New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-08
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

pnSTnN
NJ the riverside Press about to publish two books OF
,xoer,ioDal Importance and interest The first Ia "The
rrsmn,ar of Painting and Engraving" translated by
v.,a Doccett from the French of Bancs "GrdDmdsrc
dies AVS du Dcssin and with the original illustrations
The let of these last alone, would show the unusual
,alue of tins work as textbook for art students.
There are fifteen more full-page engravings; and
many more are introduced among the letterpress. or
pictures which described eleven arc repre-
tepted by engravingS. Any who will attentively
study this book will certainly have gone long way in
ms preparation for thoughtful and intelligent art crit
,sm lust as having thoroughly mastered the grammar
Of new language has gone far toward
ats intimate comprehension This grammar OF art
as as clearly defined, aud almost simple in
ats rules and statements any other grammar
Monsieur Blanc was induced prepare it by his pro
found conviction Of genuine lack In the system Of
education He perceived that the artedueation of the
young almost entirely neglected They learn the his
tory the ancient Greeks the exploits OF their heroes
the descent of their gods from high Olympus 10 measure
celestial wit against oIta force shed the radiance
their glory around and temple but of the ideas
Greeks abont art the secrets Of their divine mar
lles. the young scholars know nothing. NJ Blanc pro-
nounces France-though he considers her artists the
finest in the woIld--the most backward Of European
nations all that concerns general knowledge OF art
To remedy this defect he wrote his grammar and Mrs.
Dogcet seeing in America far grosser and more gen
ignorance OF the first principles OF art has trans
lated It, To give all Blanes rules and definitions would
I've a. idle as copy the rules 81 Andrews ana Stoddard
They must he studied--or least readin connection
with ms Illustrations and explanations; and venture
10 say that no one can read carefully this most agree
able volume without absolute enlargement OF the
range OF vision, and quckening of the understanding.
NJ Blanc belongs TO the idealsts, as opposed to the
Inater!asts. How much higher, he says is art than
nature when moves in its own doman-the beautiful
The choice Of his light must be left 10 the will OF the
PAINTER; but what treasures are contained IN thls
liberty. what variety IT promisesl Leonardo ga Nne
preferred for his picture, women do for their beauty
the tempered hight OF the lamp or the twilight we see
Tins IN his Mona Lisa whose look faseinateS us behind
Che wealth Of poetry tina: nterposed between her
and US Rubens, the painter Of external magnncehee
sud show, opening wide all his windows to the SUM-
Will dare TO initiate its splendors. Rembrandt on
the contrary "a dreamy soul, an interior Han
chooses a dark aIelier, into which he only allows
a vailed light TO penetrate. The commonplace light OF
day dspeases him. he lives az ease only ID the inner
world of his thoughts in the infinite melancholy aud
depth OF his halftnts produced by fantastic rather
than natural light. Prudhon loves softened shadows
and pale lights There have been painters who chose to
paiut by artificial illuminaton-to food Their pictures
with the weird effects of uncertain lampght; but one
and all light they takes color from their Thought
and is such as shone or land. When paint
ng if defined as the imitation OF nature its whole pur
NV the colored photograph To define painting as imta
lion is to confound the means with the end the dieon
aiy with eloquence
No one can read this volume without becoming
familiar with the conceptions and the styles OF the great
masters The technique Of art is also faithfully dis
cussed Chiaroscuro made clear; the laws Of color
are SET forth; and the character Of "toueh the
PAINTERS last means OF expressOnls brought home 10
our understanding. The conyentionaltes OF painting
a. fresco painting painting, painting In distenper,
oil painting pastel painting enamel painting encausuc
painting etc. etc. all explained with laborious care
The various kinds OF engraving also thoroughly dis
cussed In short the book what 1t processes 10 be,
thorough grammar Of II is written in picturesque
aud interesting STYLE which the translator has very
creditably rendered.
In the history of the art Of engraving curious coin
cdence is mentioned, namely, that the invention OF en-
craving which the printing Of the fine arts was CO.
1empOTaneous with that OF printing which IS the en-
sravBg OF 6eeSieyres. The means of pcpuarzing the
works Of artist born at the time with the
means OF widely circulating the thoughts Of the poet
and the philosopher Titanic and immortal twins, what
different place this world has been since their birth! In
1852 when Gutenberg and Faust were printing at May
enee their first Latin Bible the Forentine, Maso Fni-
guerra created the prints taking impressions from
a silver paen he had engraved for the Church OF ST.
John BAPTIST at Florence isinterestDg to know by
what process the invention was suggested.
Ike all the jewellers Of his time, tlniguerra
ornamented his wOrks-swoTd-hilts, baskets, patens,
cups ehaceswith patterns engraved in ntagio. When
the artist had finished his work he spread over the en-
CRAVING a black enamel nielIo, whose composition is
carefully described by Benvenuto Ceni in his treatise
on ewelry This enamel, filing the cuttings of the
engraving made the design visible, In black upon the
clear of the metal. But as any retouching was
impossible after the melted nieo had been into the
mold eweler before proceeding TO this last operation
took one several impressions with clay 90 be able TO
ton ITnnrl
The clay the engraving presented itself IN relief and
yersed; II, for instance an inscription were
traced in the original from right to
left 10 would in the impression run
hom left 10 right. Now, to see his work
a. he would il upon the DielOcovered plate,
The jeweer poured sulphur the clay, and, after
having colored with ampblack the burrows IN the sui
phur he printed proof that replaced the en-
rravugin its proper position before his eyes This
method FJBguerTa had employed when he engraved for
The Church Of the Baptist cat Florence OF those
faiens which the Par given, because they
received the kiss of peace IN religious ceremonies After
having TAKEN with sulphur two impre ssions Finiguerra
conceived idea Of printing upon the silver plate
with damp paper that he pressed with roller and the
proof thus obtained the first print from an ntago
T nesumable relic is preserved at Paris in the Cabi-
Iot Of Prints
The second book from the same house. 10 which re-
ferred j. painters sculptors. Architects, Engravers,
and Their MOlk~, "a ndhdD"Oh, ny Nidta blshlhS
Clement author of a Handbook of Legendary and
Neurological Art" 1t book which is most valuable
for the use the great majority OF persons who have
neither comprehensive artlbrary the time and pa
teuee TO consult OF erudite authors through
whose pages Mrs Erskine has conscienhously abored
Ihis book a B,,tn parpo affair. twill tell you all
you want to know hundreds OF artists and where to
fud all you want 10 know Of their more important
brethren Of br1ef account viii suffice you. IL
is a complete biographical dictionary Of the heroes Of
brsh and chsel and A. IL copously illustrated
with representa- lions Of standard works OF art-tbe
treasures European galleries and churches-and II
contains the lnOnogams Of Of the painters and
uface in tho library ia asmuc