New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-08

| terminated the Attic trdnltiOn linen diteI
long interval came the Italian revival, and after
that the French, both more complex. more per-
sonal more romantic than anything Of which
| Phidias or Praxiteles had ever dreamed. Yet
the French and the Italians both preserved some
thing Of the classic temper; you feel this very
strongly in whatever is most typical Of either
school Donateo is drenChed in the austere
purity Of antique art strain Of classicism de-
veloping steadily beside his purely modern
naturalism. 1t is the same with the French
sculptors after the Gothic period is once left
behind: and even on the threshold Of the Renais-
sance Michel Colombo rises at a bound above the
archaic and even grotesque lines Of his great
predecessors. the architectural scuptors whose
ecclesiastical facades contain the germ from
which the entire school was to spring. The
school dates from these facades however merely
in putting the French on record as people OF
plastic genius. In points Of style and Of feeling
Colombo has not much in common with the cary
ers OF cathedral fronts. and despite the ornate
character of the great tombs Of the Cardinals of
Amboise. Rouen, they speak more OF Renals-
sancc inspiration than Of the Gothic tradition.
In fact. sculpture proper In France sculpture
separated from architecture begins with Jean
Goujon In the sixteenth century. a man whose
taste for Itinerary and decorative art in whlch
he excelled did not prevent his doing excellent
things Of a more detached nature. NJ Gonse
gives succinct and valuable retrospect from
Gouion back TO the very origin Of the national
art but readers of his pages Will take most
pleasure. we fancy, in the series OF craftsmen
passed in review the termination OF TINS
retrospect We say craftsmen because an I'M
preston Of brilliant execution of a polished
style is what is chiefly carried away from
French sculpture. From Goujon IT is to German
Pilon that NJ. Gonse passes. from him to llgier
Richter and with these men the sculpture OF
France takes on certain poise ana eiesa"''
which Il has not vet lost. NJ. Gonse writes
mpathetcally and without any false nouohs Oh
the positions of these early men. He gives
Gouton and Pion no more than their full value,
nc I, seems ~ lis They were not transCendently
great men and to-day in the Louvre and else
where they do not awaken excessive enthusiasm;
hut they counted heavily In their time. and the
example Of their artistic recttude-a peculiar
oualitv-has not been thrown away upon their
posterty Bia-i. Girarion. CoysevoX. Puget ana
several others of less repute all maintained
worthily the standard Of precision. OF clean
authoritative manner which came down to them
from Goujon: and though their work. as well as
that of Pajou of Caffieri and of Clodon has
certain flavor Of artifciaty hanging about II. IT
is also surprisingly delicate. exceedingly lntel-
gent and beyond all words distinguished Houdon
would never have been what he was without 'he
past that they made for him, and Houdon IS
shining liz IT in the eighteenth century
NJ Gonse writes warmly Of Houdon. and well
he might for the author OF the great Noltairc
Of the Coincide FRANCHISE, OF the Moiere pre-
served in the same place of the Washington at
Richmond and of a score Of other superb por-
traits is one Of the glories Of modern plastic art
NJ Gonse sketches mis- Greer with welcome de-
tails and give some admirable illustrations \
fine plate from the Voltaire forms the frontis-
niece 10 this volume. HoudOn -ook all the Gle
ments Of French sculpture as II had progressed
I'D to his time sifted them. clarified them ana
set the pace for the men who are working now
That he did this is not obvious at glance IL
is far cry from his Academic distinction I"
the realism which runs riot in every yearly
Salon But at bottom French sculpture is tena-
cious Of such directness. such Veraclty such
good taste in workmanship. such finish and such
grace as Houdon wrought into the unity whlch
is finally a first principle OF the rrench nina -
enamored as 1t is of order ana balance' anu
Houdon-for all the romanticism that followed
him In David dangers, Rude Barge ana Car
peaux-is the parent Of what is best in French
sculpture at the present time NJ. Gonse mas
no difficulty and neither can his reviewer IN
nassing swiftly through these men from Houdon
N tho crowded school formed by Chapu and
Dubois Falguiere and Rodin. Fremiet and Mer-
Gle. he carries his survey well down into the
ranks Of contemporary workers. and his last
lines are given to NJ. ROty, one Of the cleNerest
medallists in that group which chaplain rem
dered famous This history has been most Jul
dciously put together. The biographical mat
ter is concsey stated the criticism is sensitive
and winning the thoroughness Of the work Is
beyond cavil. Much interest OF course VIII cen
ire in the illustrations, which are numerous ana
beautiful. Many Of the plates occupy an e"'ie
page and are printed from Dujardin hehograN-
ures with that degree = softness ana tha'
artistic quality which seem peculiar 10 fI'"0h
nresses The work is handsomely made, ana
forms an imposing monument to the suDJec''
Students will be glad of its appearance at inns
time There exists no other book on fIehch
sculpture so full and competent.
Tho translation Of DR.. Oskar Seyfferts 'Dctionary
~ Classical Antiquities macmillan Coz mas uh-
dergone a number Of vicissltudes. l. was begun 10y