Studio: international art (87.1924)

MOSCOW—REVIEWS

working-class population some of the great
masters of the nineteenth century and one,
at least, who was foremost as an opera
reformer. “ The Golden Cockerel ”
attracts the new population on account of
its abundance of comic spirit and its biting
satire, and its appeal to the eye through
magnificent colour called forth by the
superb orchestration. 000
Huntly Carter.

REVIEWS

The Discourses of Sir Joshua Reynolds.
(Macmillan & Co., Ltd.) 10s. 6d. net.
Very opportune is the re-publication of Sir
Joshua's lectures to the students of the
Academy, if only the students of the present
day can be induced to read and profit by
them. The time has gone by when the
achievements of the eighteenth century
could be dismissed as products of an “ age
of prose and reason ” and nothing more,
and it is to this oft-belittled century that
England owes some of her chief glories in
certain branches of painting and literature.
In reading Sir Joshua one is sensible that
he, and those about him, never allowed
themselves to forget certain vital realities
which later ages have neglected, to their
loss, and the recognition of which made for
that poise and balance which, in our hectic
century, are far to seek and so much to be
desired. The unity of the arts, in respect of
aims ; the good that must come through the
study of past masters ; the supremacy of
nature over anything that puny man can
produce or effect—these are a few of the
postulates which formed part of the system
of eighteenth century thinkers, and that
they were abused does not take away from
their broad truth. Is there any voice in the
world of art to-day which can utter so much
good, sound sense as Sir Joshua put forth
on a difficult subject, or so skilfully ration-
alise and extract general principles from
what many of us idly dismiss as irrational i

The Old Water-Colour Society’s Club,
1923-1924. First Annual Volume.
Edited by A. J. Finberg. Issued only to
members. 00000

This volume is the chief function of the
Club founded by the members of this
venerable Society, but an annual dinner,

COSTUME FOR RIMSKY-KORSA-
KOV’S OPERA, “ THE GOLDEN
COCKEREL.” BY BILIBIN

soirees and other means of social intercourse
between lovers of water-colour art, lay or
professional, are included in the scheme.
The subscription to the Club is two guineas,
with an entrance fee of one guinea, and
communications may be addressed to
The Secretary at 5a, Pall Mall East, S.W. 1.
The first Annual Volume has much of
interest to collectors and painters. Sir
Herbert Hughes-Stanton writes on “ The
Old Water-Colour Society’s Gallery,” and
Mr. W. Russell Flint “ In Praise of Water-
Colour ”—with some delightful maxims to>
artists, such as—“ Paint no stroke hastily.
Prevent your speech discreetly. Tempta-
tions resist strongly lestjyou alter foolishly”
—and having (among other things) suffered
“ patiently the wind that blows, the cold
that freezes, the sun that burns and the
model that arriveth not ”—“ Stably

grounded in humility return the next day
meekly.” Other good articles are on
Peter de Wint (Randall Davies), Arthur
Melville (Romilly Fedden), and Lionel
Percy Smythe (Miss Rosa M. Whitlaw).
The volume is well illustrated and contains
various germane lists and catalogues. 0

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