Studio: international art (77.1919)

REVIEWS

they are carried very much farther than the
smaller works, and here his amazing know-
ledge and his faculty for memorizing not
only general effects but essential detail of
every sort stood him in good stead, for he
rarely if ever made studies or notes for his
guidance in finishing a picture. No less
remarkable was his versatility. He never
repeated himself, but was equally happy in
the portrayal of storm as of sunshine, of
the tender beauty of spring as of the cruel
grip of winter, or of the flamboyant glories
of autumn ; and his “ nocturnes ” are as
satisfying as his most colourful essays that
record effects of brilliant light. 0 0

The majority of Thomson’s important
pictures that so far have been disposed of,
have, most happily, been acquired for the
national collection at Ottawa, thanks to the
foresight and discernment of the Commis-
sioners. The largest private collection is
that owned by Dr. James MacCallum, of
the University of Toronto, between whom
and the artist there existed a warm and
intimate friendship. 0 0 0 0

H. Mortimer-Lamb

'REVIEWS

The Seventh Volume of the Walpole
Society, 1918-1919. Edited by A. J.
Finberg. Issued only to subscribers.—
The Walpole Society was founded in 1911
for promoting the study of the history of
British art, carrying on the work begun by
Horace Walpole, who made the first
attempt to write a connected history of art
in Great Britain, and in pursuance of this
aim it has already issued several volumes
embodying researches of great value to the
student. The present volume consists
almost entirely of a monograph by the late
Mr. Walter Lewis Spiers, Curator of the
Soane Museum from 1904 till his death in
1917, on the life and works of Nicholas
Stone, Master Mason to James I and
Charles I. Stone had an extensive prac-
tice as a sculptor, and designed and
executed, wholly or in part, a large number
of monuments to contemporary personages
which are still extant in churches all over
the country. Most of these were photo-
graphed by Mr. Spiers, and reproductions
of them accompany his text. They prove
Stone to have been a sculptor of great

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ability and of more refined taste than some
of his collaborators, whose designs in
certain cases appear, from a decorative
point of view, somewhat “ fussy." Illus-
trations are also given of some monuments
designed by his son John, and in the
appendix is reprinted a quaint diary kept
by his son Nicholas during a tour in
France and Italy. The volume is admi-
rably printed by the Oxford University
Press, and is well worth the guinea which
entitles a subscriber to possession of a
copy, 000000
Golden Days from the Fishing Log of a
Painter in Brittany. By Romilly Fedden.
(London : A. and C. Black.) 7s. 6d. net.—
Military service, first on the fighting front,
and later with the Field Censor Staff in
France, has since 1914 interrupted Mr.
Fedden’s practice of the art of painting,
but has fortunately not prevented him
from employing his pen to good effect in
writing a helpful book for the student of
water-colour, of which Mr. Murray has
just issued a cheaper edition, and now in
recording these reminiscences of happy
days spent in pursuit of the “ gentle art "
of angling in Brittany. Though it appeals
primarily to those who share his ardent
devotion to this pastime, the book contains
much interesting reading for others who
are strangers to its “ immeasurable charm
and mystery." 0000
A Series now being published by Sig.
E. Celanza of Turin, under the title of
“ The Masters of Art," promises to be of
great service to those who are interested
in modern Italian art. Small in size and
modest in price, but attractive in appear-
ance, these little volumes consist of a few
pages of letterpress, biographical and
critical, followed by a numerous series of
reproductions from the most important
works of the artist under consideration.
The programme comprises artists who
have flourished since 1800, and among
those so far considered are Domenico
Morelli, the sculptors Dupre and Vela,
the painters Giovanni Costa, Barabino,
Luigi Serra, and Palizzi, and coming closer
to our own time Sartorio and Ettore Tito.
The editor of the Series, Sig. Francesco
Sapori, has followed mainly the lines of evo-
lution, for modern Italian painting may be
fairly said to owe its beginning to Morelli.