New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
RAPHAEL.

THE LIFE OF RAPHAEL. by Herman Grimm
Translated by Sarah Holland Adams. PIP S2'
Boston: Cupplcs Hud, 1850
"Manifold attempts have been MADE 10 lu'u'sn
what we call to-day a Life of Raphael" says pi
Grimm but such life will never be written" Inc
title OF the volume before us is plainly Hisno"o''
for this is critical rather than blographodi s.uuS'
a review Of influences rather than OF incidents INC
Significance of my task 10 quote Dr. Grimm again.
seemed to me rather be in finding answers 10 inc
following question: in what relations did this arst
inspirod with his sunny views OF life, stand 10 'o
common world around him. How were the radiant
pictures received which he gave TO the world was
he assisted In his work or was he hnderedF no"
powerful was this help or hindrance. and by "hon
exercised" This study represents the methods Oh
the new school OF criticism Still socaed, which may
be said TO be based upon the use OF photography.
Cufously enough, this comparison OF paintings an"
especially OF drawings by of photographs mas
obtained largely in Germany than elSe"heie'
although the exact method might seem foreign "
the German tendency 10 evolve Ideals ana asS's" aN
tributes based upon subjective speculations. But
German, 1t will be remembered ca'aiogueu ana d.
sisted 10 prepare the Prince Consorts coheouon "a
Raphael photographs. the fist OF the kind, aithough
the collection was formed in England by the husband
Of Encland's Queen OF tho immediate results OF TINS
collection in settling questions of authenticity ana
nropcr caalocuing IL IS not necessary TO speak, but
II may be doubted whether the German devotion 10
photographs may not sometimes prove misleading
Grimm naively coneSses that at his first view OF the
Dresden Madonna he felt momentarlly conscious OF
preference for the Matched and stppod engIaV-
ing familiar to his childhood 1t is easy TO imagine
that appreciation of beauty. least Of color might
be dued by constant dwelling upon black ana "hi'e
reproductions. lack this side as well as the
constant tendency to pcdancism have characteTi%cu
much OF the German ant writing of the last generation
but If We compare Grimm or Womann with "incheF
MANN II VIII be seen that the advance in saney con
struclivc criticism has been very great of the eA-
h2ustivcness OF German research there Is rarely any
question, but the volume before us IS volume OF
conclusions and differences based upon the study OF
photographed drawings. and thorough acquaintance
with the Ia phacl literature well "a possibly less
exhaustive acquaintance with original works. Amer
readers have shown such cordial appreciation oi
Dr. Grimm's Michael Angelo" and Goethe" WORKS
illustrating the breadth as wen as the genuine quaint!
of the authors culture, that the new volume Is sure
OF a welcome which IS certainly deserved.
Dr. Grimm begins with sketch Of the social ana
Intellectual life Of the fourteenth century and OF the
tendencies which found expression in art ana IN po
Iucsl action. This discussion Of the earlier influences
acting even indirectly upon the character OF haphae
and tho analysis Of the forms Of PeruGho arc at
conpanicd BIZ frank disclaimers Of absolute belief In
the earlier Raphael legends in the authenticity OF
any pictures earlier than the Coronaton,' which
was certainly painted in part by Raphael about loo3
10 this Dr. Grimm applies the modern me'hou u
analysis based upon the crayon and silver point
drawings of the time which have been reproduced Oy
photography In Ike manner, but at greater lenglh,
the "SDosaleZiO7 and the EntOmbmenp OF 1917 are
chosen as typical works and analysed not so much IN
teir purely technical aspects in their significance
As Of the artists character Here, as In
the elaborate studies of the Camera della Segnatula
the Cartoons the Sstine Madonna and the Trans
GCuration, Dr. Grimm constantly endeaVors 10 MAKE
rlan the conditions Of Raphaels life, and their in
fuencc instead Of holding the artist up as a phe-
UrOduCt quite QiSsOciatcQ rom
the life of Rome and italy in the earlier Cinquccen'o
Dr. Grimm repeats his explanation OF the camera della
segnaura designed to glorify the greatest under
taking Of the Pope, the rebuilding OF 81 Peters, ana
three stages the evolution of the wOiK are traced
with The aid Of the drawings in various collections
Dr. Grimm does attempt to supply reason for the
painting Of the sstinc Madonna for the comparatively
obscure Black Fliars OF Piacenza.
II will be understood that this admirable study OF
EarEaers environments and aims al successive
periods implies thorough acquaintance with me
Raphael literature This is we'll illustrated in the in
teresting chapter entitled -Four Centuries of Raphaels
Fame" which presents resume of the waning OF
Rauhaes fame the hundred years after his deah, the
revival OF his influence I'm France Ia the seventeenth
century and the work of engravers; the eighteenth
century German revival led according TO Dr. Grimm
Iv Mengs and Winckelmann, the recognition Of
Raphad by David and writers like QuatremeIe de
Onincv as well as artists, the work Of the German
Association at Rome and the writings Of Rumohohr'
passcvant and others: the curious cult founded by
Overlook. and various subsequent phases OF applecla
tive study of Raphael in France, Germany Italy ana
England. 1t was the Germans according TO our au
thor who first recognized Raphae's world historical
position Guided. however, more by general ideas than
nv active practical research for which they lacked
the educating material they felt Raphael rather thah
knew how TO prove from his works the faith that
was In tbems This is apt definition, although
modern criticism might not agree TO attribute to
Goethe the clearest, truest perception OF Raphaels
genius" The reasoning knowledge" OF Raphael DE-
Grimm assigns largely TO the opportunities presented
by Photographic reproductions, first made upon a
largo scale the suggestion of the Prince Conso OF
England AS regards Raphael, ] say TO myself
Nature needed such phenomenon for her creative
aims Nature is neither parsimonious nor wastefu
che nroduces what the world needs. For the develop
Inent Of modern nations Raphaers pictures were In
dlspensable a man lovely and amiable, whose term
az life WAS short was elected 10 create them ana the
Rome OF the century of the Refornatory chosen as
lis working pace. 1t almost seems as II hsphaei
we're now beginning TO fulfil the ideal assigned 10
him and fin view of the with which reproductions
can be secured the remark seems 1usuneu' III
Grimm cautiously suggests that Raphael had De
lived would have developed stll greater powers
stimulated partly by desire 10 leave WORKS as nohu
mental in character these of Michel Angelo. The
suggestion like Others, may bear discussion but there
can be no controversy regarding the hepfulncss OF
work Ike this embOdyng conclusions based upon rpc
scholarship The translation, which is usually almost
literal is satisfactory, upon the whole, but the use
a, English would admit Of improvement. 1t is dis
,urbing 10 come upon such lapse as "Voiced me
protest. page csc 1t slould be noted. however, that
Dr. Grimm cordially praises the work Of Mrs. Adams
who will be remembered as the translator Vi inc
Coetlcs and Literature