New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10

ne speaks with authority. A good book
that needed to be written, book well
printed and illustrated, it is Of value in
itself, and ii is further significant as
evidence of an ideal policy. A press
thus employed breaks ground in JuSt
the right direction. Everybody who has
followed the publications Of our uni
versites must admit that too many OF
them are devoted to theses which some-
times have a certain scientific value
but mean absolutely nothing to the
man Of letters or TO the general reader.
The present volume is a solid contribu-
ton TO the literature Of art, and 1t Is
distinctly interesting.
What makes Professor Marquand par
ticularly beguilIng in this instance is
the modest simplicity Of his work.
Content with knowing his subject, he
does not attempt to dogmatize about
il. There is not a trace in these pages
of the pedantry or the bounce 10
which so many OF our modern experts
author might even have expanded his
book by saying more than he has
chosen 10 say about his school OF
! sculpture. Congratulations on the whole
Della Robbian tradition from one who
has so thoroughly saturated himself
I'm IL would have been received with
warm appreciation. But Professor
Marquand has preferred 10 write a
catalogue, putting facts into the fore
ground and only Offering his critical
observations with casual breyity as he
goes along. Happily, however. this re-
straint does not leave his book a mere
bald compilation. There are clews for
the student here Take, for example,
IN opening passage OF the chapter on
Andrea della Robbia, with it's remarks
dinerentiating his work from that of
his uncle, Luca:
Lucas work was in great measure
concerned with the decoration OF lu-
uettes, vaults and OF exterior walls. An
drea continued this work. but more fire.
quently was called upon TO supply altar
pieces, large and small, reliefs Tor way
side shrines and for private chapels.
I.uca made few statues in the round;
these are more frequently represented
in the work OF Andrea. Among the most
beautiful OF Lucas works are his Ma
donnas. ttmid and shy, but true to his
lofty ideal OF womanhood Andrea was
eminently qualified TO follow In this line
and his reliefs rank with the most
beautiful OF all representations OF the
Madonna. our Lady, however Is no
] -. 4fuFt Faf
Pile She is seated on more or less
deliberately carved chair She wears
garments Of finer material, sometimes
highly decorated with floral ornaments
In these sentences and in others OF
kindred import Professor Marquand
gives the student constructive aid
where II is needed. He brings out the
remarkable sense OF color which Luca
possessed a sense OF color attributable
to no other member OF the school. He
indicates the specific qualities OF glaze
10 be looked for In the work OF An
drea. He puts his finger on the exact
traits detaching Giovanni from the
rest. In fact, as we go through this
book, rigidly systematic as II Is, we
profit by that broader Interpretation OF
works OF art which fixes in our mind
not only their historical significance,
but their subtler, more aesthetic quail
ties. IL Is obvious throughout that
this is a labor of love, that the author
feels the beauty that Is in his sculpt-
ures.
As for his strictly scientific task. the
enumeration and description of the
pieces under review and the settlement
OF questions Of attribution involved,