New-York tribune., 1907-10-30
Literary Nes0s and Criticism.

. treated without an atom of sympathy for that
sense OF texture which was one of VeIasouez's
salient gifts. The dog is not as in the original
d HVlhs creature, superbly painted: it is we'll
IIsh reduced to the level of a piece of furniture
Nei'her in the handling Of the figure nor in that
~ 'iie Idhuscape does the engraver give us a
mint of the painters touch Of that brusbyvorl,
winch Is so Important a part of the masters
magic Again in the block after the incompara-
ple Don Baltasar Carlos on Horsahacl, +" +ho
magnificent rendering of the I'tt;a urincas dress
anu SCARF Is hopeessly diluted and the beautiful
ShF Is sou eeZ2d dry of all its vitality AS il is
Milh Neiasquez so it is with MurjUo. Ribera
Nuroufah and all the rest The engraver's crafts
manship is intrnsicay so skiIful and refined
that 1t eXcites the warmest admiration. but as a
Neilcle for the Interpretation OF other artists II
siInpIy breaks down. Take the "St. Agnes" of
Alohzo Cano, in Berlin Mr. Cole has caught
wen the sentiment in the lovely face and he is
'iue' 100 to the subtlety with which the nainter
modelled the right hand Of tba eoi,+ p+ -
Ndno way of painting of the firnness and
even sharpness with which he silhouetted this
Hsure against his background the engraving
gives practically no idea AS for the works of
III Greco mere reproduced, notably "The Strip
ping OF Christ and the est Martin and Mendi-
C'i'' we 90 not even begin to discern in them
the rough If not actually crude and violent tones
u 'he master Above all it is the autographic
quahty that we miss in these engravings the
PeiSohal cage the very grain and substance
which will make the stroke of a painters brush
as eloquent of his individuality as is the voice
OF singer. We not speaking of a thing
beyond the reach of a reproductive enprayor or
etcher. on the contrary, II is a thing which If
NOT completely translatabe into black and white
Is nevertheless easily suggested. Indeed a good
photograph will capture much of the quality Of
prushwork which we have in mind
Oh rare occasions a picture will be OF such a
character as to adjust itself so 10 saw 10 Mr.
Coles method, and then he makes tolerably
persuasive block TIE st John the Raptist'' Of
Murlllo, in the Prado offers a case in point
Something of the suavity of this paintinp ia
undoubtedly here preserved. In general how
ever Mr Cole turns the style and color of ia
mlIiar masterpieces into a composite that is
very strange and unconvincing We wish that
II were possible to come 10 a more favorable
conclusion as to the upshot of his labors These
engravings we may add are accompanied by
readable notes from the same hand and by an
historical survey Of Spanish painting in which
Mr. Cafifn presents the leading lines of deveI-
opment in concise and interesting fashion
The Catalogue of the Morgan Collection Of
Chinese Porcelains" by Mr. Stephen w. Bushnell
and Mr.. William NJ Laffan. is the most i'm
portant and most satisfactory publication ever
brought out with the imprint of the Metropol-
itan Museum Of Art. It gives in convenient
form material hitherto accessible only in the
pages which Mr.. Morgan had privately printed
In limited edition, and this material is calcu-
lated TO be Of the highest value TO the student
The collection Of porcelains described a colIec-
ton Of about thousand pieces. is renowned for
its beauty and historical significance. Study
or II piece by piece will place the amateur in
fairly full possession Of the subject Such study
is well facilitated by the present volume Mr. |
Laffan's preface brings the reader into the
atmosphere Of Oriental ceramic art admirably
indicating its broader aspects and Mr Bushnelrs
historical Introduction gives still further explain
atory details. There also some luminous
pages on marks and SEALS accompanied by fac
SMILES. The catalogue itself, with its descrip-
tions and dates is a good guide. Reinforced by |
the Introductory matter, It becomes a kind of
manual with a definite educational character |
The numerous Illustrations will aid the reader |
too, in continuing his studies when not at the |
museum. Altogether this publication reflects |
much credit upon the compilers and upon the |
museum authorities