New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-05
REMBRANDT AND DURER.

REMBRANDT AND DURER.
In that series IF authoritative VOL
umes on Classics OF Art" which the
! Scribners have now for several years
! been publishing ir this country there
! lave appeared sor1e works which the
| student must keep on his handlest shelf,
ready for frequent reference. The late
| Aurcliano Berue:es "Nelasquez' is ono
Of these. Or. BODIES book on Florentine
| sculpture IS another and now We have
one more such indispensable work in
| "Rembrandt's Etchlngs." by Mr.. Arthur
/ VI. Hind. II consists NJ an essay and
! catalogue. with some notes on the
/ drawings Published IN two volumes,
one gives us the text and thirtyfour
/ plates after the drawings. and the other
contains n complete series Of reproduc-
| lions (33oD OF the etchings. This is one
Of the best contributions ever made 10
the literature of Rembrandt
/ Mr. Hind loves his subject. and he
knows his subject well. He writes as
an enthusiast. but uses a sober style
and makes IL his entire purpose 10 give
practical aid 10 his reader. The first
volume opens with n brief biographical
summary This is followed by an icono-
! graphical chapter for students and col
I lectors. and then comes an admirable
critical survey OF Rembrandts etched
work In the succeeding notes on the
drawings Mr.. Hind pays particular at
tcntion to those which were made as
studies for etChinGs. With some con-
Guiding reflections tho author passes to
tho compilation Of good photography
and 70 the full chronological catalogue.
| which is. Of course. the principal justif-
cation OF his work. He adds a catalogue
~ the ctchnGs whose authenticity has
/ been denied. and, as though he could
not do enough for his subject. throws
/ I'm a finding list. which enables the
J reader TO turn quickly to- any given
plate In the eight catalogues preceding
! this one and. At last a subject index.
( II has been interesting TO test the
! seemingly elaborate but really very sim
! RE machinery Of this work. II viii bc
used with special appreciation by those
| who pursue their study Of the etchings
| in tho great collection preserved i'm the
| British Museum. but the collector every
where viii proHt by Mr.. Kinds help.
which bears upon the very mint and
| cummln Of connoisscurship. And what
makes the book peculiarly delightful TO
| consult is tho modest which
| he embOdics I'm his notes the fruits OF
wide reading and Of independent re-
search among the prints themselves. He
has. wi;hal the courage Of his ConviC-
/ lions. and Ii is celebrating to observe
his frank sympathy with those human
dement's in Rcmbrandt's art which fool
ish critics would sometimes so subordi-
nate 10 questions Of technique as TO put
/ tlem practically out Of court Rem
brandts experience of life" he says. rs
embodied in his work. and. as with Bee
! thovcn and most Of the greatest crea-
tors, the bittere3t experiences only deep
oned his sensibility and power of ex-
preston. The very strength If
his creation depended largely on its in
innate relation 10 the living experience
read a man who can deal with etchings
I'm this fashion, who realizes that great
art is not q matter OF manual dexterity
alone. but a matter OF ideas. We must
quote further passage:
A certain section OF modern artistic
thought has pressed the theory Of art for
arts sake TO dangerous limits. No one
indeed, has eXemplied better than Rem
brandt how entirely Independent of It's
subject IL the perfection OF work of art
Eut perfection has too often been con
fused with greatness Rembrandts ctch-
ing OF the Shell" however perfect would
scarcely justify us In calling him n greater
artist than liollar Whistler was unde-
niaby as skilful a master OF the needle
as Rembrandt, and I'm his treatment OF
luminous shadow he possessed a magical
touch never obtained by the old Dutch
master: but he is no nearer thereby 10 the
greatness OF Rembrandt than Dcbussy
with his perfect and delightful realization
OF certain atmospheric superficialties, TO
the mighty soul OF Beethoven. Once adj
hitting "A comparable degree OF technical
skill, II is the relative value of the inspir-
ing force behind that Is the true criterion
OF artistic greatness Whistler's work Is
trivial beside Rembrandt's. exactly I'm SO
far as problems of figure and design and
schemes OF tone and color are trivial be-
side the deepest emotions OF life.
Mr.. Hind did not need TO defend
Rembrandt's large Scriptural plates
against the attack Of the raDid Whistler
ian who a few years ago, portentously
announced to the world his opinion that
they were Spot boilers" but we are ..ot
sorry that he has done TO- inasmrch as