New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-08
HOLIDAY PUBLICATIONS.
ROCKS AND CHRISTMAS CARDS.

color sketches, by Louis N h"i'o"
BABY's LULLABY BOOK. BY C. Pratt Illus
trated by W. L. Taylor Boston: l. Prans 20
FAUST. BY Wilhelm Goethe. Hus'ra'ca "
f. NJ. Gregory. PIP II. White Aiicn, ,.
THE THOMPSON STREET POKER CLUB. From
sLife.n Illustrated PIP az. White d Aiicn
The Christmas publications of Messrs Louis Prang
Co are a rcbuke to those who are lnciihco 10 TO
gard chrome II; biography as one OF inc icoioa"ons
~ the ancentss The process Itself is by 10 means
ancient since we are told that the first SUCCESSFUL
reproductions Of oil portraits In this country "clo
made less than thirty years ago. although
Of course has been pracsed here for more IMAM '"o
generations The evolution OF designing upon s'ono
s aptly illustrated in the museum OF the Smithsonian
Institution where Messs. Prang Co and other pun
uhars teach us that we have not fully appreciated
the readv adaptabillty, ingenuity and taste which
have contributed to the advancement OF the art'
For IL must be said that chrome hography is apt 10
suffer from effects Of the sudden revulson OF ieei
ing toward the chrome. Most Of US can remember
when the chrome king. and "The Old oaken
Bucket, and similar artless productions held places
NJ honor in American homes But, little later the
doctrine of personality found ready hearers. The
cbromo being "machne made was banished' Inc
etching was brought forward TO supply the demand
for comparatively inexpensive pictures anu ho" ~
scans probable that reproductive etching Is 10 DO
supplantcd by Photographic processes bu' oiro"o
utbography has continued to thrive despite the pass
49,. 90 ,be chrome as a wall decoration, and the use
~ tie very name as a term Of reproach by 'hose OF
us who have aesthetic aspirations. MS ma''oi VI
fact very few who claim an interest IN arr na'o "
ouainted themselves with the rcmarKaoie Pioei0''
which Americans have made In chromo-h'nosrapnS'
botb in difficult commercial work like thai Done oy
strobrldge Co. and other firms, and In more oenoao
,onroducon really deserving to be called artistic
Ike that done by Messrs. Buck Co., OF this CITY
Messrs Prang & Co., and few othcr hrms' ~ "
probably true that very large proporuoh Vi ,o
hest workmen are OF foreign birth, but they' hho
their industry, have become American by aoop"oh'
and We may certainly claim as American Iesui''
which bear comparison with work done III vienna,
por,,r and Paris Recognition of the high qualify OF
the hest results is only just even though the name
nj chrome NAV shock our fastdious tastes anu VIC
NAV be quite unable to appreciate the peculiar oin'
culties of color-printng.
II might seem especially difficult to secure sue
cessful reproductions of water coors on account Vi
The delcacy Of tints transparency ana ieehhs VI u"
u,osphere to with the medium invites the artist. bu'
we constantly find these effects realized. within GER
tain limits both in the book illustration and the caus
current at this season, and sometimes III fhae@'"o
supplements Ike the admirable Hat tint Polnset"as
ACCOMPANYING recent number OF Ihe AH age
Taking the Home of Shakespeare the hrs' oi VIC
publications OF Messrs. Prang Co., we ma tha' al
of Mr. Harlov's original designs were wash drawings
either in monont or colors. Occasionally. as IN inc
warwick Castle and West Gate" there is some
crdity or patchiness of colOrs. Perhaps the artist
exaggerated his local tins here and there out we
have TO acknowledge the limitations OF the reproductive
process as regards the finer moduatons OF cOiofs ana
tones discrimination of values, and to consdNaoie
extcn OF textures and the rendering Of aerial perspec
I've. But this is generalization, ana wheh II Is
once made there is left abundant opportunity 1or
prafs,nC the fidelity and excellent quality Of these
reproductions which are TO be uniformly commended
TIE artist, TO whom must apologize for pIeierrlhg
REPRODUCTIONS 10 original designs, has endeaVoied W
reconcile accuracy, truth OF facts ana pictoria
malty in his drawings although the latter has had
some preference. The purpose of this volume was 10
nace before us the of Shakes peares birthplace
and early life II was, therefore, necessary 1Or 'le
artist 70 present particular buildings and localities,
cleanly differentiated, requirement sufficiently Cd
vious and vet commonly ignored by the school OF
picturesque illustrators. Mr.. Harlow's ues're ior
pictorial composition has occasionally gained the
INNER hand as In the studies OF kenllwOrtn Cas'F all
old mill AZ stratford and the view of stratfom from
the meadows. OF the exact character oi tnese SUD
tects we certainly obtain very indistnct Idea anu
their Identification With Mr. Harlow as sole guide.
would be a weary task 1t is not any old castle or
mill but one definite and specific castle or mill tha'
we require in illustrative work Of this Kind But MI
Harlow reconcles both the demands upon him In his
study of the restored Shakespeare house, that simple
but charming example of halfmber architecture and
West Gate, Warwick, may be held to offer suiii-
GENTLY exact description These designs are ac-
companied by appropriate selections from the Plays
The book dedicated TO lovers of Shakespeare and TO
Mr. G. W. Childs, donor Of the stratiod fountain The
cover bears white ntle-plate with a gold border.
The mechanical features of the book are altogether
creditable. D
Much more pre,entious in its dress Is the volume
of Mothers SONGS which comes TO US in white
binding with elaborate panels adjoining the cover
This is one of the typical holiday books meant 10
lie half revealed upon the counter, and TO temp,
Christmas shoppers by its suggestions OF hidden riches
10 would be unwiSe 10 raise the question OF uuiS III
connec uon with tue cover, but it must be said that
the framing of the central panel is better In coorne
than We might have dared to expect Within the
covers wc End Mr. Piats naive verses, accompanied
ly numerous chrome 1.-the graphic reproductions Of
studies OF chd-iifr. Tho publishers claim this as
the finest publication Of this Character ever at
tempted but the claim has familiar sound. The
poems, twelve in number a mothers songs tc
her infant during each month OF the year, and they
bring into tic bsbys life the baby thoughts and sights
and sounds of the especial season Of time" Some
Of US may be oidfaShioned enough to hold tha'
thoughts should be kept from babies tead OF being
thrust upon them. 1t is pity that American babies
are not encouraged to be thoughess little animals
and the pity of grows upon US as we note tue con
seriousness and evident atttudinzing Of the little
folk presented to us by the artist They are all
posing" but since unconscious children In real lie
are so rare, may not mako too severe demand
upon the artist His work is good Of ifs kind, and
we need not define the kind too closely. The re-
productions are set in tinted panels. Each picture
IS accompanied by Mr. Pratt's verses, which have
been set to music by Mr.. G. W. Chadwick. The book
is well made, and in It's class its merits deserve at
tention
We have also received from Messrs. Prang Co.
selection of Christmas cards and art novelties"
an extraordinary phrase which covers all manner OF
pretty trfes, from writing tablets TO sachct bags
and calendars printed upon satin. Among the poets
who been pressed into the service OF Christmas
booklet makers find Goethe and Andrew Lang side
r,rhic ic