New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-06
LITHOGRAPHY.
ITS CHARMS AS AN ART AND SOME OF ITS
FAMOUS NAMES.

gravure Plates after Representative Iitho-
graphs. Quarto. PIP xvi 1S7. ID. Appleton s.
This is the first book OF serious value pub
lished in English as the result of the recent re-
vival Of interest in the art discovered and per-
fected by Alois Senefeder a hundred years ago
1t ought to prove extremely useful. for al
though it makes no pretence OF covering the en-
tire field OF TYPOGRAPHY. either in an historical
or critical manner, it brings together papers
on some of the most remarka BILE masters of the
art. and sets forth with sufficient fulness the
claims of that art upon our admiration. Per
haps Mr.. Curtis takes more enthusiastic view
of his subject than will be adopted by most OF
his readers. When he says of certain print
by James Dufiield Harding that lit is worthy
to stand beside the greatest landscapes that art
has given u.s." ard talks in the same reckless
manner about many other lthograpic produc-
tions, he only succeeds in leaving the impress
sion that his ideas of true greatness in art are
distorted. 1t is undoubtedly true that art may
reach greatness and even grandeur as well
within the limits of a coin within those of n
vast ecclesiastical structure; but TYPOGRAPHY
has clearly defined boundaries which it is use
less to ignore. and it is possible to admire it's
beauties without tacitly assuming. Mr.. Curtis
seems to assume. that triumphs of the most
extraordinary character may be won in its prac
tice. On the other hand. the reader who can
make the proper deductions from these ardently
written pages, will that the authors heart
is in the right place. that the drift Of his
praise is generally right. and that he has. for
all his enthusiasm. shown in more than one in
stance unusual common-sen
Common sense has indeed been necessary in
the discussion of TYPOGRAPHY these days Be
cause Mr.. Whistler has taken it up and pro-
duced some masterpieces a great many artists
who never thought OF it before have adopted
the medium. too. and there has been a litho-
graphic craze. The French went mad it in
the usual fashion for little while. Raffet and
Chariot were eu'ogized more. exhibitions
were held and the Autograph was lauded as
one OF the miracles of art. Here and iii Paris
there have been centenary exhibitions in cele-
bration of the discovery of the art. The period
icals have printed Autographs ad infnitum.
some OF them excellent and others abominably |
poor. 1t Is to the credit of Mr.. Curtis that il
ne cannot always measure his praise. at least |
he can keep his head in some important rela-
tons Witness his frank refusal to accept all |
the Autographs OF Delacroix as marvels; wit |
ness his lucid exposition Of Daumer's defects: |
witness. finally. his courageous exclusion of
contemporaries from his pages. Mr. WhstIer's |
productions he no doubt admres. but he can
write book without going into Mysteries over
them. The truth is that photography is an art |
or great simplicity and charm which needs no |
excessive laudation. Its greatest masters have |
who never thought of doing nythng startling |
with their medium. Raffet. for example saw
that with TYPOGRAPHY he could get effects in |
monotone that rvaled color in the range of |
their values and the subtlety of their details
but, having grasped the broad principles of the |
art, which are not unlike those governing the
draughtsman with single crayon at his dis
posal and a white surface before him, he pro-
ceeded TO elaborate great number of perfectly |
straightforward designs The lithographer's
stone. he realized. was not meant for the leger-
domain which Mr.. Whistler. who can trust him
self IN the exercise of il, has made dangerously
popular among the artists of the day. 1t NAV be
SAID mat since ore man can practice the delicacy
the stenographic felicity OF etching, upon the
photographic stone. every should be per-
United to practise it. if he chooses But there is
something. after all. in the fitness OF things
and the success of enc master does not give
validity, always, to rule. Mr.. Curtis quotes
from the Goncourts their account of Gavarni
at work, and he rightly emphasizes the element
of liberty in photographic work. 1t is in Just
this very liberty that the artist finds the use
of the stone most fascinating. He can work
with the photographic crayon freely as with
his sketch book and pencil But Gavarni. who |
could work with marvellous rapdity, shows by