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

BRILLIANT AND VALUABLE BOOK.

LORENZO LOTTO: An Essay in Constructive Art
Criticism. BY Bernhard Berenson. Illustrated.
Octave pp. xviii, &c., G. =. Putnam's Sons.
Mr. Berenson juetifes with much ability the
subtitle Of his book Lorenzo Lotto. He be-
gins by puzzling the reader and threatening un-
consciously a really amorphous and befogging
study; but presently the logic Of his method de-
claree ITSELF the long discursive passages which
seem troublesome at first prove themselves essen
tia parts Of the scheme. and by the time the mid
die OF the book is reached all feeling OF obscurity
has disappeared and those pages which have
been read perhaps with difficulty appreciated
as they deserve to be. The value OF the entire
book Is high. Mr. Berenson has reconstructed
a fascinating and instructive individuality He
has done this with Morellis help as to his method,
but without succumbing to the specious and
misleading side Of Morellis own system The
result is a work full of exact details. full Of those
little points Of comparison and analysis, OF COLA
ton Of deduction and Of minute Identification,
which make Morei at his best an invaluable
guide and make this follower, with his greater
freedom from the trammels Of formula. one OF
the most satisfactory critics who have published
ANYTHING In recent years with reference to the
old masters.
Mr. Berenson owes his success possibly to the
fact that he treats his old master precisely as he
would a modern one; conceives him. that is. not
merely as a phenomenon, but as man. At the
end of his study he finds Lotto psychological
painter. From the first page of his book to the
last he treats him In the light Of such character
He writes from documents and out Of his magma
ton but the insight Of the latter he proves by the
former. Lotto's career he sets before us piece
by piece. using such meagre data as that wander
ing artist or his contemporaries have left. The
material outlines Of Lottos work he traces with
an indefatigabe ingenuity which must excite re-
spect as we'll as warm admiration. The atmos-
phere which envelops the life and the work Of the
painter he revives through subtle Interpretation
Of the latter which inspires sympathy. and ulti-
mately belief 1t must be said that he is sure Of
a soil already prepared when he approaches the
mind of any thoughtful student OF Italian art.
Lotto's portraits alone II not pre-emnenty,
among the paintings left by him. long
ago recognized illustrative Of an intellectually
in the Venetian school. But in detachng
Lotto from Giorgione. with whom he has been
associated in the conventional attitude toward
the school to which both belonged. and In estab-
fishing the derivation Of the former from Advise
Vivarni. author makes more tangible the
psychological traits in Lotto on which his atten-
ton is fastened. and in doing so makes them more
impressive also. He shows that from the begin
ming Lotto was analytcally inclined. There hung
doOut tHe NNdIlili, VI COURSE tHe dTCHdlc udNol
OF the epoch from which they were emerging; but
1t is possible for the penetrating critic to
confuse Advise with the Bellini. and Mr.. Berenson
traces with persuasive skill the source Of Lottos
artistic habit to the school which Giambellino
easily eclipsed.
The Vivarini were outshone for more reasons
than can be discussed here. but briefly stated. it
was because they came almost exactly at the
turning of the ways in point Of time, and were
less modern than their rivals. Less modern
in many relations Of their art. but in the
OF Alvise not on the side OF psychological in
sight. not the side of that faculty which
makes painter strive for the last subtleties of
the soul before him, remembering art. but still
more wildly remembering humanity. Advise
membered both; so. Also with greater intensity
OF feeling. Of emotion. did his pupil Lotto; and
while it robbed them both Of something of that
naively passionate simplicity which makes the
greatest Of the Bein greater than either of
them, 1t gave them also lasting kind of truth.
1t makes Lotto profoundly interesting painter
much more interesting than in the past he has
been thought to be. He Is we'll known in old
Italian porraiture and, in spite Of his failure to
adapt himself to the decorative spirit of the
Renaissance. his religious paintings count for
much among students of his time. For the sake |
OF his tenderness, of his charm, he is forgiven |
shortcomings of design like those in the great S
Bartolommeo altarpiece at Bergamo, which |
Mr.. Berenson himself is obliged to take excep- |
ton.
Yet higher place will probably be given TO |
Lotto in the literature of his school this book |
becomes known for ii emphasizes the painters |
significance as forming school by himself and
as we have said it strengthens his special claims |
10 honor by clarifying them. Mr.. Berenson is |
content with the fascinating task Of
ling Lottos artistic ancestry and his debts. gen. |
iine supposed to this or that contemporary or |
predecessor He is not content with reconstruct
ing the life and classifying the works of his sub
ject. He aims above all at the transferrence Of !
an impression from himself to his reader the |
demonstration of Lottos superiority in religious |
and in secular art. Grant he argues. that Lotto |
is not as painter pure and simple one Of the
greatest. Grant that he might have proited !
more than he did by the architectural strain in
Renaissance art and made his work i'm
posing in design The fact remains that he laid |
bare the souls of his sitters with extraordinary
power. with skill and charm which make him
truly remarkab Mr.. Berenson, being his BIZ
ographer and writing with unconcealed fervor.
goes perhaps too far. Titan himself, you feel as
you close this book, In ways the in
ferior of Lotto.
For own part. W. find this impression
quickly yielding to the conviction that Titan,
slightly less psychological he may have
been. was. on the whole, more masterful
painter and more OF downright genius But
we must admit that Mr.. Berenson carries his
hero very nearly to the point at which he would
like to leave MIN in his readers mind He shows
that Lotto had intellect. md Of a sort not COM
mon in his age; that he was far more original
than he is usually thought to be, that he
Is still a minor painter among the major
gods, but has some major attributes which
some of the latter might have envied
And all this is shown with delicacy of
analysis. with a refinement Of interpretation
with cogency of argument which make the
book as 1t stands brilliant contribution to the