The New York herald., 1921-12-25
History of Art
By Ellie Faure

The History of Art" by Ellie Faure.
translated from the French by Walter
Pach. has just appeared from the press
of Harper & Brothers. 1t proves to be
a solidly built book. in keeping with.the
solid matter within the covers, which Is
fortunate, for the volume will straight
way find its way into all reference Ii
braries, there to do valiant service.
Ellie Faure is one of the French writer's
specially recommended by a recent in
ternational committee to American
readers, and with reason, for we have
no one like him. Ellie Faure Is a physi-
clan and lecturer upon economic and
ethical questions at the Universite Pop
ulaire He has q vast amount of leafn-
Ing. he Is genuine savant-and he has
deep interest in art. Therein he is
different from our savants. His HIS
tory of Art" might be called history
tested by. art or history proved by
art, for always he sees the poets and
artists writing and painting uncon-
sciously In larger figures than they
know-the true historians of the world.
NJ. Faure is far removed from the dry
as-dust type OF historian. He aims. on
tho contrary. to be poet-historian. and
his sympathy with creators may be
SSen III tue lOllpWllS peTOrdllOH from Ills
preface:
"The obscure and formidable voice
which reveals 70 man and to woman the
beauty OF woman and man, and impels
them to make decisive choice so that
they may perpetuate and perfect their
species. never ceases to resound to the
artist, strengthened and multiplied by
all the voices and murmurs and the
sounds and tremblings that accompany
it,. That voice-he Is forever hearing 1t.
every time that the grasses move, every
time chat q violent or graceful form
proclaims life along his pathway.
"He hears II as he follows, from the
roots TO the leaves, the rise OF the sap
from under the earth TO the trunks and
the branches OF che trees, every time
that he looks at the sea rising and fall
ing as If to respond to the tide of billions
of life cells that roll in it, every time
that che fructifying force OF heat and
rain overwhelms him. every time that
the generating winds repeat to him that
human hymns are made UP of the calls
to voluptuousness and hope with which
che world is filled He seeks out the
forms which he forsees. as a man or an
animal in the grip of love seeks them.
His desire passes from one form to an
other, he compares them pltilessy, and
from his comparisons there springs
forth, one day. the superior form, the
idea whose recollection will weigh on his
heart so long as he has not impaired his
own ire TO Il. But around him. and
fifty centuries after him, he consoles
millions of men. The work he will leave
behind him will assure an increase OF
power to those who can understand the
logic and the certitude OF his images.
In listening 10 him. men will enjoy the
Illusion which he enjoyed for moment
the illusion. often formidable but ale
ways ennoblng. of absolute adaptation
There are to he four volumes OF this
history, the first being devoted to
study OF the ancients, and subsequently
medieval, Renaissance and modern art
will be considered. Possibly there VIII
be CONSERVATION In certain quarters
when the Modern Art is published. foi
In II NJ. Faure shows himself as un-
afraid of contemporary conditions and
those who express IL In art, as he was
of the cond itions and records of life
In the past. But there is never any
quarrel in regard 10 the psychologists
Of artists who are well dead. so 1t can
be promised that there will be none TO
quarrel with the first innocent volume
upon the anclents.
II begins with the period before his
tory and deals with the early frescoes
in certain caves in France. Spain and
Switzerland proceeds through the story
Of Egypt takes up the conditions that
preceded Greek art and finally and elo.
quontly shows how welded Greek art
was to life. The Illustrations are fire.
quenty unusual and always pertinent