VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1954, 10 January 1914, Page 9

VIEWS AND REVIEWS.

A Croat Sculptor and His Art. The greatest of all living sculptors, one of the greatest masters of plastic art tnnt tho world has ever known, is Augusta Kodin. Through tlio medium or photography many of his superb works, notably "The Thinker," his marble portraits of Balzac, Victor Hugo, his splendid study of Eve, his inspired conception of .John the Baptist, are known to a world far outside Paris. But oi' ths man himself, of his methods of work, his conception « what is tho true, bent and scope and meaning of tho art of which he is such a nobly eloquent exponent, the outside world has |ip to now known but little. All art lovers, especially those, like the majority of Xew Zealanders, to whom tho study, of Rodin's inspired craftmanship at first hand is impossible, should welcome the appearanco of a new and cheaper edition of a work which, 011 its first appearance a year or so ago, attracted widespread attention in European art circles. This is a translation, r>y Mrs. Romillv Fedden, of "Art by Auguste Rodin," from the French of Paul Gsell (Hoddcr and Stonghton; por S. and . Macicay). M. Gsell, who is an old friend and enthusiastic admirer of lvodin, acts'as tho interpreter of tho groat sea sculptor's opinions, not only on sculpture, but on other lorms of art. In successive chapters ho gives us, as far as possible in Rodin's own words, 'the artist-sculptor's views w "llcalism in Art," on "Modelling," on "Movement in Art," on "Drawing and colour," 011 "Tho Translation of Thought Into Art," on "Mystery in Art " 011 "Tho Art- of Phidias and Michel Angelo," 011 tho "Evolution of Modern Art."

Character fn Art. llodin is par excellence tho advocate, the cnampion of realism in art. Nothing -in Nature can, ho contends, bo truly deemed ugly. "In art onlv that winch has character is beautiful." On this theory lei the sculptor himself be hoard:—

Character is the essential truth of any. natural object, whether ugly or'beautiful; it is even what 0110 might Call a doubio truth, for it is I tho inaor .truth translated by the doubio truth, it is tho soul, tho feeling, -tho ideas expressed by tho features of a facc, by tho gestures aild actions of a human being, by tho tones of a siy, bv tho lines of a horizon. . . . There is nothing ugly 111 art save that which is without character, that, is to sav, that which offers no outer or" inner truth. . . . "Whatever is false, whatever is artificial, whatever seeks to bo pretty rather than expressive, whatever is capricious and affected, whatever smiles without motive, bends or struts without cause, is manner without reason; ail that is without soul and without truth; ail that is only a parado of beauty nnd grace; all, in short, that lies, ls ugliness in art. Especially interesting and instructive also lo ail who draw or paint or . model irom the human figure will bo the great sculptor' 3 views on ".Movement in Art," tho chapter 0:1 whiclt is. illustrates .by reproduction of ~ several well-known pictures and statues, not PW'. uy Kodin himself, , but- bv certain i'i% .predecessors >nd- contemporaries, i- J - , ! " s '"sistence-.on the importance or studying from the mule model, M. (.'sell gives some interesting particulars. Roden's contention is that tlio popular idea that tho lace is tlio only mirror of tho. soul is inadequate' and in accurate: ■ In reality," ho says, "there is f.'.not'. a muselo of the body which does not _ express ■ tho . inner variations of feeling. All speak of jov... s o r) 'o , ''V\fif!Ciithu ; siasni : 'br dc■iiSpair, of sdrc-mty'or madness.' 'Oiit-' strctcned arms, an. unconstrained "body, smilo'vitii as much sweetness as tho eyes or the lips. But to bo able, to interpret every aspect ' or ;tbc. flesh, one must -have been drawn patiently to spell out and to read tho pages of this beautiful .book., I ' — : —- A Modern Michael Angeio, There is not a chapter in this enlightening and fascinating record of Kodin's art theories and counsels which ia 110 u worthy of study by'the younr* artist or liiadellor. To tlio general reader also it will como as a useful guide, to tho clearer, and better coiicepton and appreciation of tho truly bcau-cil-ul:. in artistic presentment of nature, a .iid,-- incidentally, •as an -interesting .study : of tlio amiabie and fascinating, personality of tho greatest living sculptor, tho -.Michael- Angelo of liis time, the greatest genius in art that France has over produced. Tho illustrations are a notablo featuro of tho book. They include _ well-executed photographic reproductions not only of R-odin'a own most famous works, but of statuary and sculpture generally, and pictures by ,many other famous artists' of tho past and tho present. To a lover of art, of art in any form, this book of Mr. G sell's should bo inestimably welcomc. Mrs. i'edden's translation is laudably frco from stiffness. A Cift Book for Girls. A more than usually readable story for girls, "Hilda's .Expedition," by May Baldwin (Edinburgh,' \Y. and It. Chambers) arrived too lato for notice in my special articles on "Tho Gift Books of the Season." It i 3 never too late, however, to give a girl—or a boy—a supplementary present, and Miss Baldwin's story should lincl many New Zealand readers. It is tho story of a young i and .rather spoiled English girl, Uilda de Trafford, who goes out to Australia tor health reasons, to stay with an aunt and a boy and a.girl cousin. does not wish to go, and for a time finds colonial life very little to her liking. Her coldness to her relatives and their iriends wears off in time, and as licr Old Country prejudices gradually disappear, she becomes a much happier' girl and more agreeable companion. Miss Baldwin is very successful in reprodiictmg the general atmosphere of Australian up-country life, and English and colonial girl readers alike should find much genuine ontortainnient in her well told story. Mr. W. llainey contributes six well-drawn illustrations, effectively reproduced in colour. (Price, 55.). Liibor's Note Book. A new novel liy William Do Morgan is to appear in London this month, William Mcinoniann, as usual, belli'* tho publisher. The title is "When Ghost Meets Ghost." Mr. Do Morgan's two last novels wore somewhat disappointing. Let- us Jiopo ho may now repeat the success he achieved with his "Joseph Vance" and "Alice For Short."

A new long poem by John Maseficld, "Tile River," was to bo published in tho December number of "The English Review," in which it may lie remembered, "The Widow, in tho Bye Street," and "The Everlasting Mercy" first appeared.

A new novel by Arnold Bennett, "The Price, of "Love," commenced in the'.December (Christmas number) of "Harper's, Magazine, ■" cno of the oldest and still tho best of the American illustrated magazines.

Thosp who read and enjoyed Arthur Selmitzler's little play "Anatol," that delightfully clever satire on presentday Viennese society,- may lie interested to .'learn that English translations of two of'tlio.sanin author's novels, also dentin?; with Viennese life, have recently been published. - One is entitled '.'Hcrtiia Gashm." . The other, n much longer' and more, important story, is entitled ''The Road to the Open" (Der AVc;? ins I'reie). .'j'hp "Athonsciim" (November 29) aa.va that both books

"read excellently "in is certainly more than can some of tlu» English translaiions ;i of;Siitli eimann and liauptmann'.s'l)oo.Us.^r?^

Some months aso I ivnd in an Am/ri--ran paper that ing. He is still, however,• ih'~i'ho-1.1 of the living, for a new book of "Tho linave of Hearts," from his pen;', has just been published by Heisieniaiiiisjj Twenty-two of tho poems in the'voimiip: aro English renderings of, VerlaiiH'••

Tho November number t>! .'•T!iiyiSos;!>; mail" is notablo for an ,exce!ieiit.¥artirj ele on John Galsworthy .and ids hovel:?! and plays, from tho pen of ; Curio. The article is,fully illustrated' and a fine photogravuro i portrait?ofsMrj']; .Galsworthy, given as a supplement;/' should greatly interest the' Zealand admirers of the outliori'df Jjjh% Man of Property" and I "The'\Co'untry : ' House."

Leonard Merrick's novcls'' : arelhot;S;l? fancy, so well known' to .New' Zealand readers as thev-might he, "id \:-:;.uo latter-day fiction possesses in' a greater, degree the quality of cay olid sprightly, humour. I am glad to Merrick's stories are now' to'have tho' honour oi' being issued, in a., Collected Edition.

From "Tho World's ? Pauglit«r,"'>ljy Cyril llarcourt (.John Lane) comes, this amusing extract: —"Women like a/niar» who understands their clothes. may dress for each other —and "it ,is Quito a fallacy to suppose they l ? drcss : for men ; still tliey do liko a man .who has a feminino touch or two about him. . . ." A man who has a-medal with tlirea clasps and understands tho cut of a skirt is God's last word' in men." Needless to say, it is ono of tho female characters in the story who' isi responsible for tho above opinion

Yorkshiremeu who enjoyed' Mr; loy's excellent study of rural lifo. .in what "Tho Tykes" proudly claim to bo' the "biggest, bonniest, and best" of. English counties—"\Vindyridge".;',was : the title—will bo interested ■ that the story is now in its tenth'thousand, and that a handsome new edition will shortly bo issued, containing six coloured plates of tho moorland village, and its ■ surroundings in whic'a ine scenes of the story aro laid. -

Tho "Windsor Magazine" icr December (per S. and W. Mackay) is a very.; attractive issue, containing tures of the lirst importauce. For in-; stance, tliero is a long, complete story by Robert Barr, which is one of the most interesting picoes. of. work . ever' written by that lamented master of the. art of the short story. Mr. Barr com-:; pleted this subject for tho ."Windsor'.'; just before his much-regretted death." The strenuous romance ge modem lii'o in Canada is represented by a powerful story from the pen of Doif Wyilard/ Complete stories, serious and entertain? ir.g. aro contributed by writers of such varied talents as Frod'jl. White, Dornford Yates, and W. Outram Tristram..'; There is also a largo instalment of Gertrude Page's fascinating novel of Kho-:' dosian life, "Tho Pathway," which has" already made a moro marked success than any recent story published in serial form. Tho lino art.feature is a survey.; of .tho art, of Anna Lea Meritt," an Anglo-American painter, whoso work is'" 'deservedly popular on both sides of tho Atlantic. An excellent number.

SOME "RECENT FICTION.

THE LODGER, Mrs. Bolloc Lowndes, the author of "Tho L-odger" (Metliuen i-h'd Co.: per Whit-combo'and Tombs), has beeii greatly daring in. reviving tho lialf-forgotfeiY horrors of tljo-'" 1 the Kipper" crimes, and making "Tho Avenger" tho central figure -in her story. But with that singular, yet most striking, skill with which, in previous stories of crime, notably that powerful novel,'"The Chink in the Armour," she lias proved impossible to invest even the most gruesome crimes with, an atmosphere which - robs them of any open horror, she again succeeds in thrilling without in any way revolting her readers. Mr. Sleuth, "Tho Avenger," who comes lato ono winter's evening to ' tho dingy lodginghouso of a retired butler and ln's wife, who aro 011 the verge of ruin; who takes their best rooms; who spends some time in reading the Bible—with tho lielo of an ever-handy Gruden's Concordance—and who devotes; other hours to'.'mysterious "'scientific experiments. is a grimlv fascinating figure. How. poor Mrs..Bunting is first haunted by tho suspicion that slie is harbouring a maniac murderer: how she Slides her secret thoughts and fears from her nnid-dle-headed husband, and from the Scotland Yard detective, who is "courting" her daughter; how, after cncli succpnsivc crime, she is senii-wiraiysed with contending emotions of horror, and pity, and doubt as to the course _sho should pursue; and how, in tho end, the maniac escapes. Warning as a traitor, sush is tho irony of fate, the very woman who had so long held his fata in her hands,, and refrained from communicating, first, her suspicion, and later her certainty a{- lijrt, guilt to thi officer of the law —till tins is told with astonishing reserve, and an. equally remarkable literary skill. As a study of crime and tho reproduction of an atmosphere of human fear and Aoubt,"The Lodger" is the best thing its clever author has yet done. '

"MY WIFE'S HIDDEN LIFE." A % The dominant interest in "M,v Wife's" Hidden Life" (Hodder and Stoughton; per S. and W Mackay), is pathetic. The story, tho author of which preserves his or her anonymity, is supposed to be told by a suburban bank manager, of ordinary, everyday tastes, whose v.'ifc- is greatly his intellectual superior. At first tho menago is reasonably happy, but as greater prosperity comes to the husband, it is accompanied by a further development of his naturally eelfisb. material and sensual nature, ami half fa>. ciliated, and more than half -deliberately' bsguiied by a vulgar . but beautiful',' woman, who had hoped to marry him,ho enters upon an intriguo which in the cud brings about tho death of his-wife. After her death he finds her journal. This is printed in full, and is a. curiously' fascinating, if somewhat morbid human document. Trent, tho selfish and pleasure-loving banker, is weli drawn," and the wife, though at first a rather shadowy figure, emerges in iior journal as a most lovable and mueh-to-be-pitied creature.- The subsidiary characters, notably tho mischief-causing Hand Lacy, aro perhaps loss convincing. As'a psychological'study, "My Wife's .■ ■HiddenLife," the author of which, by the way;. I strongly snspjet to bo a woman,- is; a' story decidedly above tho A CANADIAN STOftY. Ifarokl I'indloss may always he depended on for a good, wholesome,..rea 7 . sonabiy exciting, and cortaivlv readable novel. !n "The. Alliiioon Honour" (Ward, Loci; and Co.; per S, and* W.l Maekay). tho scene is cneo asrein laid for. tho mor.fc part in Canada, ihe ■ interest: centring round Andrew AUiuson, l!:e rlii?f, hit long the sleeping partnerin Allinsnn's Kaul;. who gets out to the' far north of Ontario to investigate;the, affairs of a mining enterprise, in the' promotion of which his brother-in-law,-an unscrupulous fellow, has involved the firm. As a matter of fact, the mine is a rank duffer, and greatly to tho disgust of the brother-in-law, the senior nartner returns to England and exposes to the shareholders in Llie company tho truo state of ati'ai rs. Also, he generously makes over to them a share in a rich' silver mine which-ho has disevored in the far north. There is a plwsant incidental love story, and the Canadian scones especially aro vigorously ami! oonvincinalv dcj)ict«d, 1 ■■■~!