New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-11
A Classical Work on North
Italian Art.

4 precious service is being rendered
10 the student by the house Of Murray
i'm London and the house Of Scribner
in New York. Several years ago these
publishers projected new edition OF
the invaluable History Of Painting IN
Italy." by Grove and Cavalcaselle.
They have nearly completed that fine
enterprise. and now they have brought
out in three handsomely printed ana
lavishly illustrated volumes new edi-
ton Of that other great book by the
same authors. "A History OF Painting
i'm North Italy" This is, indeed, moth
ing more nor less than vital boon.
The original edition is more than forty
wears old. Since il appeared the ltera-
ture OF the subject has increased enor-
mouslv i'm bulk. and contains much by
which Grove and Cavalcaselle would
have delighted to profit. But Mr.. Tan
cred Borenius, who edits and annotates
the present edition, while asserting the
appositeness Of his functions neverthe-
less records that 1T is remarkable III
how many instances their instructive
rightness Of judgment has been fully
confirmed" We especially appreciate
that phrase. their instructive right
ness of judgment" because it is for
their judgment quite as much as FOR
| their extraordinary mass of facts that
Grove and Cavalcaselle are to be treas
ured. We turn, for example, 10 the
| chapter on Carpaccio and hit upon
passage like the following:
without any poetry or fancy he was
I fertile in invention and Illustration OF IN
! cident, earnestly impulsiVe In the concep-
| ton and rendering Of movement. win
greater sternness than Giovanni Bellinl.
but without his nObleneSs in bearing. ne
, rivalled Signorelli i'm Vehemence ana
! abruptness of action. We cannot ma one
instance in which he sacrificed his mass
TO finished detail though few could sur
pass him IN minute ornament OF drapery
or architecture CONSCIOUS AT an
times OF his power 10 put every part of
picture in its place by local tint as well
as by linear perspective. he never shrank
from attempting the most difficult effects
of sunlight on fields on hills. on water
or on building. lie was rough i'm
his touch. dusky and red i'm flesh tone
coarse and black In outline; but what he
lacked i'm sentiment of color was compen-
stated by the application of scientific laws;
and i'm the midst OF hard, staring pri-
maries. where no attempt Is made 10 fuse
and blend the paint he pits one shade
against the other and produces harmonic
chords
There is more in this chapter on Car
paccio ..hich we would like TO quote,
but the foregoing will suffice TO Illus
trate the just and sensitive criticism OF
these authors, their swift penetration
to the true artist working always oe-
meath the story teller in this type of
Venetian painting. 1t is "A long work.
ranging through the rich school OF
Venice, among all those other potent
groups on the mainland. at Padua and
Mantua. at Vicenza and Ferrara, and
so on through an enchanted land IN
which masters flourish innumerable
and luxuriant. Wherever we go We
follow two Incompatible guides, whose
erudition never made them heavy
handed. who kindled TO their work
with an infectious ardor. Mr.. Borenius.
equally respectful and alert, annotates
them superlatively well. His notes arc
packed with useful information, with