Studio: international art (87.1924)

REVIEWS

the loaf of pictorial art, such things as
the Head of Eve would be confined to
their proper place—the nursery. 0

D. I, Mitrohin. By Michael Kouzmin
and Vssevolod Voinoff. (Moscow : State
Publishing Office. London agents, Messrs.
Kniga, Ltd.) 305. net.—We hear little from
Russia these days, and until normal con-
ditions of international intercourse are re-
established we cannot hope to know the
whole truth about the situation which
obtains there. From time to time, how-
ever, evidence appears that the reign of
chaos is ending and that of constructive
progress beginning. Such a piece of
evidence is the present publication, which
consists of a profusely illustrated survey
of the work of a talented Russian artist,
accompanied by two essays on his life
and art, printed in English by the Russian
State Publishing Office. M. Mitrohin is
at present chief of the Department of
Engravings and Drawings in the Russian
Museum. He has studied in Paris and has
been influenced not only by the masters
of the West but also by the Japanese. His
main efforts have been expended in the
illustration, and above all the ornamenta-
tion of the book, some of his initial letters
and subsidiary ornaments being among
his best productions. Many of the title-
pages here reproduced are extremely taste-
ful, and the book-jackets show so thorough
a sense of the harmony of design that one
regrets that these particular jackets are
to have such an ephemeral life (many of
those we see on modern novels deserve
their early death !) But his illustrations at
least can hope for more permanent re-
nown, which their merit should ensure.
Messrs. Kniga are acting as the English
sponsors to this publication, which should
be uncommonly attractive to all con-
noisseurs of book-production. 0 0

Artists’ Pigments, their chemical and
physical properties. By F. W. Weber.
(Scott, Greenwood & Son). 155. net.—
At the best, pictorial art suffers under a
disadvantage from its physical medium.
There can only be one example of each
oil painting (unless the artist should execute
duplicates, a task for which life is too
short), and where the musical score or the
poem can be widely disseminated and
their appeal continually renewed, the

DESIGN FOR COVER OF AN
ALMANAC. BY D. I. MITROHIN

(From Kouzmin and Voinoff,

“ D. I. Mitrohin ”)

picture must remain unique. It is all the
more disquieting to find that many modern
paintings are becoming damaged by the
action of time on imperfect pigments, and
the scientific study of pigments should
amply repay the painter who desires
permanence for his work. Such a book
as the one under review provides the
necessary information in convenient and
compendious form. There are chapters
on colour theory and elementary colour
chemistry, and a good index provides
ready means of reference. 000
The Making of the National Gallery,
1824 t0 1924. By Sir Charles Holmes
and C. H. Collins Baker (National
Gallery), is. 6d. net. This little book gives
an account of the rise and progress of our
national collection, with illustrations in the
text. It is a history of trials and vicissitudes,
which leaves a sense of difficulties sur-
mounted and many yet to come. But the
will is there, and it is to be hoped that the
Gallery will go on from strength to
strength. 00000

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