New-York tribune., 1904-10-30


ives The royal and noble families Of Eng
land and Europe rave placed their treasures at
his disposal for study, and in many cases for
reproduction, and the result is book which for
authoritative historical data must be given the
highest RANK. 1t is welcome on other grounds
DR.. Wilamsons publishers have not only print
ed the text we'll. on handsome paper but have
illustrated the book with hundreds of good re-
productions. This thoroughly useful work ap-
pears in sumptuous form.
The author addresses himself at once to the
student and the collector His object Is to tell
what he can of the personal histories of his
painters, to describe and appraise their works
and to make plain, In short. Just where each
one of them stands in relation to school and
in respect to artistic value The reader who
goes to his pages to a work of reference will
find therein not only entertainment but practi-
cal guidance. There many who need in
struction In this field. The selecting of minia-
lures is to-day one of the most popular OF hob
bes These little paintings form such dainty
souvenirs to enshrine in a cabinet They are
rich in associations and they often very
beautiful. Connoisseurship. like everything
else, submits to the influence Of fashion. At one
time everybody will be found collecting paint
ings Of the Dutch school: at another the eigh-
teenth century Englishmen are "alI the rage"
but, Wilt tue Hidihet piiSeo VI lui CO ldSC
gone up and down at different periods. there has
never been time when there have not been
some keen collectors of specimens Of the art.
Dr. Williamson has good story of Charles
II visiting incognito the widow OF Peter
Oliver. to see what miniatures she had by her
husband and his famous father, Isaac:
The widow showed several. finished and unfin-
ished with many Of which the king being pleased
mind the king should see them first, and II he did
Ss hs hs
produced some more pictures which she seldom
said She did not care to make price with his
majesty. she would leave It to him: but promised @
majesty know what prices his father the late king,
Rogers e he Of
latter A''
Poor Mistress Oliver was distressed to hear.
some years afterward. that the frail ladies OF
the Merry Monarchs court had begged all or
most Of these pictures from him. and she used
very free language on the subject The King
heard Of her misconduct. and her pension ceased.
His love of art did not go to the extent Of max
ing him utterly complaisant where his dig
nifty was offended. But that he had a genuine
interest In miniatures is shown by this incl
dent. and his interest is typical. Nearly all
kings and queens have collected miniatures.
Perhaps they would not have collected them
II 1t had not happened that from the start the
miniature found itself In mastery hands. The
man who set the pace where the art was con-
cerned less a man than Hans Holbein
DIR. Williamson shows that the art of miniature
painting had its origin in those early illumi-
mated manuscripts to which the portraits of
kings were affixed. but he rightly dates the
rise of the miniature we know It from the
sixteenth century, when Holbein was producing
In England portraits on small scale only to
be rivalled by those OF Clouet in France. 'Hol-
bein's manner Of thinning have ever initiated"
said Nicholas Hilliard. his English follower,
"and hold 1t for the best" II wa q manner a.