Studio: international art (52.1911)

Reviews and Notices

Hanqual, is quoted at length. The gradual grafting
on Saracenic institutions of the French system of
feudalism, with the dramatic conflict of influences
during the brief period of Norman rule, are well
described; but it is when generalities are left
behind and the country life of Sicily in the Middle
Ages is considered that the author begins to show
her own individual grip of her subject, so clearly
brought out are the complex causes that made it
what it was, and differentiated it from that of the
mainland. Very eloquent, too, though less stamped
with originality, are the chapters on the Arabo-
Norman palaces and mediaeval churches of the
island, that are practically a condensed history of
Sicilian architecture; and, at the end, a brief
summary is given of the few mediaeval customs
that still survive the inevitable changes brought
about by time.

New York. By Alvin Langdon Coburn,
Foreword by H. G. Wells. (London : Duckworth
& Co.; New York: Brentanos), 25j-.net. It is only
natural that in this album of photogravures, a com-
panion to, and uniform with, the "London,"
published a year ago, the "sky-scraper," as the
dominating feature of London's nearest rival in
point of size, should be strongly in evidence, and,
in fact, in nine out of the twenty plates these
colossal structures ^stand out as witnesses of the
upward development in New York architecture.
We cannot say that we share Mr. Wells's " un-
qualified admiration" for the sky-scraper, but as
monuments of that flood of human energy which
has wrought such mighty changes in the new
world they are certainly impressive. The only
criticism we have to make concerning this series
of photographs is that the atmosphere is rather too
hazy to be characteristic of New York—too re-
miniscent of London, where quite different condi-
tions prevail. Mr. Coburn's plates have all been
produced under his personal supervision.

The Artistic side of Photography in Theory and
Practice. By A. J. Anderson. (London: Stanley
Paul.) 12.?. 6d. net.—The author of this cleverly
written book has brought a great deal of thought to
every aspect of his subject, and the result is a work
which should be in every photographer's hands. It
serves a very valuable purpose in disposing of the
belief in " control-pigment" prints which seemed at
one time to be taking possession of photographic
artists. "The failure," says the author, "of pictorial
photographs has been the blending of light-drawing
with handwork." It is a point we have often
emphasised. We only find ourselves at issue with
the author in his blind partiality to pin-hole effects.
80

Fine definition has a charm in photography greatly
admired by painters. It is precisely this side of the
beauty of photography that has to make its way
against the artistic photographers themselves. The
book is illustrated with plates after Alvin Langdon
Coburn, Gertrude Kasebier, Holland Day, Guido
Rey, Eduard J. Steichen, Baron de Meyer, F. H.
Evans and other leaders of the modern school.

A Book of Porcelain. Fine examples in the
Victoria and Albert Museum, painted by William
Gibb. Text by Bernard Backhaul (London :
A. & C. Black.) \2S. 6d. net.—The twenty-eight
coloured plates of this volume represent an inter-
esting selection from the porcelain treasures of the
Museum at South Kensington, nine of them being
specimens of Chinese production at various periods
(but unfortunately none belonging to the Salting
collection); two are Italian and one German, the
rest being either French or English. Mr. Gibb,
from whose drawings the plates have been repro-
duced, has shown a remarkable aptitude for render-
ing the surface qualities and the coloration of the
various objects. In the introductory text Mr.
Rackham briefly surveys the history and charac-
teristics of Oriental and European porcelain.

Notable Dames and Notable Men of the Georgia//
Era. By John Fyvie. (London : Constable &
Co.) 10s. 6d. net.—Mr. Fyvie's book contains
sketches of the lives of such interesting personages
as Lady Mary Coke, the unfortunate and much
persecuted Countess of Strathmore, and that
admirable though wayward hostess Lady Holland.
The accounts he gives of three notable—in one
case notorious—men of the period afford, however,
the most interesting reading. They are Sir Henry
Bate Dudley ; the king of tramps and vagrants,
Bampfylde-Moore Carew, and Abraham Tucker,
the philosopher. The first-mentioned was editor
of the " Morning Post," and in that capacity had
to meet with swords, pistols or fists such indi-
viduals as felt themselves aggrieved by what
appeared in his columns. Newspaper libels are no
longer settled by duel, but we have, perhaps, not
quite reached the ideal stage indicated by Mr.
Fyvie when he says that " our political conflicts in
the press are always characterised by sweet reason-
ableness and the most exquisite courtesy."

The Arts and Crafts of our Teutonic Forefathers.
By Prof. G. Baldwin Brown, M.A. (London:
T. N. Foulis.) 5-f. net.—This volume contains the
substance of the Rhind Lectures delivered last
Spring before the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland,
and, with the numerous illustrations which accom-
pany the text, it forms an interesting general intro.