The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-19

AS an art typography, IN It's moueIIA
form, is OF comparatively recent orl-
gin 1t is practically the production
of ornamental designs and pictorial e1-
fects with a red-hot point upon wood,
ivory, leather and fabrics. Formerly
the tools used were of wrought iron,
and We're heated in the glow of a char
coal fire by the operator, who took them
up one by one and used them much In
the same manner as an artist handles
a pencil But Pacquelins appliances
have done away with this tedious pro-
cess His apparatus consists OF a glass
vessel into which must be poured some
alcohol, wood spirit, or benzine. This
vessel is fitted with a rubber stopper
that seals it Theoretically, and two met
al tubes bent at right angles, to which
are attached two rubber pipes These
pipes are connected, the one to a
syringe-like bulb and bellows, the other
to the graver or pencil, which is
screwed on to a wooden handle. This
graver has a hollow curved point, or
beak, made of platinum, which is first
slightly heated over a spirit lamp. Pres
sure on the bulb forces a current of the
liquid contained in the glass vessel
along the rubber pipe to the platinum
sbeak, where it Immediately fgnites, and
bringing the beak up to a white heat
snakes it ready for use.
: Information comes to us from Paris
that Augustus ST. Gaudens has nearly
completed his model for the equestrian
statue of General Sherman. rela-
tive of the great General who has seen
the model, says that it is exquisite and
win soon be completed. Characteristic
of an able artist, Mr.. ST. Gaudens will
not be hurried in his work; he will
take his own time and do his work In
his own way. He has already long ex-
eeeded the contract time for delivering
the statue. The cost will be $50, 600
and it is expected it will be the finest
work of art Of the kind in New York
City.
London Daily News: Ruskin's init
macy with Rossetti is the story of some
OF those unnumbered acts of gener-
osity by which, as William Rossetti
has elsewhere said, "he will be remem-
bered hardly less long than by his vivid
insight into many things and his heroic
prose. He had been originally intro
duced to Rossetti's work by McCrack-
en-. the Belfast packing agent and pic
fure buyer Early in 1854 Ruslxin
called on the artist II. of course
sstroked him down." writes Rcssetti:
ne seems in mood to make my for
tune. That was task beyond any
mans power, but Mr. Rusl1in certainly
did has best. He bought Rossettis
drawings in advance; introduced him to
other patrons; procured him commits
sions and provided funds for the publ
cation OF sRossetti's TRANSACTIONS from
the EARLY haitian Poets" Presently
Mr.. Rusazin was introduced to Miss Sid
dal-that remarkable woman who was
to become Rossetti's wife, whose rare
type Of beauty passed into his soul. and
lives on so many of his canvases, and
who herself, under his masterful inf1u-
ence, developed no small ability both as
a poet and as an artist Miss Siddal-
the '-Guggum" Of Rossetti's familiar
letters or Ida as Mr. Ruskin called
her-was duly taken down to Denmark
HILL
All the Ruskins were most delighted
with Guggum. J. r. said she was a
noble, glorious creature, and his father
said that by her look and manner she
might have been born a Countess. Her
mother, who he tells me has much med
1oal knowledge. was closeted with her
while, and says she thinks her illness
principally weakness, but needing the
very greatest care"
MI Ruskin greatly admired her de-
signs and water colors. and for some
years settled an annual f15O on her.
She in return was to hand over her
drawings to him up to that amount.
Mr.. Ruskin's letters on these subjects
TO Rossetti and Miss Siddal show how
delicate was his generosity.
self-Culture Magazine. The art Of
the Renaissance, its architecture
sculpture and painting. as we see it
at Rome. Florence. Venice. and Milan.
in the works of Giotto. Bruneileschi.
La finei, Raphael, Angelo. and Bra
mantle Is intensely religious. The re-
Hgious feeling made it possible. devel-
oped 1t, nourished it, and glorified it.
The same spirit of righteousness is seen
IN Egypt and in Assyria and Babylo-
mia; unearth their buried glories. trans
late into our thought their rich SYM
bolism, and 10! in every part is con-
seiously felt the spirit of reverence for
the gods and the hope of immortality.
Their records are the God-fearing and
God-seeking historic feats OF their day.
Their hopes and tears, joys and VIC
tories, are cut and carved in the in.-
perishable rock or baked in the hero
glyph- covered brick To deny Ibis
would be false TO the best sentiments
of the race.
Saracenic art is understood only as
the outgrowth of Mohammedanism
Its art takes character from the Ko-
ran, even to it's limitations. They could
not create sculpture and painting be-
cause forbidden by the Koran to form
the image of any living being. The linn
itations of the Mohammedan religion
determined the limitations of Saracenic
art During the great Middle Age Pc
riod, a period Of LOCO years, not
great song was sung nor oratorio COM
posed; not great philosophy was con-
ceived: not a great work of art was
created. Letters. art and ethics were
all barbarianized. Ignorance and SUI
perstition prevailed. At length the
Crusaders broke the slumbrous condi-
ton of all Europe. Mind awoke and
began thinking and acting. Then
sprang up, as if by magic, the great
Cathedral Age in the thirteenth CEN
fury. The monks multiplied books and
illuminated them with miniature art
Events crowded, the pulse beat harder
and faster presaging tie dawn OF bet
ter times. Dante herasded that dawn
of intellectual enamel patton. Pisano.
Cimabue. and Giotto, by chisel ana
brush, broke from the Byzantian DOM
ination and gave ast new nth in