New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07
RECENT WORKS ON ART.
RENAISSANCE ART.

We have recently presented 10 the ie"uois vi i'-
THIBUNr an estimate of the hrst two parts Vi MI
Svmonds's elaborate work on the Renaissance III
Italv-the Age of the Despots and the Revival OF
1oarping We have now before us the completing
mart Of what German critic would be likely TO call
thc SylnonG issancetrilogy and high as our
cancellations were raised by its predecessors we are
not disappointed. either in regard to IFS critical auu
historical value OF its purely literary interest MT.
Synonds has done his work thoroughly ana
admirably Thoughtful lovers of art can ma no
other so interesting and instructive presentation Oh
his subject in the English language nor In any o'cr
ore book that we know of in any language lie has
laid the whole literature OF Italian art uhuer CONF,
button and has himself been careful, though'iui'
Loving and finely sensitive student OF all that was
nroduced by Italian architects, sculptoiS anu
n,inters in that wonderful period beginning WIN
,hc fourteenth century and ending ABOUT inc iiuuo
of the sixteenth ,,t
Tle revival of sculpture and painting at the enuo
,bc thirteenth century was among the earnest Signs
of that new intellectual birth to which "egNc inc
title Of Renaissance nothing notable was pro
duced in Italy between the thirteenth century ana
The seventeenth that did not bear the stamp ana
character of fine art These two propositions the
first made in his preface the second III the opening
az his first chapter form the theme OF the present
volume In our article upon the trst TWO N"uiiioS
of this work we directed attention 10 Tue
intensely hunanzing spirit of the Renaissance ana
mentioned incidentally the inhuman character oil
tbc art which preceded the new ntellectual oT'h
of the world. paricularizing the dry and formiess
rcpslsiveness of its representations OF lv'ng ana
human subjects at the same period when merely
decorative art presented combinations oil forms anu
colors which are still admired, initiated ana re-
heated BY decorative artists The representations
of the human face and the human body III the ART
OF the dark ages were OF an HhuHah ugInleSS'
They were both hideOus and childish poy
scrowlipo upon wall with charcoal would
produce faces and figures much Ike th'N'
Of the saints and angels and the '''-
cited Christs which the painters OF the darN ',''
offered 70 the world a. aids and stimnlanis to the
fervor and rapture Of religious enthusiasm for an
art was then religions in its motive. 10 this condl
zion had art descended from tie days OF
phdias and Praxiteles It's representations
Of the human face and figure were even
ruder and more degraded than those OF the
Egyptian and AsSyrian monuments; Tor IN ne
latter. notwithstanding their grotesque and pucrile
forms there was somewhat Of dignity and oil sng-
gesteG mystery; but the Christian art OF the DARK
ages produced only that which is TO modern eyes
and would have been to Greek eyes. repuislNe ana
ridiculous Out of this tomb where Beauty had
lain until her corruption offended the senses that
she was born 10 charm she was to he called forth,
like new Lazarus to deli ht the yearnng eyes Oh
those who loved heI.
Architecture was the FIRST OF the arts to 1cel 'he
SleYating influences of the new HE And TINS was
as our author points out because i'll architecture the
mysticism of the Middle Ages, their vague put
potent feelings of intnIty, their yea1nng toward
Deity invisible but localized in holy things and
nlaces found artistic outlet. And indeed there is
reason for his opinion that therefore architecture
was essentially medieval art. The proposition is,
however. somewhat too broadly and generally
stated For Greek architecture Is great aTchitcc-
turc but ii may be said that Christian religious
architecture was product OF The medieval rellg-
ious spirit But architecture whatever its form its
etve OF its excellence, docs not touch
the human syInpalhes of man 1t does not reveal
70 him the beauty of his own body nor does
q stimulate and feed that wholesome seusuousncsS
which is part of n healthy and fully developed
human nature This can be done Only by sculpture
mud paintlng and it was the rise and rapid pro-
gress 10 a new perfection of these arts that indi-
Gated the best and highest material influence of the
new intellectual birth Of the human race. At the
Renaissance art Ike literature became humane. 1t
may lie doubted indeed. whether humanity IN art
was merely the consequence and the product OF hl-
Inanity in letters: does our author. II We rightly
npprehend him. maintain this proposition but
certainly the two advanced together, and after
fourshing marvellousy side by side, decayed to-
ccther and dwinded into feebeness and friyolity.
Both were probably stimulated to life by the same
subtle influences and each exercised a modifying
power upon the other.
At the very outset of the revival there a con-
fict between the two motive powers which directed
fhe course of art The art of the dark ages was
Christian relig ous and ascetic. The spirit OF the
new art was Greek in origin, pagan IN feeling ana
sensuous In purpose. And yet sculpture and paint
ing were at first obliged to enlist themselves in the
.ar1ica If the Christian church. if not wholly
that of the Christian religion. Upon this point
MI symonds expresses boldly carefully formed
opin,on which when we consider his aesthetic tastes
and sympathes is strongly indicative OF that can
dor and self-control and independence which we
have remarked upon III ouI review oil the former
part of his work. lie says: 90 am bound to affirm
NV conviction that the spiritual purs's of all ages
the Jews the iconoclssts of Byzaniun, Sayonarola
and our Puritan ancestors-were justified IN their
rnstrust Of plastic art The spirit of Christianity
and the spirit of fgurative art opposed, not be-
cause such art is immoral. but because 1t cannot
free itself from associations 1t is always
bringing us back to the dear life Of Garth, from
which the faith would 1t is always re-
minding us of the body. which piety lit were better
to say relgionl bids 10 forget Painters and
scaptors glorify that which saints and ascecs havo
mortified" This view of the case is fully pre-
eented and an instance is related in whicha picture
by Fra Barolomeo of ST. Sebastian in the closter Of
San Marco was removed because the Dominican
coufes>ors became aware through the avowas of
female penients that the manly beauty of the saint
WAS a stumbling block and snare to souls The
Church had compromised. as the Church always
has compromised. and hailed art as her ally and CO.
worker but the result was as in all compromises it
has been and ever must be- that the stronger power,
that which is most deeply rooted in human ma.
abSOrbS