New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-17
.fUGCSTE RODI.N.
An AuthQntqtire BiograPhy Of the
French Sculptor.

Ky Frederick Iawton. NJ y illustrated ,.2I
Pp- Nj. M.- charles ScritucTs Sons
In opening new volume IF biography +, Il
always a comfort 10 know just where the aa,ho1
stands Mr. Lawton leaves US i'm doubt n
10 his attitude toward VI Rodin. He dSelal1ll
an attempt to establish any exact and definite
precedence for his achievement over that Of r
all others but this discreet view of Tho MAJ;
ter does not keep him from going On 20 say n r
ii may lie safely asserted that his name W
rank in the future among the foremost of t5d
great masters OF tho statuary art" In otheI
words tho book before us is one more illu~t-a u
tion ~ that hero Worship which is perhaps ltR
that We can expect when biography is ", T.
ten around the personality Of q living man VIII
do NOT blame Nr, LAYTON After ALL ou.y bar
warm friend sets about the writing of "a ysorI os
this sort and friendship is uoturiousIy ini,u "a tu
To the telling of taId truths. Nevertheless. S., lN,
are a little sorry. because a really critical b shd
on NJ Rojin. hook neither fervid nor bit, rkS
but merely dispassioaate. would have consider Id
Die value. especially at this time Sai
celebrated artist who has won his celebrity
along unconventional lines has "A peculiar rrlaat,
ton To the taste Of his period Thoss who DIVE
not like his work apt unduIy To decry tho
Those who like IL praise il To the skies Mean S.,
while. Unnumbered individuals. looking on % i
the fray. sorely puzzled. and the eluiIihrish
TN of that useful quantity which is called quiz
lie taste i seriously disturbed. False iIea4 s.
gain CURRENCY The celebrity of the man who IL
at the bottom of the trouble persuadts u.lnt
young artists To- initiate him All th,. time M
situation would he infinitely improved for evervL
body concerned if only the public coumeDtor
tors were 70 deliver their discnurses with SOW,
sense of measure Then there might be so,,
hope for the one thing that actually matters M
ESTABLISHMENT of the truth Frankly We do n
see how any open minded student anNiol1s
clarity his ideas the subject of the arr ,f Fey
lsodin. could get much light from MIR LAWN u"
too loyal pages. lie would gather chiefly, ,rE
this much discussed sculptor shouIt s,-,-, - 'e
have been made thcue Of dis,ussfo,, nj - e
THAT the adverse criticism directed toward Ia q"
mas been. ON the whole rather sttpiJ and 49, U~
IN" ialiure OF his contemporaries TO acclaim III
NOUN from the very start impeccahle r,asts tS'
Is another OF those unfortunate episodes viii Us
dishgur" the annals Of art. Il is the STORY, Nm
MT Whistler all over again That u,,, ~ - q y
rather fancied himself i'm th,. roll, of ~, 1s,,, fu
misunderstood and neglected not To s,,, irs,,rf Bow
ca ny IN ignorant world His thick ana thiF a
I'ar'iSAhS' taking up the parable. are wont MI e
heap scorn upon the luckIess souls WIN d. , Pat
see IN MT WhstlerS paintings thu. c,Ds,,,,, IL s,
Hower OF all that the ages have, Drnjucst MI ai
N"din has had his ups and downs .rbr III Qe
'hoSe VINO do not regard him as the .-r.,fes %
sculptor the world has ever seen They b,vI rs
eve" Neh'ured T." question some OF his i,I,,4 nm &c
!" express dissatisfaction with specific cx,,uplcl an
oil his art. Hence. it is to BE-. assume, ~ b,l Isl