The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-08-15
Books and Authors
THE MAGAZINES

Masters in Art for August is devoted to
Giotto di Bandone, distinguished painter of
the Florentine school in the latter part Of the
thirteenth and the first part of the fourteenth
century. Born with an artists instinct. he
early showed evidences of his future master
craft, and, an artist of wonderful industry, he
left the signs of his genius in epic painting
panels, frescos and mural pieces, which led
Ghiberti to. say that he the greatest
painter of his age. 1t is unfortunate that
number Of his most effective frescos were
destroyed in renovating and reconstructing
the churches and chapels in which they were
painted. A few have been recovered by skill
fully removing the whitewash which covered
them. Florence made him chief architect OF
the state and master of the cathedral works,
and he designed the bell tower which bears
his name there. In the fifteenth century
Lorenzo the Magnificent placed marble bust
on Giotto's tomb. G1otto was honored in the
epitaph written by Poliziano as. 1.-The one by
whom dead painting was restored to life"
In his day the art OF painting was carried on
without the range of scientific study of anat-
omy; linear perspective and phenomena of
light and shade which distinguished the paint
ers of the renaissance, but Giotto went further
than his, predecessors. John Rusk1n says
that Giotto's distinction is that he was inter-
ested IN what was going on around him and
took living, moving for his models
There is a portrait of Giotto by Paolo Uccello,
photographed from the original in the Louvre,
AMI ten examples III photos OF his paintings
In nearly all the pictures there appears stiff
mes in the drapery and too much rigidity in
the figures. Boston: Bates & Guild company,
AZ Chauncy street. ...9-
Pearson's presents a very interesting study
In the art of knotting strings or ropes to-
gether under the head ''Knotty Problems"
from which some very useful hints may be
obtained Jack London; who hatitually con-
templates Polaris, contributes characteris-
| tfcally strenuous story-'In the Forests of
| tho North"-and that always welcome story
teller, Seumas NMacManus, gives us some ire
sistible Irish in his Georgian for CroWner'
i Municipal Affairs gives the substance OF
| DIR. Bucher's plan for municipal housing IN
Germany to meet the conditions arising from
| the rapid increase in urban populations
| through urban expansion, bringing the soclal
question up in its most difficult form. as the
gulf between the social class is WIdened. The
housing problem is of prime Importance. The
oyercrowding of houses must be stopped.
| There should he difference in the building
mans of business and residence streets. DR..
| Butcher would have the city extend the right
Of exuropriation over all the territory de-
signed fol building purposes and pay for the
land and sell it gain at cost, plus the expense
OF laying out streets, sewerage systems, etc.,
to people who would build for their own use,
or the city should build and rent at reasonable
prices. The city should strictly enforce SAM
tary regulations fy house inspection, Mr..
Buck contributes a paper on pictures in pub
lie schools commencing artistic wall color
ing and pictures for grade study illustration,
to bring art before, the children and to make
the schoolroom look pEAtty. He would use
photos direct from nature, and colored chro-
mos and Autographs Of a high order and OF
| educational value. There are valuable papers
on legislative interference with cities, as IN
| New York and Pennsylvania. Mr.. Maltb1e
| discusses ..Home Rule in Ohio" showing how
home rule has been legislatively defed. There
is an interesting report on the work of the
New York Municipal Art Society, paper on
municipal socialism in Great Britain, with
/ other suggestive papers. New York: Reform
/ Club, Nos 50-52 Pine street.
The North American Review for August dis