DOI Heft:
No. 345 (December 1921)
DOI Artikel:Reviews
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21393#0315
REVIEWS
A History of French Architecture from
1661 to 1774. By Sir Reginald Blom-
field, R.A. 2 vols. (London : G. Bell
and Sons.)—In 1911 Messrs. George Bell
and Sons published the first two volumes
of this important work by Sir Reginald
Blomfield, which dealt with French archi-
tecture from 1494 to 1661. The present
volumes continue the history down to the
end of the reign of Louis XV., at which
date, the author states, the old tradition
was rapidly breaking up and being re-
placed by a " revival of the antique in its
most literal and pedantic form." The
period covered in these two volumes is
full of interest, and amongst the many
architects whose work comes under con-
sideration, Ange Jacques Gabriel stands
out as the greatest and most distinguished
of the eighteenth-century men, not only
because he was a very fine designer, but
because " his art represents the cul-
minating point of the tradition of French
classic which started with De L'Orme,
and was already setting to its end when
Gabriel died in 1782." Sir Reginald Blom-
field writes with the authority and judg-
ment which are the outcome of his wide
experience as a distinguished architect
and his deep knowledge of the subject.
The numerous illustrations include several
of his own delightful drawings. These
enhance the interest of a work which
forms a valuable addition to architectural
literature. a a a 0 a
Sculpture of To-day, 2 vols. By
Kineton Parkes. (London : Chapman
and Hall.)—In the multitude of books
about art which issue from the press year
after year, sculpture occupies such an
insignificant part that the publication this
year of two general works on the subject
is an unusual event. Mr. Kineton Parkes's
two volumes, which belong to the Universal
Art Series, cover much the same ground
as Mr. Lorado Taft's Scammon Lectures
recently noticed by us, that is to say, they
give a review of present-day work by
sculptors of many nationalities, but the
survey is more comprehensive, and besides
embracing the various countries of Europe,
the British Overseas Dominions, and the
United States, extends to the Far East
with a brief notice of modern Japanese
work. Exposition rather than criticism
appears to be the aim of the author, and
his attitude towards the so-called " ad-
vanced " school is much more indulgent
than that of Mr. Taft, for though he prefers
nature, he sees no reason why Archipenko,
for instance, " should not interpret his
thoughts by means of a cubistic formula,
which may well possess secrets worth the
unravelling." Mr. Parkes has approached
his subject with a commendable breadth
of mind, and has evidently been at pains
to present a veracious survey of sculpture
as produced at the present day by workers
of diverse ideals. Both volumes are abun-
dantly illustrated.
Piero della Francesca, 80 Tafeln mit
einfuhrendem Text von Hans Graber.
(Basel: Benno Schwabe & Co.)—In the
80 plates of this quarto volume is exhibited
the entire ceuvre now extant of that great
primitive Piero della Francesca, and though
colour is absent, the monochrome repro-
ductions are so excellent that the student
of early Italian painting will be grateful
for this valuable aid—the more so as in
addition to reproductions of the complete
works certain significant details of some
of them are reproduced on a large scale.
The author, however, in presenting this
series of reproductions,appeals not so much
to the art-historian—the Kunstgelehrte
—as to the artists and non-professional
art-lovers—unzunftige Kunstfreunde—oi to-
day, and he is prompted especially by a
desire to draw attention to the " ex-
pressionistic" element in the work of
this Cinquecento master,in view of modern
tendencies in this direction. Preferring
to let the illustrations speak for them-
selves, he has contented himself as a
writer with a brief narrative of the master 's
life, a detailed description of the works
reproduced, and a short essay on Piero's
style, in which he comments especially
on his power of attaining the maximum
of expression with the utmost economy
of means. The works reproduced are
those recognised as authentic; four only
are to be found outside of Italy, and three
of these are in the National Gallery,
London. Apropos of two of these three,
the author raises the question whether
the painting of the Archangel Michael did
299
A History of French Architecture from
1661 to 1774. By Sir Reginald Blom-
field, R.A. 2 vols. (London : G. Bell
and Sons.)—In 1911 Messrs. George Bell
and Sons published the first two volumes
of this important work by Sir Reginald
Blomfield, which dealt with French archi-
tecture from 1494 to 1661. The present
volumes continue the history down to the
end of the reign of Louis XV., at which
date, the author states, the old tradition
was rapidly breaking up and being re-
placed by a " revival of the antique in its
most literal and pedantic form." The
period covered in these two volumes is
full of interest, and amongst the many
architects whose work comes under con-
sideration, Ange Jacques Gabriel stands
out as the greatest and most distinguished
of the eighteenth-century men, not only
because he was a very fine designer, but
because " his art represents the cul-
minating point of the tradition of French
classic which started with De L'Orme,
and was already setting to its end when
Gabriel died in 1782." Sir Reginald Blom-
field writes with the authority and judg-
ment which are the outcome of his wide
experience as a distinguished architect
and his deep knowledge of the subject.
The numerous illustrations include several
of his own delightful drawings. These
enhance the interest of a work which
forms a valuable addition to architectural
literature. a a a 0 a
Sculpture of To-day, 2 vols. By
Kineton Parkes. (London : Chapman
and Hall.)—In the multitude of books
about art which issue from the press year
after year, sculpture occupies such an
insignificant part that the publication this
year of two general works on the subject
is an unusual event. Mr. Kineton Parkes's
two volumes, which belong to the Universal
Art Series, cover much the same ground
as Mr. Lorado Taft's Scammon Lectures
recently noticed by us, that is to say, they
give a review of present-day work by
sculptors of many nationalities, but the
survey is more comprehensive, and besides
embracing the various countries of Europe,
the British Overseas Dominions, and the
United States, extends to the Far East
with a brief notice of modern Japanese
work. Exposition rather than criticism
appears to be the aim of the author, and
his attitude towards the so-called " ad-
vanced " school is much more indulgent
than that of Mr. Taft, for though he prefers
nature, he sees no reason why Archipenko,
for instance, " should not interpret his
thoughts by means of a cubistic formula,
which may well possess secrets worth the
unravelling." Mr. Parkes has approached
his subject with a commendable breadth
of mind, and has evidently been at pains
to present a veracious survey of sculpture
as produced at the present day by workers
of diverse ideals. Both volumes are abun-
dantly illustrated.
Piero della Francesca, 80 Tafeln mit
einfuhrendem Text von Hans Graber.
(Basel: Benno Schwabe & Co.)—In the
80 plates of this quarto volume is exhibited
the entire ceuvre now extant of that great
primitive Piero della Francesca, and though
colour is absent, the monochrome repro-
ductions are so excellent that the student
of early Italian painting will be grateful
for this valuable aid—the more so as in
addition to reproductions of the complete
works certain significant details of some
of them are reproduced on a large scale.
The author, however, in presenting this
series of reproductions,appeals not so much
to the art-historian—the Kunstgelehrte
—as to the artists and non-professional
art-lovers—unzunftige Kunstfreunde—oi to-
day, and he is prompted especially by a
desire to draw attention to the " ex-
pressionistic" element in the work of
this Cinquecento master,in view of modern
tendencies in this direction. Preferring
to let the illustrations speak for them-
selves, he has contented himself as a
writer with a brief narrative of the master 's
life, a detailed description of the works
reproduced, and a short essay on Piero's
style, in which he comments especially
on his power of attaining the maximum
of expression with the utmost economy
of means. The works reproduced are
those recognised as authentic; four only
are to be found outside of Italy, and three
of these are in the National Gallery,
London. Apropos of two of these three,
the author raises the question whether
the painting of the Archangel Michael did
299