Studio: international art (56.1912)

Reviews and Notices

characteristic of his art seems to have been ex-
travagantly expended in “ the strenuous life.” The
volume contains numerous reproductions from por-
traits, and is a very interesting tribute to the memory
of an artist whose work occupies a distinguished
place in nineteenth-century art.

Dictionnaire des Ventes I Art faites en France et h,
IAtranger pendant les XVIIIme et XIXme Sidles.
Par Dr. H. Mireur. TomeIer. (Paris: Vincenti.)
40 fr. net.—-Jahrbuch der Bilder- und Kunstblatter-
preise. Herausgegeben von Erich Mennbier.
Bd. II., 1911. (Vienna : Franz Malota.) 20 kronen
(17si).—Dr. Mireur’s “ Dictionary of Art Sales,” of
which the first volume is before us, is an ambitious
undertaking, for it essays to record all the sales of
works of art—oil paintings, prints, water-colours,
miniatures, pastels, gouaches; sepia, charcoal, and
other drawings, enamels, fans, and stained glass—
that have taken place in and out of France during
two centuries. The first volume, a large octavo of
nearly six hundred pages, in double columns, con-
tains the names of artists beginning with A and B,
and so we may conjecture that the dictionary when
complete will comprise at least a dozen volumes.
The Christian names of the artists and the titles of
their works are given in French and the prices in
francs. As often happens in French works, the
compiler has come to grief with some of his English
names. Burne-Jones’s name seems to have per-
plexed him: it is given first as “ Burne, Jones, Sir
Edwards,” and then we have the “ Vente Jones
Burne.” Mr. Brangwyn’s name is given as “Brand-
wyn,” and he is said to be a “ contemporary Dutch
painter bom at Bruges,” while another distinguished
British artist, Mr. Frank Bramley, figures as “a
contemporary American painter born at Boston,”
the compiler having apparently never heard of the
English town of Boston. It is interesting to note
that Rosa Bonheur’s works occupy the largest
amount of space in this volume, and next to her
that of Boucher; between them they account for
about fifty pages. Herr Mennbier’s Year-book
records the sales of pictures and prints effected at
the more important auctions in Germany during
1911. Here too the arrangement is alphabetical
according to names of artists—certainly the best
arrangement for general purposes. The titles of
works are given in English, French, or German, and
the prices in marks; the dimensions when given
are in centimetres, or in the case of prints in paper
format. Whistler’s etchings figure prominently in
this list, and so do Zorn’s, while D. Y. Cameron
has a good many items after his name. The
highest price for a Whistler proof, The Bridge, is
252

1350 marks; fora Zorn {ErnestRenan) 1720 marks;
and for a Cameron {The Two Bridges) 510 marks;
which last is, of course, a long way short of the
record in the English market. We find very few
mistakes of spelling in this Year-book, which seems
to have been compiled with great care.

The Venetian School of Painting. By Evelyn
March Phillipps. (London : Macmillan and Co.)
7r. 6d. net.—The fascinating subject of Venetian
painting would appear to be practically inex-
haustible, for in spite of the many valuable publi-
cations dealing with it that have already appeared,
Miss Phillipps has found something fresh to say on
it. She makes no claim to original research, but
has brought to bear on the actual study of the great
masterpieces in the City of the Lagoons an en-
thusiasm that is in itself an illuminating factor.
Her book, she explains, is intended primarily for use
when visiting the original works described, and for
this purpose it is well fitted, giving as it does the
main facts concerning the great colourists, and the
circumstances under which their masterpieces were
produced, with lists of their pictures in the galleries
of other cities or in private possession.

Modern Practical Design. By G. Woolliscroft
Rhead, R.E. etc. (London: B. T. Batsford.)

7s. 6d. net.—This well-illustrated handbook of
about 250 pages may be heartily commended to
art school students preparing for the Government
examinations in design. An instructive chapter
on “ Plant-Form as the Basis of Design ” is followed
by chapters on “ The Ornamental Filling of Given
Spaces,” “ All-Over Patterns—Wall-Papers, Printed
Fabrics, Textiles,” “Book Decoration,” “Pottery,”
“Stained Glass,” “Metal Work and Jewellery,”
“ Wood Working and Carving,” “ Dress Embroi-
dery,” “Fancy Costume and the Fashion Plate,”

“ Fans and Lace,” and “ Posters.” The technique,
tools, and practical methods appropriate to these
diverse branches of applied art are explained with
admirable lucidity, though necessarily with brevity,
and the illustrations, which are both abundant and
clear, have been selected almost wholly from repre-
sentative work by modern artists and craftsmen.

Madonne Fiorentine. By Mario Ferrigni.
(Milan: Ulrico Hoepli.) 18 lire paper, 25 lire
cloth.—In this well-illustrated volume on the in-
terpretation of women, especially of the Blessed
Virgin, by the great Tuscan masters of painting and
sculpture, Sgr. Ferrigni has given a bright, read-
able account of the Renaissance of Art in his native
city, to which it is easy to see he is much attached.
He evidently thinks that full justice has not yet been
done to women, but that undue prominence has