New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.

THE EARLIER ENGLISH WATER Coi.oh fh pn Ia
Macmillan & Co.
FLOWER FANCIEs. BY Alice Ward Barley Illus
frated: Boston L. Prang q CO.
E.w Students of art need TO be reminded that
water.color painting is one OF the oluesV anu 90
the same time one of the youngest OIL the eI"pi''o
arts II was the method Of artists before fiuoer'
Van Evck developed oil painting, and painting
with water as the medium was practlseu ny
naipters of frescoes and miniatures, painters lh
distemper and ilumiRators But II mlght DC
said that until the eighteenth century the only
method was tempera," that u.s. the colors were
ALWAYS mixed with body white. ana H. was nou
until the middle of the eighteenth century that
the modern employment of the art began. At
first body white was discarded. The forms were
drawn in with reed pens, the drawing carried
on as regards composition, light and shade with
gray washes, and the picture finished with hght
washes of local color. These were known as
tinted drawings" and, we know, the WORD
drawing survives in English usage Mr.. HamertHn
describes modern water-color painting as the
daughter, not of tempera painting Dut ol ue
old masters drawing on paper with nat WASHES
The wash grew more important, ana hnaiiy au'
mitted of modelling, the line was replaced by
markings with the point OF the brush, and at last
there was a full water monochrome. These re-
minders bring us to Mr. Monkhouses starting
point, which is the beginning of the modern art.
As to the place. there is nc dispute MODERN
watcr-color painting began in England, ana the
history of tie great English water-color school
forms the brightest chapter in the history of
English att But il we seek TO find the artist
entitled to the hackneyed title of Father of the
School, we shall find more than one CLAIMANT
for this honor. Mr.. Monkhouse supports the
claims OF Paul Standby. Barrett, writer as well
az artist maintains in his book that the first to
discard the "early tintng process was John
Emith commonly called Warwick Smith. Ches-
neau in his history of English art, contents him.
self with naming two better known artists, Cozeas
and Girtin, as the founders OF the SCHOOL, anu
mentions Standby only as an inferior painter
whose hatred TO Hogarth caused him TO take up
caricature' It must be said that Mr. Monkhouse
makes an implied apology 10 the shade OF war
wick Smith, but he adds only that he advanced
the art of water colaS and deserves more attention
than can now be given to him IN this "ooN'
The question is of especial consequence only to
historians. and we need only point out It's eX-
istence. while recording the thorOughnesS with
which Mr.. Monkhouse has discussed the Sandoys'
Paul and Thomas. in his opening chapter
Mr. Monkhouse's papers appear TO much bet
for advantage in this form than when they were
,uklished separately in " The Portfolio Each
artist is considered with relation TO his prede-
cessors contemporaries, surroundings and innu-
ences and the story of the school, therefore, Is
made continuous Mr. MonkhouSe writes from
abundant knowledge, and his knowledge Is hou
confined to the history of the various graphic
arts His acquaintance with technique IS SUM-
ciept TO furnish intelligent explanation OF the
evolution of this art and the special methods OF
individual artists Il must be confessed that his
love of minute biographical details sometimes
taxes the patience of the reader, but his book !
will be found to be very useful combination |
of biography and criticism. 1t may appear TO d
limited number in this country, since our a4le-
qiance is pledged TO another school OF art. rev
examples of the old English water-coior school
come into our market but such examples formed
an important feature of auction sales held thr'y |
years ago, and we suspect that there are more
examines than the average amateur realizes scat
tered about in private collections This school
is of interest to us not only on account OF It's
own high rank, but also on account OF the early
influence of English water-coor art upon wafer
color painting in this country. SO lar as tns
volume is concerned, ii will be found That an III
telliaent acquaintance with tie Schoo! is alued
materially by the excellent Illustrations lhere
are fourteen Photographic copper plate reproduc-
lions of etchings, mezzotints and drawings, and
many minor Illustrations less pictorial but ade-
quate for their purpose.
The collection of verses and floral studies en-
titled Flower Fancies is a favorable example
of the chromolithOTaphic work done by Messrs
L. Prang d Co., although this house has shown
many plates more refined in color and printed
with greater nicely. The verses are printed on
white panels in tinted pages. The ink used is
brown, and the lettering indicates mild attack
Of the craze for the unusual fantastic, which, so
Tar as Typography is concerned, means trial OF
eyes and patience. On every other page the verse
is surrounded by flowers, drawn and painted in
manner devoid of any special distinction but
likely to satisfy the bOok-buyer of the season.
There are seven illustrators, and, on the whole,
their work will be found to be the more enliven-
ing feature of the book.