New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-05
AN ENGLISH ART CRITIC.
MIR. QUILTER ON RoSSETTI AND OTHERS

MIR. QClLIER ON ROSSEIIl AND OlHEhS.
PREFERENcEs IL ART, LIFE MD uTERATuRIE;;
BY Harry Quilter. NJ A. Illustrated. imperlii
Svo, PIP. XVI. 4Oi London: swan, snnncnschcn
& Co. New-York: Macmillan q Co. 1852.
The most loquacous takers are not always
the most clearly understood. Mr.. Harry Quilter
has been u copious contributor on matters OF
art to the London press, and more >pccially TO
The Spectator" for the last twenty years. Ills
Experiences as he calls them, L. e., criticisms,
judgments, have been imposing in N0lumc-a
mere selection from them augmented as well aS
revised, TO be sure furnishes forth one OF IA"
bulkiest books Of the current season 1hcae
preferences have marched along some OF tie least
commonplace lines of English and other art, and
yet Mr. Quiltor Is regarded bJ many OF ms
countrymen us a leading spokesman for the Brit
ish Philistine. This misunderstanding for mis-
understanding it assurcdy Isl may J." explained
by reference to the proposition hin0lnS tine
spokesman" TO the "Pnistne" in the LOST SEN
tence Mr. Quilter has spoken for the British
Philistine, he has written and interpreted for the
amusement and OBLIGATION of the latter. On the
other hand, we do not think any one peruSnE
this volume in q spirit of fairness could say that
it reflected the foolish opinions of that cstimablc
but obtuse parsonage The antasonlsm OF
Whistler is no; incomprchcnsible-the painter of
the Fireworks at Cremorne" could hardly he
expected TO sympathizc with who, for cN-
ample, grows lervid over the water colors OF
"Od William Hunt But the scornerS are cnly
TO be scorned who can extract matter for satire
from criticism written as the following para
graph-a retort offered the partisans of impress
sioniSm-s written
Why should we want to decorate our houses
with ana spend hours in looking at representa-
tons Of what Tom. Dick ard Harry see as th"V
wink their owes rapidly? We can wink our own
eyes if it comes TO that, and at the things them
,n ~
sufficiently amusing If the painter Is 70 have
no special vision, no subtle message TO exercise
10 power of selection combination, TO give us.
in fact, no result but the reproduction of the
quickest impression Of Nature that we may all
see in our winking moments, Is there much USE
for Us AT leaSt, in his existing 81 all? -.
But the impression is everything say these
Young mon! Why ,: And why one impression
more than another? Why the incomplete vision
they the iirst impression is the only visual one =
that is. the picture imprinted on the retina and
& that is the fhs one s You sT no means
logically sound, even if it he true that there is
one actual moment at which the picture on the
rctina is visuallv true unaffected by the opera
tjon and previous knowledge of the brain. But
this contention is manifcsly erroreoue: we re-
ceive no impression, 10 matter now Imperfect.
without the assistance ami the report on 1t, 50
TO speak, of the brain; and there is no one point
at which we can arrest this modification or any at
which we can say 1t begins
Without taking sides with Mr.. Qulter, we may
praise the feeling and the sanity in this quota
ton which may, furthermore. serve TO reinforce
our characterization Of this writer as one OF the
few who have studied Pr'RaphaeltiSm in Eng
land who have eraspcd not alone the broad slSnill-
canoe of the movement, bat the real meaning
of the wheels within the wheels ard have re-
ported thereon IN such wish 10 give readers
of the present dav, TO nothing Of thosH OF
the future, right information on which 70 nulld
Disscctnc his subject in the mood of a man WHO
gives spiritual content It's full value, and who
searches for an artists thought as well as Tor
the secrets of his craft Mr. Quiltcr makes
keen reader Of the pre-Raphaeite message as
MADDOX Brown Hunt, RosSetti, Millais and others
have delivered it, We tremble for lis judgment
when we find him pitching his praise of Millai'
in n high key. bat there is very little 10 which
execution might he taken in the sketch OF Pre-
Raphaelltsm ard its opponents which Hills the
first hundred pages of this book. OF Rossettl. the
controlling force Of the movement, he says with
true perception that in his poetry he hahltraly
thought in terms of painting" that in his paint
ing the reproduction of the sensuous part OF
his subject is interfered with by the strange, haIi
refining. half-abstract quality Of his intellect"
and that certain mannerisms in the latter are the
record Of man whose sense Ct beauty was
always being disturbed by his scnSc OF feeling
There we have the truth plainly uttered concern
ing poet and painter whose un-English genius
is singuarly battling TO most critics. Mr. Quiltcr
always speaks plainly, and whether agreeing with
him or rot in the conclusion that q" as poems
In color the world has seen nothing finer since
the days of Titan" than Rosse:ti's pictures the
reader will appreciate the intel!iciiJility OF the
grounds Mr.. Quilter advances for his enthusiasm
AN enthusiasm which we have known other writ
ers 70 parallel but not often Justify with equal
simplicity and cogency of argument This straight
forwardness tells IN all the chapters on the Pre-
Raphactcs 1t is most welcome in the passages
relating to Burne-Joncs, OF whose art RosSct'l
gave a very neat criticism in the good-humored
Joking rhyme Mr.. Qulter quotes with approval
There Is n young pointer called Jones
a cheer here, and Kisses ana eioaiiS'