New-York tribune., 1909-07-11

pened to nod sefor Beruete fails into the
familiar error of the modern scientific critic
He tends to dehumanize yelasquez and to as
sumo that. like some cOnsummately balanced
machine. he always maintained his art at the
highest pitch of perfection His good faith is
unimpeachabIe, yet We cannot help feeling that
he has been uncOnsciOusIy influenced in this
matter BY the fact that his argument 50 hap
PLY contributes to the exaltation Of Mazo.
Mr. Calvert's book. in the composition Of
which he has been assisted by Nr Hartley has
like Sehor Beruete's. a certain novel interest
We have not hitherto had volume in English
on FL Greco. and this one not only fills a gap.
but does so the more effectively inasmuch as il
profits by the deinitive study Of Sehor Cossio
The sketch Of this masters life is particularly
welcome. for. while biographical details are
scant. there are enough Of them available for Us
to develop some idea Of his walk and derneanor.
and Mr.. Calvert works them over into very
interesting narrative His nature was ex-
trayagant. like his painting" says Martin
who came upon the scene soon enough after Fl
Greco's death 70 acquire authentic information
about him Mr. Calvert. with true insight. does
not Oyerdo the motive OF extravaganza in his
herO's character or in his work FL Greco's vf7-
Ience and eccentricity may not be denied but
they We're poweriess to quench the genuine i..-
spiration that was in him. the dramatic power
the ecstatic emotion. the originality. Though
his color is often morbid. it is as often dis-.--
guished. il not beautiful. and while his curious
eIongatiOn Of the human form not inCrequeut-y
savors OF affectation. it serves. on occasion. to
heighten his imaginative effect. He is. after all
the one poet in Spanish painting. a soul fed by
fires of which even VeIasquez knew nothing
Only a man Of genius could have painted the
Burial OF Count Orgaz" or his -o-
mantle View of ToldeO-" In portraitu-e. t1o.
he was as strong as he was original Mr.. cal
vert pays a though not perfervid tribute
to him. and as usual in this Spanish series
of his adds a voluninOUs array OF Illustrations.
1t is a book worth having
Very useful. also. is the latest special number
of The Studio.- one given to The Water C-l-
ors of J. VI. W. Turner" II consists largely Of
fulI-page reproductions in color thirty Of them
in ALL Illustrating the artists development from
1870 to 1915 and giving in short. a really repre-
sentative survey Of his dealings with a medium
in which he magnfhcentIy exceiied Sir Charles
HoIroyd in a PREDATORY note speaks Of the pas
sion for truth underlying Turner's most casual
memoranda He has put the matter % the test.
and with the reproduction Of one Of the masters
sketches in his hand. has stood on the spot from
which it was drawn. only % find that the scene
in question has been noted with the minutest
4 still remember my delight BE-
says. at recognizing the gnarled markings on
three ash trees 4 little below Bolton Abbey, TIE
angle Of their growth forming rough letter y
was identical although they were mere sapIiuEs
in Turner's drawing. and even the broken bank
Of the river was still the same all the winter
floods of variable Wharfe not having washed
away natures truth to Turner's drawing" AT
the outset he got his truth by taking pains. and
it in very literal fashion The student
may observe him in this early phase Of his career
by turning to the first subject in the present
collection The ArchbishOp's Palace. Lambeth"
But as Mr. w. C. RawlinSOn and Mr.. A J. Fin
berg Indicate in their essays. Turner used the
solid facts he accumulated on paper or on can
vas as a means TO an end. Especially one IS
stru>x by the genius with which he adjusted
them to his conception Of design. making beau
tifuI works of art out of seemingly unimaSina-
live records The thirty examples in this VOL