New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE OLD MASTERS OF BELGIUM AND HOLLAND OF. I. I'D
BY EUGENE FROMENTIS. Translated py MIS- MAXI
c. ROBBINS. J. X. Osgood Co. 1851
This work was first published in Paris, under the
title of LES Maitres dAutIefois" two or three
wears before the death of its author 1t seems as
if he bad prepared il to become q permanent memo
rial of his genius. 1t is art treatise composed
by one who was himself prominent as professional
painter 1t is not often that art criticism Is WITT
ten by those who are practically conversant WIN
the matters of which they treat and II Is Ior tis
reason that artists are often Indifferent 10 elaDO
rate art crtiques This work by tromehth mas
been received among painters with an unaccustomed
applause. 1t is as painter that NJ ITomeh'lh us
eusses the practice and results of the two great
schools of Belgium and Holland, led by
Rubens and Rembrandt. He treats of each
school separately; selecting the works of their most
prominent painters, he analyses their character
inpartialy Judges their merits and shortcomings
and by implication criticises the tendency OF cont
temporary art in France. lie approaches the SUD-
ject armed with an excellent literary style; his
diction is flowing and often fervid his descriptions
are graphic and pictorial; his analysis Is Keen and
minute his Imagination vivid, and his knowledge
exhaustive. These qualities are swayed ana mar"
monized by sound logic and judgment that Is
never carried away by the warmth OF his feelings
and they command the respect of the reader even
when arousing dissent. .-
The work is cast in the form of a tour to the
Low Countries, which affords occasion for soue ad-
mirable descriptive passages notably the account
of Scheveningen and the Vijver. The author mod
estly disayows any intention of discussing the
artists he describes, either ASA historian thinker
or painter IL shall defnep he says, 'simRy as
understand them. as fully as can seize lheu'
certain characteristic sides OF their genius or tai
ent.n But while following this plan, lie
has notwithstanding, cOntriyed 70 show
himself at once historian, thinker
and painter After q suggestive anaiy-
sis of Rubens he sums up his character in these
words "Rubens is a lyric and the most lyrical OF
all painters His imaginative prornptness, the in-
tensity of his style, his sonorous and progressive
rhythm, the range of this rhythm, its passage,
which might be called vertical-call aIl this lyric
art and YOU will not be far from the tn h."
The famous Night Watch" by Rembrandt. the
outhor regards as the work of tran tion period,
when that painter was passing from ole style 10
another, and interesting on that accoun ther IMAM
for its intrinsic merits. He contrass the great
Genre school'of Holland with that of France to-day
and considers the former asentrey school of keen
vision and manual dexterity rather than "a schcoI
inspired by conscious motive OF profound lntell'
gence In other words, it Is entirely technical Whle
he considers the French school as prominently
trasting the modern English and French schools In
this regard to the prejudice of the latter Will be
inclined to accept NJ. FrOmentin's opinion with
grain of allowance. In the ninth chapter OF the
second part we find mastery discussion II the ex-
tent TO which study of the Dutch andscJ pc PANT
eTs has influenced the great Landscape school OF
France in our time. The chapters on van DycA'
Cuvp and Paul Potter are fine examples of this
authors style and full of suggestion to the artist
The translation scarcely does full justice to the at
tractive style of NJ. Fromentin. Mrs. Robbins
shows sympathy and lively intelligence, but IN her
attempt to give an accurate translation she has oc
cos;onollv been too literal This method may be es
sential in scientific treatise, but ia work OF this
character the sense and beauty of style can often be
best rendered by judiciOus paraphtaslng ia her
than Inv giving word for word, or undertaking TO
translate untranslatablc idioms with absolute
fidelity. The heliotypes OF paintings from t;uOens,
Rembrapdt and Potter are an agrec able ana uselul
addition to this aversion of an excellent piece OF
art-cTlticisIn.