The New York herald., 1879-12-08
PICTURESQUE EUROPE"

The Appetons are to be congratulated on the COM
petion of the handsomest of the few really impor-
tant illustrated works that have issued from the
American press. Picturesque Europe" was In its
inception great work and offered SO many temp
tatons to old material that the public we're pre-
pared to find many commonplace subjects and poor
engravings. but careful examination OF the three
thick volumes does not discover score OF pictures
the originals Of which are unpcturesque. and old
woodcuts seem to have been refused in all cases.
The illustrations from wood number about q
thousand. and the smallest Of them seldom
cover less than half a page. Drawn or
ordered by American artists. the designs
comply with the popular idea of what is most pic
uresque in the var aus European countries. while
the engraving is generally very good. the worst ap
pearng in the earlier instead Of the later pages Of
the book. thus reversing the rule frequently OBJ
served in such works. The pictures from steel are
not satisfactory; fully one-half Of them might
have been omitted without lessening the value of
the work. The letter press though necessarily
very sketchy. is interesting; the paper excel
lent and the Typography in all respects
admirable. Compared with other works Of
similar character Picturesque Europe" is more
interesting than its companion work on America as
it must naturally be for the reason that in our new
land there is but little Of the picturesque yet
LEGATIONS the new book is handsomer than Taine's
"Pyrenees" or the large two volume work on
Italy that appeared four years ago. 1t lacks the
variety which Dore's figure pictures gave the great
quarto entitled "Spain". and the general effect OF
the illustrations is stronger than that of Rousselets
''India." though the engraving is by no means so
elaborate. On its topic. however, picturesque
Europe" has no rival, and will doubtless attract
large attention across the ocean as well as here.
GLE MUsEE ARTISTIQUE EFT LTTTERAIRE."
Tho initial volume Of LIE Musse Artistique ct Lit
teraire has been received by j. W. Bouton New
York;. the work including the numbers from Janu-
ary 10 July. 1879.
LIE Ausee. weakly illustrated review. Is designed
continuation of LIE Mnsee Universelle. but is. in
effect. new issue in popular form of L'Art.
printed on thinner paper and smaller in size, but
containing all the illustrations, except the large
etchings. which are to be found in the latter work.
The field which the editors propose to cover by
LIE Musee is an extensive one aud the promises
made to their public WILL IL faithfully carried out.
make the volume q most entertaining one to every
admirer of the fine arts, guide and assistant to the
young student and . valuable aid to the advanced
worker in the studio. In addition to the principal
paintings Of the Salons Of to-day it is proposed to
copy the art treasures of Madrid. st. Petersburg.
rlOreuCe, Wlu0sOT, Nleuu1 auO MuulCu III enSfaV-
ings which. according to the editors. '-shal speak
the beautiful language of art in it's highest sense
Provincial and foreign galleries to be subject to
its pencil. and liberal draft is to be made upon
L'Art for choice reprints. So much for its art
illustrations. which. judged by the volume before
us. are fairly In keeping with its promises.
The reading matter is appropriately considered
under various departments. which. it is supposed.
will cater to the taste Of all classes of its readers
coupling amusement with instruction. History.
stripped Of political party bias the literature Of the
day. biography and photography are intelligently
treated in the editorial columns. and selection Of
copied original novellettcs through the num-
bers. 1t will be on looking over LIE Nusse that
its aim is to further popularize and instruct the
French people in those fine arts which enter largely
into their manufactures With this object in view,
apparently, has LIE Msee been established, and it is
evidently well designed to accomplish the desired
result.