New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20

4,rh
-n,rter. Cosway. on the other hand, though.
,s-o Petitot. wanting In the force and depth OF
az preat men We have just mentioned. Is in
..-rnarable for a certain vivacious elegance
- eccentric personality, by the way, is I'M
-.,,,only well hit of by Mr.. Foster. Cosway
rs the last Of the really brilliant figures in
,,-,Iish miniature painting, though men like
,,,,-,,sr and Englehart came near to equaIling
-, NaIbone's works are distinguished among
-. ~ our earlier school for the true qualities
. ,ne miniature, but the examples Of Trumbuu
.f-b Mr.. Foster reproduces also have great
-. Tsahey shines among the Frenchmen in
=. hook He would shine, with his melting
- I'm any case, yet Mr.. Foster could have
go other Ininiaturists worthy to rank with
-, IN this portion Of his book
1,.asa-s cf this work who are collectors will
g, nv its facts and its Illustrations and they
IN - grateful, moreover, for what the author
- :, say about the forgeries and copies which
g ,ears have been flooding the market. But
-sss that the book might be put more par
,t-uIarly in the hands Of the miniature painters
-, have much increased in numbers of late
10th here and abroad Tie modern school often
induces miniatures that are abundantly clever
hut too seldom does it show the perfect taste,
a. Gre, YET accurate draughtsmanship and the
erssrtial breadth Of style which constitute.
When taken together. the glory OF the old mas
,s-s in miniature painting. The modern minia-
,rra is vofully apt TO be too tightly executed or
%, rict0riaI IN design. OF course, this is often
5re 10 nothing more than innate incompetence
r}lt often. We believe, il is due 10 the failure Of
tbe rirIaturist 10 grasp the unchanging prin-
rpIes Of his art Faithful study Of Mr.. Fosters
book would &c Z great deal 10 set him on the
right path
The student, hut even more the collector, is
aimed Al by Mr. Cyril Davenport in his book
m "Afez7c-.uts" This well inaugurates the new
.Corno.sseurs Library" a series OF substantial
volumes or which the publishers evidently mean
IN lavish al possible care. With heavy paper,
hold type and numerous first rate photographers
this first volume clad in sober green, artistically
decorated. makes its appeal in just the right
way and when we turn 10 the text we find that
v- Davenport has fully justified the form given
20 his work BIS description Of the tools and
technique OF the u-ezz0tint erSraver is practical
and clear. and he goes on, furthermore. to talk
If the framing Of prints and The cleaning Of
them. giving some very servicea5le advice. His
historical sketch is fun and authoritative, and
I'm The chapters on noted engrayers, which I'LL
the r-sr u this book he not only brings together
arrostte information. hut uses judgment. Since
Lord LeyIlsmC-e tegueathed his unique collec-
ton u prints 20 the British Museum that in
stitut0l has re.o.-ei IN the possession Of an
un-iya-e5 source e material for the critic MI.
Davenport has drawn upon II with marked dis
cretion his text and his plates give precisely
the insight into the art and its masters that
any one starting upon the career Of the print
collector is sure 10 want. The index to the
plates IN the book, giving the lettering on each
one Of the originals. and the sizes, with pen
drawings q the subject affixed. is a feature
4 which ne wish could lie adopted il all new
books q the sort
In his Great Masters" Mr.. La Fargo follows
/ plan and uses q method for which we had
hardly been prepared by his previous writings.
| Hitherto his contributions 20 art criticism have
| been Giscursive, and the valuable ideas in them
| have been 05scCred by complexities Of style and
| TOO metaI by steal = drift In this volume, how
ever Mr.. La Fargo gives Us chapters on Michael
suez, Durer and HokUsai which are framed with
absolute simplicity and are in every detail crys-
/ "a clear. L q measure the book is disappoint-
lg We look for fresher more Illuminating
analyses Of The artists dealt with than the
| author provides But these precious additions
to criticism, which no one is better qualified
than Mr.. Ia Fargo 10 make, have not been
omitted through want Of interest They have
| been, We infer deliberately withheld. 1t would
/ seem as IT, with The caution Of the painter who
reseuts what too many laymen have done TO