New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS

ART AND ARTISTS OF our TINE. I m'yoss:
Text by Clarence Cook. Parts I'M "-hoi"
Sclmar Hess. 1880.
w. have received The first twenty numbers Of Art
and Artists of Our Time" work issued by suo
scription and intended to be popular IN charsc"r
The prospectus tells us that this pnbhcsuon = NO
signed TO give general view OF the progress VI S'
In the chief Of Europe during the last nun
ored years. For this task Mr.. Cook Is, as we need
hardly say exceptionally wen fitted, by his intimate
acquaintance with his theme and HIS ability to i'm
part his knowledge in language lucid ana Always
Interesting The illustrations arc made much OF In
the announcement and they are certainty as huner
Gus as could be asked even In this dsy OF whooSae
pic.ure- making There is the usual talk oil hne
copper plate stcci and wood engravings,' but It
would be interesting TO know how many of these
sngrayines were made directly from the paintings
expressly for this publication, and bow many rep
resent electTos Other plates which have already
seen service IL is perfectly obvious that an cleo
potype from a worn, etched engraved plate IS In
fcrscr to the plate It from the artists hands
Yet I'm many publications OF various kinds we con
stantly encounter illustrations put forth the work
Of famous artists but really representing prints from
old plates or electrotypes Of these plates in their
later time cheap Photographic reproductions We 40
not say that the publisher of this work ohends more
than many other publishers, and indeed he deserves
credit for the comparative modesty of his announce
ment He does not describe his "copper" and steel.
plate prints as proofs nor does he claim that
these plates have been made for this publication But
he leaves chance for misleading inference when
he presents plates like Gerome's Prisoner for eA-
ample, bearing Laguillerme scup" In the usua
place and the name Of the publisher Of TINS WORK
beneath. 1t might be inferred that Laguilerme hao
REPRODUCED this painting expressly Cor MI ness
whereas we venture to that that able etchef ana
engraver did nothing OF tho kind. This PRINT "hch
Is a servceable one, We take 10 represent wprou"V
ton OF Laguiermie's original plate, and 1t seems 10
IN caf
clearly the character OF the plates. Mose Vi
the Photographic reproductions represent the socaeo
"half-tono process" founded upon the Melssehoac"
method and the results are ofen illustrative In
satisfactory way, while again there is wretched Dur
ring and lack Of modelling and atmosphere Ihose
prints certainly fall far below the Ives process pf''s
IN the two great MAGAZINES but on the other hand
thew possibly average better than the prints OF tne
sales catalogues, and indeed OF some more ior'ai
nnb,icat,on OF the quantity of the illustrations
there is no question and perhaps for popular WORK
like this quantity is the chief considerauon'
Indeed IL might b maintained seriously tnas NJ
,us,ratious far inferior TO these essential In pops
lar art history in order to hold the readers attention.
view which seems to have obtained IN tho preparation
~ Mr. Goodyear's recent history. But In the case vi
Mr. Hesss publication the text itself holds the ihuor
est Of the reader for Mr. Cook has oontrVed 10 say
much in his brief biographies without overcro~ons
his spacs with mere facts preaching or wearyins
his readers His roll Of artists begins with Ingres'
chosen as the most important pupil Of David lngres
heads group Of oclassc painters, or painters VINO
took their subjects from class times and be IS loi
lowed by Geyre schefer, Hamon, Aubert and Geronie
Paul Delaroche heads little company OF nstoncai
painters and Lefebvre IS presented as conspicuous
figure among the painters of the nude Atter Caoa-
mel Meissouier and other painters of the hgurc' we
have an admirable sketch Of the renascence OF
landscape art which includes fair analysis OF the
extent Of the much takedof English influence Mlchei
comes first among the artists who follow, ana the OK
celient study Of Michel which Mr.. Cook presents Oh
special value since Michel Is commonly ignored In ue
handbooks Of modern ART, and his RELATION 10 the
landsoape school of 1880 is rarely fully recognized
We might cite the study of Mlos as
another good example of sympathetic treat
ment These sketches never eolorless, although
they are primarily biographical and critical only |
secendarly Here is a clever summary Bougereau
ba, provided for his admirers ample supply OF
pretty beggar children, young peasants, mothers OF
the picturesque poor and so forth and so on, who
are in truth people Of the upper class, or seem 10
be SUCH with beautiful faces. fine heads of hair,
rich eyes, chfselled lips, ivory skins hands that
never wore gloves, feet THAI never wore Shoes and
all i'm q state OF Immaculate cleanliness. and IN gar
ments whero II a patch or two is to be seem 1t is
accepted as q mere symbolism and ofends nobody
The pictures discussed and reproduced are Often
those which may be seen in our museums and private
galleries, which. of course, adds 10 the immediate
value OF the work In the eighteenth number of the
publication we find apparent change OF plan,
which suddenly takes us back from the artists of
our time to Vatican and his contemporaries of the
last century 1t is announced that this publication
will be completed in sixtysx numbers, dealing with
the modern art OF all Europe.