Studio: international art (31.1904)

Reviews

German and Flemish Masters without leaving
England. Avoiding the controversial aspect of the
subject, " the vexed question of attributions," as she
naively but justly remarks, " being, after all, of
secondary importance to the intrinsic beauty of the
picture," Mrs. Witt carefully examines all the
paintings of the schools she has elected to study,
from the Primitives of the early period to the great
masterpieces of the seventeenth century in the
National Gallery and the Hertford House collection.
Her text is enriched with many excellent repro-
ductions of characteristic works, amongst which the
St. Jerome in his Study of Antonella da Messina,
the Entombment of Dirk Bouts, the Usurers of
Marinus van Romerswael, and the Portrait of a
Senator of Hans Baldun Griin are especially fine.
It seems a pity, however, that such an unsatisfac-
tory interpretation of the Adoration of the Lamb—
which is at Ghent, not in England—should have
been admitted, and that the time-honoured mistake
of the Chapeau de Paille, which should be de Foil,
should have been repeated in what is otherwise a
very trustworthy book.

Buddhist India. By T. W. Rhys David, LL.D.,
Ph.D. (London: Methuen & Co.) 6j-.net.—In
his preface to this deeply interesting monograph,
one of the well-known "Story of the Nations"
series, the author scarcely does himself full justice.
His work, in spite of its having been written, as he
says, " in scraps of time rescued with difficulty from
the calls of a busy life," is a very complete epitome
of the origin and progress of Buddhist ascendency
in India, and like the famous " Introduction a
l'Histoire du Buddhisme Indien " of Eugene
Burnouf, published more than half a century ago,
it will probably lead to a new departure in Ori-
entalism; or, to be more strictly accurate, bring the
general public into touch with a departure already
made. Dr. David, who is Professor of Buddhist
Literature at the London University, and the
author of many able works on the subject, explains
that his point of view is rather that of the Rajput
than of the Brahmin, and he frankly admits that
he is ready to declare open war with all who ignore
its claims. The illustrations wilh which his book
is enriched form an admirable commentary on his
text, and are culled from a great variety of sources,
including examples of architecture, sculpture,
pottery, moulding, etc.

The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Gold-
smith, with coloured plates by T. Rowlandson
(3s. 6d. net); The Life of John Mytton, by Nimrod,
with coloured plates by H. Alken and J. J.
Rawlings (3J. 6d. net); and Handley Cross, by
178

E. S. Surtees, with coloured plates and woodcuts
by John Leech (4s. 6d. net). (London : Methuen.)
—No more striking illustration of the immense
advance made during the last fifty years in the
various arts connected with book-making could be
found than these volumes, the first of the new
Illustrated Pocket Library of Plain and Coloured
Books. Classics of their own day, they have main-
tained their reputation in spite of the remarkable
change in public taste since they were the delight
of the grandparents of the present generation.
Before the issue of these excellent reprints, how-
ever, they were inaccessible to all but the few who
could afford to buy the occasional examples of the
originals which came into the market. Of the
three of which the titles are given above " The
Vicar of Wakefield " is, perhaps, the best, and the
illustrations by Rowlandson are especially interest-
ing as early water-colour work; but the " Handley
Cross," with Leech's clever drawings, is also very
satisfactory.

Highways and Byivays in South Wales. By
A. G. Bradley. (London : Macmillan.) 6s. net.
—Fully equal to the companion volume from the
same competent hand, the " Highways and Byways
in South Wales" will be as eagerly welcomed
by all who are interested in the past and present
of the Principality that still retains so marked
an individuality of its own. Mr. Bradley has
a thorough grip of his subject, and has woven
history, tradition, folk-lore, and the passing im-
pressions of the moment into an interesting con-
secutive narrative, bringing vividly before his
readers the environment of the remarkable episode
of the " Mabinogion," from which, as is well known,
so many of the incidents of Tennyson's famous
" Idylls" were borrowed. The illustrations by
Frederick Griggs, though evidently faithful tran-
scripts of the scenes they depict, are, unfortunately,
somewhat wanting in character. The drawings are,
many of them, clever, and some few, notably the
Morning Scene at Llandilo, even poetic ; but the
landscape views scarcely do justice to the grandeur
of Welsh scenery.

The History of American Sculpture. By Lorado
Taft. (London: Macmillan.) 25.?. net.—The ap-
pearance of this, the first of a series of volumes
dealing with American art, is a noteworthy proof of
the great advance that has been made during the
last century in the appreciation of plastic work in the
United States. The author, who is himself a skilful
wielder of the chisel, has a thorough acquaintance
with his subject, and in his Introduction he gives a
very interesting summary of the reasons why his native