New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07


last he believes with what seems to be GOOD reason
will long hold its Mace rs the elegant style for the
civilized world Sculpture next receives MS a''eh
ton not from choice but because this Is the natu''
succession of the arts in the development Oh "n'"
sculpture ALWAYS follows close upon archl'ce'uio'
appearing at first almost as her handihaiu' I'M
ing follows after. The first OF inc e''"S ~.
sculptors was Nicola Pisauo (that Is neieN Nlono
las the Pisan) of whom we know harulS az! tni"s
excopt that he was an architect ana scuiP,oi
who lived about A. ID. 1850, and who
vet exercised supreme ana lohs q"
dur,nc influence upon modern art. Lord
Lindsay. one of the best informed and most saga
c,ous of art critics says of him. in his Sketches OF
thc History of Christian Art: Neither Dante nor
Shakespeare can boast such extent and durability
Of influence; for whatever of highest excellence mas
Lcen achieved in sculpture and painting, not ohlS
In Italy but throughout Europe, has been III opeul
cnce to the impulse he prominently gave anu III o
lowing up the principle which he 1rst s'ruoN o"'
What Nicola Pisano did was to combine the s'uuS
of nature with that of Greek art or rather 10 STUDY
rotrro undor the Guidance of the Greeks. From tins
starting point the progress was direct 10 inc
ments of Michael Angelo of CellInl, ana OF Johh
of Bologna. and also to those OF Kaphael ana OIL
Titan. Although his work was not technically per
feet according to The highest standard, Nicola dis
q pulpit in the DuomO of Pisa. which, in its style
and in the feeling awakened by it, furnishes
characteristic illustration of the position OF art III
his time 1t represented the Alteration of the Magl,
in which the figures had the Greek simplicity and
grandeur of bose And there was also on It's huge
bracket figure representing Foriitude. under the
sembance of a vigorous young man with the beauty
of Hippolytus Here, cur author says, ChrIstiah-
ity and HcllenIsm kissed each other. " And yet"
he adds they still remained antagonlstic fused eX-
ternallv hv art. but severed in the consciousness
that during those strange years of dubious impulse
felt The might of both Monks leaning from Plsanos
pulpit preached the sinfulncSs of natural pleasure
10 women whose eyes were tXed on
the adolcscent beauty of an athlete" Inc
other noticeable point about this work is that
Nicolas towusmcn priced his pulpit SO highly That
a law was passed for its preservation, and guar
dams of il were appointed, much Is PhldIass great
statue of Jovc was consigned to the care OF the
Phaidruntai So variant the motives Of men
then and there with those Of men here and now.
Think of it, Gothamite, as thou paSseSt the great
statuc of the Admiral who damned the torpcdocson
the setting up and first display of which there
was much ceremony. with processing, and much
noise. partly from the mouths of cannon, but much
more of it from the mouths of men glortyng the
Admiral and each other but not a word about the
sculptor of 50 much strength and beauty. not one
word either about him or his work, which for all
the recognition it received, or has received might
as well haue been town pump.
Painting occupies the remaining seven chapters OF
the book Almost all the great works of those mar
vellons two generations of artists who lived be-
tween 1475 and 1850 are described, examined aud
characterized and although our author Is dis
Greet and chastens his enthusiasm with reserve his
pagcs glow with the reflected splendor of such
heautv as the world never before saw summoned
into being What a wonderful time, when Leo
nardo da VincI and Michael Angelo, and Raphael,
and Corfeggio, and GiorgOnc, and Titan and
Paul Veronese were all living and work
inr within few miles of each other, and
were surrounded by painters of less note, but
so filled with the spirit that inspired them,
so imbued with the principles that guided them,
that the work of these minor artists is sometimes
mist aiken for that of the great master! Mr..
Svmondss criticism connects, compares, dlscrml-
mates all this mass of art creation, not only with
| fine taste and sound Judgment, but with such a
| mower aud decacy of apprehension places HIM
| high among the art critics of period rich i'll
writers of this kind. The student of Italian art can
have 10 better general guide than this book Two
very interesting biographical chapters are given to
| those characteristic men, Michael Angelo and
| Benvenuo Cellini and a chronological and claSs
fed table of all the important artists finishes and
perfects the book.