SOME ART PUBLICATIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8338, 25 January 1913, Page 10

SOME ART PUBLICATIONS

EODIN THE CHEAT. Auguste Rodin has hoop called ‘tho Michael Angelo of tho Nineteenth Century." “The sculptor who has translated poetry into marble" ia another and equally eulogistic title given to the creator of tho “Ponseur," “Tho 1 maker, “JLo Raiser” ("The Kies"), and Oihei superb works of sculpture by which the inline of Auguste Rodin has become world famous. Duo allowance made, ter extravagance of enthusiasm by his aunurer», there can be little doubt that Rodin must rank an ‘‘easy first" amongst modern sculptors. In. England, Pomeroy, anti tho Victorian, Bertram McKcnnal, avowedly owe much to him; in America, the late Augustus St. Oamiens acknowledged himself " a humble follower. A low weeks ago a little hook on "Rodin and His Art," by a Polish lady, was noticed in the*® columns, .Since then a larger and much more important work has appeared. "Art,” by Auguste Rodin (London, iloddor and Stoughton, per S. and W. Mackay). In this volume AI. Xaul Gsell records a series of ■conversations ho has had with tho famous sculptor, not merely on Rodin's own art, but upon tho great oonip tor’s view's, preference (and advice to young painters and sculptors; on modern art generally. The conversations, or "interviews” they were more correctly called, for the part played by M. Geell, seems to have been simply of recorder, have boon translated by Mrs Romilly Trodden, and reveal tho principles and methods of Rodin a art as they Karo never been revealed before. It is clear that tho groat French sculptor prides himself upon being true to tho host Greek traditions in his roversaco for Nature. "X obey Nature in every thing." I never pretend to ‘ command hor." Mo has boon accused of glorifying tho ugly. His reply is that in Nature there is do such thing as tho ugly. "Only that which has character is beautiful.” ho says. IBs ambition has been and is to translate thought and poetry into marbilo. "The human boddy & tho mirror of tho soul," ho;says, tho poee of a torso, the lino of an arm. aro merely tho outer evidence of- an inner spiritual emotion. It is tho same with •U art: "a lovely landscape does not appeal only by too agreeable, sensation that it inspires, but by tho ideas that it ivirakens. Tho lines au-cl tho colonra do not mo to yon in themselves, but by tho profound meaning that is in them.

Tho sculptor, to ho successful in his pourtrayal of Nature. must so ar.d sot behind and underneath the mere suriaco. "If" ho says, “tho artist only reproi due os features ns photography does, if fee copies the lineaments of a taco exactly Without reference to character, ho deserves no admiration. The bianco which ho ought to obtain is that of the soul; that alone matters; it is that which the sculptor or painter should seek beneath tho mask of features. And. again: “Ton speak of a face without expression. There is no muon xaco to tho artist. To him every head is intereoting. Let a sculptor not© tho insipidity of a face. Ist him show na a fool absorbed in bis care of worldly parade, and there wo have a fine bust." “I; nave done my best; I have not lied; X have never flattered my contemporaries.. My busts have often displeased because they were always very sincere. They certainly have one inoxit—voracity.'”

In successive chapters M. Gsell records tho opinions of Rodin on many varying phases of art. not only tho art which finds exemplification in works of marble. hut on many oilier forme. Tho sculptor's analysis of “Tho Beauty of Woman” is specially frank, original, and thought-compelling, but indeed there is hardly a page in the boot which does not enshrine pome beautiful thought, some expression of the depth and truth of tho master’s artistic convictions and principles. The illustrations, of which there are a largo number, have been ohoeen with a wiiklom all tho more welcome in that it,is so frequently absent in books dealing principally with tho art of one man. Wherever Eodin seeks to stress Ids point by reference to same well-known work by one of tho old masters, or by eome contemporary artist, a reproduction of tho picture or piece of sculpture referred to is given. Besides those, a loug scries of illustrations of Rodin's own famous works is also given.

A FAMOUS FRENCH REALIST. A now series of art monographs is being published by Mr Win. Heaueniann, under the title ol “French Artists of Our Buy." Tho volumes aro well printed on an agreeably toned paper, the binding being paper boards, with a mounted half-tone illustration on tho front cover, of on© of the more famous pictures by tho particular artist whoso life and work are dealt with. Early volumes aro: “Courbet,” By Leonco Bencdito, Curator of tho Luxembourg; “Manot," by Louis Hourticq, Inspector of Fine Arts of tho Town ol Pans; and “Purvis do Chavannes,” by Andro Michel, Professor at ■ tho Ecolo d' Louvre. Tho series makes a capital start With M. Benedite’a “Courbet” volumes. Born in the Franoho Corate, in ISI3, Courbet was for many years ono of tho moot prominent figures in tho art world of Paris. His work was characterised by a rudo vigour and a contempt for academic tradition, alike of drawing and colour, which aroused most uncompromising opposition from tho artistic powers that were of the forties to tho seventies of the last century. Tho artist was not a man to wear down adverse criticism by strenuous yet modestly presented work.

Courbet was overbearing and quarrelsome, and oven his warmest champions admit and cannot play the apologist for his overweening vanity, his complete disregard of all tha canons of good tasto in controversy, and hia persistent bellicosity. As hia latest biographer says; '■Ho had an enormous and rather gross appetite for fame, a Pnntagruelesquo thirst for glory. At all costs ho must have neoplo talking about him; ho was perpetually outdoing himself in his efforts to astonish. always on the look out for a fresh opportunity of shaking the public, into attention, when weary and astonished, it turned its eyes away from him. Ho refused the Cross of tho Legion of Honour, ho held an exhibition of his own Aaiutings when the committee of tho Salon rejected them; ho gloried in tho fact that tho Empress Eugenio had termed his “Fcmimo a la Perroquol” disgusting; ho lived a rebel to tho last, to become Manictro dea Beaux Arts under (he Communo and to take a leading part in that crowning stupidity of “red’ - iconoclasticism, the destruction of the Napoleon Column in tho Placo Vcndomo. All this admitted, ho was a great artist, ho was more, a great genius. A realist ho prided himself upon being, and as a realist his placo iu artistic history is alongside Corot ami Mil it. Tho poetry of tho former his works never hud, but ho had nil Corot’s reverence for sheer truth. Ho led tho way in French art for the new renaissance in which men Lko Manet, Fantin Labour. Monet, Bench-. Degas, and tho Traprossdonifits wore to bo evolved. Mr’hid lor was onco his pupil; he is a prominent figure under a slight disguise, in Zola’s "(Vnvre.” As M. Bonedito puts it, “His virile, frank craftsmanship produced a reaction against the equivocal practices of academic painters or the degenerate romantics, and gave birth to a whole group of men wheso work is of vital importance iu our artistic history.’’ His. work is described and criticised in detail in this excellent monograph, winch is_ illustrated by close unon fifty reproductions ct his most famous paintings. Not the least interesting feature of the hook is its collection of sketches of the personality of Courbet and his contemporaries by vanire hands. (Price. A (kid

THK COLOUR I’RIXT IX EXCELS!*. The progress made in the art of colour, printing has of lute found such quite wonderful expression that each roar it

becomes more difficult to adequately appraise the exact advance that; is bong recorded. tJndoubtedly there have been failures in what is called the threecolour process when tho work of certain artists has had to bo reproduced, but in breadth and variety of manipulation the process has gained, so greatly within the last live or six years that to-day crudities aro but low and far between, and tho general average is ono of quite astonishing excellence. It has been said that tins is due, to somo extent at least, to a recognition by tho artist whoso work is produced that certain original colour effects are more accurately and moro artistically reproduced by process work than aro others. W’ero all an production to ho dominated and dictated—as to exact form —by tho exigencies of tho three colour or any other mechanical process, it would bo an evil day for good and true art. .But without sacrificing any originality or clamant truth in ins colour scheme there is no reason why tho I artist—always granting that ho is in this instance painting specially' with a view to mechanical reproductionshould nut endeavour ns far os possible to meet the colour printer, as it were, half way. That this is now being moro widely* recognised accounts, no doubt, for tho vastly improved effects now being achieved.

A better example of colour printing in Us highest, most artistic form, could not perhaps bo found than in t'ho beautiful edition of "Romeo and Juliet" recently published by Iloddor and Htoughtou (Wellington: Whitcombs and Tombs). Tho artist whoso work is reproduced. Air W. Hatlioroli, R. 1., contributes twentyfive illustrations, which in soundness of draughtsmanship, and delicacy of colour scheme, afo quite fascinating.' There is no garishness, no stridency of colour, hut a lender harmonious beauty, most admirably consonant with tho charm of tho text. Air HatboreU is at his host in his figures —lda Juliet -is a particularly successful creation—but his backgrounds aro most picturesque. Tho artist’s efforts have been well seconded by tho colour printer, who has reproduced tho atmospheric quality of certain of tho drawings with quite striking success. In addition to tho colour prints several drawings aro reproduced. Tho text is beautifully printed in a largo, bold type, without any meddlesome notes or ohtrnsivo introduction, t'ho specially designed "end papers" aro as effective as they aro truly artistic, and the binding is appropriately tasteful. Hero, indeed, is an. edition of Shakespeare’s immortal play which should afford joy unalloyed to all lovers of “tho book beautiful."