New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-02
SOME ILLUSTRATED BOOKS
TENDENCIES OF FRENCH ART.


LORNA DooNE. By r. D. Blsckmore prd,hsrt CO.
iIso. .0'' 0''''''"''
RUSSIAN PICTURES. BY Thomas Michel. PIP; 20
Illustrated. New-York' Ihomss Nei''" " "'
pArrLEFrELDs OF 's1. BY willis J. Abbot. H.
'n hlstrsted PIP. 35s Ncw-York: Dodd. Mead d
Co.
The annual book Of III. Salon, published by
Fudovic Baschet, Of Paris, comes TO US from Mr.
w Bouton. OF this city, who has received
mart Of an edition limited TO 675 copies The
text is by NJ. Paul Mantz, who recognizes the
centennial season, like most of his brother critics,
in his Introductory comparisons OF the want OF
ac,uslity and the return TO clsssicsm illustrated
in the Salon of 1889 with the realism Of tho
Salon Of 1889. Those who follow the course Of
art criticism in France have learned TO value the
thou ghtful work of NJ Msntz and his present care
fuI study Of the Salon viii be received with an at-
tention seldom given 10 theme which has been
previously treated so fully by the purveyors OF
periodical literature NJ Mantz turns first 10 the
Breton Pardon and Madonna" Of Dagnan-
Bouveret an accomplished painter, whose self
assertion was feature OF the Salon, where tne
Breton Pardon was the most expressive work.
II we NAV trust NJ Mantz, and the one when
goes the furthest7 The Madonna" IN inc
complete elimination OF all supernatural ana
divine elements typifes common tendehcy III
modern art. Another familiar characteristic OF
the Salon. delight in horrors, is set forth WIN
emphasis in the volume before us. The dis-
mally suggestive Inqusitors' OF Laurens repre-
sents work Of high order and OF certain nlS-
torical value but there is little reason for the
existence Of pictures ike Silvestre's hldeous
strangling scene, or Rocheyrosse's painting OF the
tragedy which Frossart has described at the BAL
des Ardents"
Perhaps the strongest impression made by this
gallery Of superbly executed photographers OF
representative Salon paintings is OF the
dismancss Of the themes afecteo Dy
French artists OF the day. We find oflcers faI-
ing dead at the head Of their men, vitrio[throWef
waiting the approach Of her victim, men brave
or foolhardy throwing away their lives in desperate
chances. a criminal arrested at his home solitary
old woman weeping beside grave, desolate
mothers cursing the pitiessness Of war. Louis
XIV among the corpses with which battle has
styeyp the beach scenes in hospitals and dissectlng
rooms sbipwrecked sailors. and, most remarkable
of all painting Of q cockfght absolutely unspar-
Ing in its exactness and detail. The reasons 1or
This familiar phase Of art may Be the pressure
Of demand for novelty, or simple Devotion 10
realism. 10 actuelle7 treatment carried out 70
its logical results consciousness OF the ahaemlc
character Of conventional art, and an idea that
yirilty. may be attained by the choice OF
tragic or brutal subjects. The French predlec-
,ion for bloodshed and war in art Is curious
phenomenon but we think II can be traced 10 the
last reason which have given and 10 the
necessarily associated reason, an exhaustion OF
invention For this poverty Of ideas Is apparent
when we turn TO subjects which imply some lmagi-
native effort. Here usually find either repe-
tition Of the hackneyed academic Dlanas or Clrces'
or ATTEMPTS at the idyIHc. which very slightly
disguised groupings of models or undisgulsed paint
,nrs Of nude models. often without even the pre-
tence of an appeal 10 the fancy in the name IL
is true that the modern artist makes no account
of subject, and scorns any one who does, but IL
win probably remain impossible for laymen to
ignore subject altogether long as painting Is
supposed 70 imply intellectual process ana 10 IN
volve something more than craftsmanship.
H. will be SEEN therefore, that this " BOOK Oh
the Salon" is Of permanent value as cohN rlich'
illustration of special tendencies at the Salon.
.ba greatest exhibition of the year Another
conspicuous tendency more inviting IN It's results
NAV be studied in the genre paintings, particularly
in the closer studies of certain phases Of urban
life and in the domestic genres The rural genres
and pastorals Offer much which is sympathetic
and nlcasant. but painting Of this class has been
followers began TO be numerically strong. The
myre obvious influence is that Of Breton. As for
the Grand manner there few examples
of emphatic consequence and we may content
ourselves with battle paintings, with the ldylS
of Raphael, Collin, the historical scenes oil
Laurens, and the disappointing mythoog1cai essay
NJ Carolus Duran There are portraits and
marines evidently of cOmmendable quality. but
the number of landscapes is small, since figure
pieces have been preferred for reproduction.
Among these varied illustrations OF modem art
we find photographers after Mr.. Bridgmans clever
contrast of types called Ball at the House
of the Governor of Algeria and another after
Mr. Graysons Mourning" which is in the
Academy of Design. A painting by MIR. Frank
PenfeId called " Sad News" receives praise from
nj Mantz who adds, in the usual patIHnlzlng
vein Each year we see new Americans come 10
Ms They will soon form a legion, and one would
be wrong not to take them seriously, fOr-whO
would have believed II thirty years agO?-they
know how to put a strong technique A. the service
of a penetrating observation and a sentiment with
out melodrama" In NJ. Mantz's discussion of
sculpture we read account OF work by another
American, Mr. MacMOnnics. The chapter upon
sculpture is followed by upon etching and
engraving Taken together, NJ Mantz's text and
the hundred admirable photographers make this
publication the best permanent record Which We
have OF the first art exhibition OF the year
The twenty years since the appearance OF Lorna
Doone7 have been sufficient 10 establish conSen-
sus of opinion which iustAes MS in regarding
this wonderful tale as classic. There have been
editions without number, and illustrated editions
not a few, but the illustrated edition which
shall do justice TO Lorna Doone' remains
possibility of the future. The good intentions
fntf .fulo I..I.o
be conceded, but their PREDATORY plea Of apprccia
non Of the book of a labor of love, and Of
inexperience as publishers, can hardly be expected
IN atone for deficiencies Tho cIotJ, coNcr with