DOI Heft:
No. 225 (December 1911)
DOI Artikel:Reviews and notices
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21155#0274
Reviews ana Notices
most notable of his drawings, and a selection of
these has been most excellently reproduced in this
volume by the collotype process. The frontispiece,
which has been printed in colours in Japan by
Mr. Tamura from no fewer than eighty separate
blocks, is a magnificent rendering of a beautiful
subject. Some interesting details of the life of the
painter are given, the author's notes on "Painting
Methods" and "Examples of Technique," being
of especial value to the artist and student.
Had space permitted, we should have liked to
enter into some of the details of the painter's
methods of work so lucidly set forth by Mr.
Conder. But failing this we can most cordially
recommend his book to all lovers of the Art of
Japan, and especially to those who are desirous of
acquainting themselves with the inner workings of
the artist's mind in relation to his craft.
Costumes, Traditions, and Songs of Savoy. By
Estella Canziani. (London: Chatto and
Windus.) 21s. net.—In regard both to letterpress
and illustration this attractively got-up volume
provides matter of interest to people of varied tastes,
though from the very nature of the book its appeal
is pre-eminently to the student of folk-lore, who will
be grateful to the author for the pains she has taken
to collect and transcribe so many of the legends
and songs current among the Savoyards of plain
and mountain, and to record their customs and
usages. The life of this hardy race as pictured by
her is one full of romantic features, and there would
almost seem to be a direct relation here between
man and nature. The volume is very rich in
illustration, there being some fifty coloured plates
on dark brown mounts; all are the work of the
author, and include, besides numerous drawings of
peasants in their costumes and the ornaments and
articles worn or used by them, a number of land-
scapes eloquently witnessing to the picturesque
scenery of the region.
The Practice of Water-Colour Painting. By
A. L. Baldry. (London: Macmillan and Co.)
12s.—This volume gives an exposition of the method
in water-colours practised by nearly twenty living
artists whose names are familiar to visitors to
modern exhibitions, together with the colours
favoured by them for attaining their effects. It is
handsomely illustrated by reproductions in colour
of nearly forty well-chosen pictures by the painters
with whom it deals. The list of these includes
several members of the Old Water Colour Society,
and such distinguished artists as Mr. Frank
Brangwyn and Sir Alfred East. Mr. Baldry has
prefaced his work with a valuable account of the
development of water-colour painting in England,
and has appended instructive chapters on " Sketch-
ing out of Doors " and " Tempera as an Alterna-
tive." It is not easy for an artist to communicate
anything so inextricably a part of himself as the
procedure by which he reaches an artistic effect
quite personal to himself, but what it has been
possible to communicate for the benefit of
fellow-students has, through the skilful drawing-
out of Mr. Baldry, been communicated in this
book.
The Life of James McNeill Whistler. By E. R.
and J. Pennell. New and revised edition.
(London: William Heinemann.) \2S. 6d. net.—
Mr. and Mrs. Pennell's " authorised" Life of
Whistler has proved to be one of the most success-
ful works in this class of literature that have
appeared in recent years. Shortly after it was
first published in two volumes three years ago
(when it was noticed at some length in these pages),
a second edition was called for, and in the follow-
ing year two further editions were issued. In the
interval so much new material has come into the
hands of the authors that they decided on a
revision of the entire work. Hence, as the result
of this revision, which has been extended to the
illustrations, the publisher has some justification
in putting the volume forth as not a mere reprint
but as a substantially new work. Amongst the
new matter introduced several pages are concerned
with the relations existing between Whistler and
the two brothers, Walter and Harry Greaves, who
taught him to row and were taught by him to
paint. It will be remembered that early this year
an exhibition of paintings and etchings by one of
these brothers attracted considerable public notice,
largely of course because of this association with
Whistler, but especially because of certain state-
ments made in the catalogue of the exhibition
which proved to be erroneous. One of these
statements was that before they knew Whistler the
brothers were painting "Pictures of the Thames
and Cremorne Gardens, both day and night
effects"—themes which, as we all know, were
dear to Whistler's heart. Such an assertion, as
well as another having the same implication, is of
course quite incompatible with the express ad-
mission that Whistler " taught us to paint," and it
is a pity it was ever made, though we think the
author of it should be acquitted of any intention to
mislead. We cannot touch upon other changes
and additions made in the narrative of this
remarkable Life; it must suffice to say that in its
present form and with the new illustrations, some
most notable of his drawings, and a selection of
these has been most excellently reproduced in this
volume by the collotype process. The frontispiece,
which has been printed in colours in Japan by
Mr. Tamura from no fewer than eighty separate
blocks, is a magnificent rendering of a beautiful
subject. Some interesting details of the life of the
painter are given, the author's notes on "Painting
Methods" and "Examples of Technique," being
of especial value to the artist and student.
Had space permitted, we should have liked to
enter into some of the details of the painter's
methods of work so lucidly set forth by Mr.
Conder. But failing this we can most cordially
recommend his book to all lovers of the Art of
Japan, and especially to those who are desirous of
acquainting themselves with the inner workings of
the artist's mind in relation to his craft.
Costumes, Traditions, and Songs of Savoy. By
Estella Canziani. (London: Chatto and
Windus.) 21s. net.—In regard both to letterpress
and illustration this attractively got-up volume
provides matter of interest to people of varied tastes,
though from the very nature of the book its appeal
is pre-eminently to the student of folk-lore, who will
be grateful to the author for the pains she has taken
to collect and transcribe so many of the legends
and songs current among the Savoyards of plain
and mountain, and to record their customs and
usages. The life of this hardy race as pictured by
her is one full of romantic features, and there would
almost seem to be a direct relation here between
man and nature. The volume is very rich in
illustration, there being some fifty coloured plates
on dark brown mounts; all are the work of the
author, and include, besides numerous drawings of
peasants in their costumes and the ornaments and
articles worn or used by them, a number of land-
scapes eloquently witnessing to the picturesque
scenery of the region.
The Practice of Water-Colour Painting. By
A. L. Baldry. (London: Macmillan and Co.)
12s.—This volume gives an exposition of the method
in water-colours practised by nearly twenty living
artists whose names are familiar to visitors to
modern exhibitions, together with the colours
favoured by them for attaining their effects. It is
handsomely illustrated by reproductions in colour
of nearly forty well-chosen pictures by the painters
with whom it deals. The list of these includes
several members of the Old Water Colour Society,
and such distinguished artists as Mr. Frank
Brangwyn and Sir Alfred East. Mr. Baldry has
prefaced his work with a valuable account of the
development of water-colour painting in England,
and has appended instructive chapters on " Sketch-
ing out of Doors " and " Tempera as an Alterna-
tive." It is not easy for an artist to communicate
anything so inextricably a part of himself as the
procedure by which he reaches an artistic effect
quite personal to himself, but what it has been
possible to communicate for the benefit of
fellow-students has, through the skilful drawing-
out of Mr. Baldry, been communicated in this
book.
The Life of James McNeill Whistler. By E. R.
and J. Pennell. New and revised edition.
(London: William Heinemann.) \2S. 6d. net.—
Mr. and Mrs. Pennell's " authorised" Life of
Whistler has proved to be one of the most success-
ful works in this class of literature that have
appeared in recent years. Shortly after it was
first published in two volumes three years ago
(when it was noticed at some length in these pages),
a second edition was called for, and in the follow-
ing year two further editions were issued. In the
interval so much new material has come into the
hands of the authors that they decided on a
revision of the entire work. Hence, as the result
of this revision, which has been extended to the
illustrations, the publisher has some justification
in putting the volume forth as not a mere reprint
but as a substantially new work. Amongst the
new matter introduced several pages are concerned
with the relations existing between Whistler and
the two brothers, Walter and Harry Greaves, who
taught him to row and were taught by him to
paint. It will be remembered that early this year
an exhibition of paintings and etchings by one of
these brothers attracted considerable public notice,
largely of course because of this association with
Whistler, but especially because of certain state-
ments made in the catalogue of the exhibition
which proved to be erroneous. One of these
statements was that before they knew Whistler the
brothers were painting "Pictures of the Thames
and Cremorne Gardens, both day and night
effects"—themes which, as we all know, were
dear to Whistler's heart. Such an assertion, as
well as another having the same implication, is of
course quite incompatible with the express ad-
mission that Whistler " taught us to paint," and it
is a pity it was ever made, though we think the
author of it should be acquitted of any intention to
mislead. We cannot touch upon other changes
and additions made in the narrative of this
remarkable Life; it must suffice to say that in its
present form and with the new illustrations, some