New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-27
PRE-RAPHAELITISM.
DANTE ROSSETTI. And the Pre- Raphaellte Move
ment: by Esther Wood. PIP. xii. 323 Imported
by Charles Scribner's Sons.

ment BY Esther Wood PIP xii S23 Imported
by Charles Scrbners Sons.
1t often happens that the defenders OF novelty
In thought conduct devote their strength 10 sus-
tanning its absurdtes instead OF its rational and
worthy features. From first TO ast-and the book In
hand Is hardly exceptlon--this has been charac-
terlstc of the advocates OF what was called the
Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. In days when people
who thought they knew something about art did not
want the grass In the pictures they bought painted
green the sky blue. there was verge enough
for the most enthusiastic and drastic reform. The
Pre-Raphaelites accomplished a benehcent change
when they successfully asserted the right repre-
sent nature as they saw 1t. The nature that they
saw. especially the human nature. seems to have
been somewhat limited In Its variations but the
rest OF the world was taught by them 10 look with
keener glance, not merely at uncommon things, but
at the common things OF life. The trouble that
the Pre-Raphaelltes. who knew that they
artists and poets wished also to be considered
philosophers and theologians. The outcome
series of less religious REFUSES puzzles,
over which the unlnltiated held up their hands In
horror while the initiated calmly set 10 work In
books. pamphlets magazines and newspapers TO
plain what was not worth explaining picture Of
Christ with His arms outs,retched. 50 that His
shadow fell against the wall In the form OF cross
seemed to these enthusiasts remarkable work. and
In their solution OF the problem the Christ apt
to be lost sight Of in the wonderful thoughts about
the shadow. A mere trick OF the painter TO arrest
attention looked upon almost divine in
spiraton. 1t never seemed TO to these dream
ers that there was but supreme test Of work
OF any kind literary or plastic. in which Christ hg-
ured and that ths figure OF Christ Himself
Moreover this trivial symbology A real contra
dlcton OF the naturailsm which the Pre-Raphaelltes
started out 10 preach and practise. Nature
deals In symbols. With her. everything stands for
her idea. and etes out his ignorance by means OF
his fancy. that is not natures fault. He read
into the objects she presents to his view his
egotlsm. but this was not there originally
The symbolism read into nature IL appa renty
added 10 II a favor on the part Of humanity Tho
pain facts do not take up as much space
would like to give TO description. and figures OF
speech exc out the scanty measure. Something OF
the same kind happened 20 the aphaelites
though they provided for RESPONSIVENESS OF the al
legoric ina gnatlon by giving II something TO ex-
plain. As 10 the proper aims and achievements
OF these reformers In art what necessary
TO be said could be put In few pages. In fact,
all that could be said was summarized in a few
paragraphs by Ruskin. But when 1t came to symbols
and n speculation partly religious. partly phlo-
sophical and wholly vaporous and mystical then the
possibility OF adding words 20 words by way OF ex-
PLANTATION was endless. 1t must be said all the
emblems and the calculations OF their meaning seem
wholly beside the purpose The painter appears TO
strive after things which do not belong 10 his art.
and which do not repay the labor he bestows upon
them The author OF the clever and interesting book
I'm hand endeavors TO meet the objection here sug-
gested She responds 20 the that many
Pre-Raphaeite paintings by their elaborate symbol,
ism require not merely titles and texts but foot
notes by abiding to the close and deep thought.
the prolonged spiritual fervor-unexampled since
the Italian Pre-Raphaees-in which each MASTER
piece Ia stepped. and which surely brings n claim
upon such intelligent study as would enable all but
those wholly ignorant OF Christian symboiogy to In
terpret the details for themselves" This does not
seem 20 be adequate answer to the objection.
Any puzzle that human being construct.
another may be found to solve. Though the tangled
ailegory OF elaborate painting were traced faith
fully and untanged exactly as the painter would
have done II himself. yet all this effort the part
OF the observer has nothing TO do with his est-
mate OF the painting work OF genius. He Is
probably absorbed In sef-congratuatons over his
own skill
When the claim Is made thar the Pre-Raphaelites
had high religious mission In the world, namely.
that Of reconclnE body with spirit and the physical