educated persons in
Holland that this work is probably intended for
school use, and the elementary character of the
notes confirms us in this view. The low-comedy
scenes seem the least successful; the leest, perhaps,
are the idyllic speeches in the last act. Portia's
famous appeal to the Jew strikes us as particularly
good; Bassanio's speech on opening the leaden
casket is less happy. Detailed comment, however,
impossible here. The book may be recommended
to the student, who will learn much both of Dutch
and of his own language by re-translating it into
English for comparison with the original—a very
useful method of self-instruction.
Twelve Drawings of Familiar Characters in
Fiction and Romance. By Monro S. Orr.
(London : J. M. Dent.)—Clever and amusing
though these interpretations of familiar characters
of fiction undoubtedly are, they cannot be said to
be altogether satisfactory, their colouring being
somewhat harsh and crude, and in several cases
harmonising ill with that of the paper on which
271