New-York tribune., 1907-12-20
Literary .Nese,s and Criticism.

such statues as his Farragut and Lincoln. Per-
maps the fact that st. Gaudens did not model
elther of'these from life was in his favor: at
any rate they are memorably fine generaliza-
'4oiiS oi TWO American men. studied in an
@Speo' "loer than the purely personal view
In d WORD, each is that usually unattainable
tnlhs' an offlcfal' portrait that yet has life
and power and the stamp of authenticity.
MI Cortfssoz's new book brings together
some twenty-four photographers after the medal
fons' low reliefs and monumental work of Mr..
81 Gauoens This array of illustrations is
commonly interesting and of marked beauty.
Inc frontsplece is the lovely Amor Caritas''
OF the Luxembourg. which maintains among
the sculpture of that gallery a rank similar to
that reached by the best American paintings
there as compared with the foreign canvases
On view The Bastien-Lepage medallion is
here. and the familiar and admirable Robert
Louis Stevenson plaque. Here. too. is the
Adams monument. which manifests by all odds
the highest flight of the sculptor's inlagination
and eXcites regret that st. Gaudens did not
oftener work without the guidance and restraint
provided by a stated subject The Farragut is
well shown in this book. and is the Shaw
Memorial of Boston. In the Lincoln, which is
seen in three-quarter profile the effect is less
happy than when viewed from directly liz
front, and the plate has been so manipulated
to suggest almost the photograph of a living
man. this illusion being helped by the singular
contrast between the texture and color of the
froch coat and trousers and the face and hand.
The plate illustrating the Sherman is excellent.
and so is that presenting the portrait of the
late President McCosh. These only a few
among the many in this richly illustrated vol
urne.
Mr.. Cortissoz has written with contagious en-
thusiasm OF St. Gaudens and his art. yet
by any means with complacent hero worship.
He finds or two instances in which the
sculptor failed reach lasting success but these
unimportant beside the mans many tri-
umphs. The Sherman monument Mr.. Cortssoz
ranks high that for any equestrian portrait
statue comparable with it he must go back TO
Italian Renaissance times, to the Verrocchio
Colleon; in Venice. and to Donatelos Gottarn-
elata at Padua- In his appreciation Of the
strange, mournfui figure, wrapped in deep dra-
perry and seated on a bowlder by the Adams
tomb in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, Mr..
Cortissoz conveys forcibly the altogether
markable effect the sudden sight of this mys-
terious bronze woman produces upon the visitor.
Few persons Of sensibility have escaped receiv-
ing a profound impression upon viewing the
original, and even the illustration in this book
suggests the almost supernatural character OF
the monument
Probably most readers Will wish that por
trait of ST Gaudens had adorned this volume
and also that more had been told concerning the
private life OF the sculptor. Doubtless such
details nay have seemed too intimate TO put
into print so soon after the subjects decease
Mr.. Cortissoz has. however drawn most en-
gaging portrait of the good humor. the personal
charm, and the sturdy and indomitable charac-
ter of ST Gaudens, confirming the general i'm
preston that the man, in his case was even
greater than the artist. S. S.