PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 36

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

| Messrs Prictor and Ormiby send us Nos. 11 and 12 of " Stoddard's Portfolio of Photographs." The series has continued uniformly interesting up 'to the end,' which' is reached with No 12. No. 11 contains pictures *of noted scenes from all ' patts of tho world, and' very charming some of them are. What could be -prettier than the Bay of Naples, wibh smoke-c»pped Vesuvius in the distance P or what, could possess 'greater interest than the picture of Bethlehem or that of the Parthenon at Athens ? " The Beach at Atlantic City, New Jersey," gir«s a good idea of the. enjoyment obtainable at an American watering place, while two features of Holland are represented in its windmills and canals. Of the former it is said that a Hollander's wealth is often measured not by his bonds or mortgages, but by hia windmills. " How rich is such a mau ? " you may ask. " Oh, he is worth 10 J or 12 windmills," is the reply. Number 12 ia partly devoted to the old masters. Raphael's "The Madonna di San Sisto" in the D.esden gallery is thefirst of those pictureB t> This picture was painted as an altar piece in the j cloister of San Sisto, in 'Piacenz*, Italy, and wjw purchased for tha Dresden gallery by the King of Saxony in 1753 for £10,000. Raphael's " Transfiguration" and " The ImmaculftteConception " (Murillo) follow. Of the former it is supposed that the picture was designed by lUphael not merely to porteay the historical occurrence mentioned in the'Gospals, bub t«. symbelise' the contract between the joy and ,glory of heaven, and the .sorrow.and sufferings of .earth. "The Mountain of the Holy Oro»s, Colorado," is an interesting picture. On the < •ide of a weird arid impresiiv* peak in the Rooky Mountains has traced thetform of a gigantic cross. The firsures are filled with •enow, from which the peak itself is comparatively free, *ud hence .the cross is visible for -many miles. The Borgund Churoh, in (Norway, is another interesting reproduction. The <regret experienced at the finish of the series is certainly modifiel- by the posssibility of having tha numbers bound ia a substantial volume, .and thus preserved. The March number of the Art Journal, to hand from Messrs J. S. Virtue and Co., (Limited), London, is « really delightful issue. Th« frontispiece is an etching of what is justly described by the Journal itself as u one of the : jewels of Mr.M'Culloch'i collection, and one of the most remarkable pictures that French' art has .given us during the last decade." It is M. Dagnan-Bouveret's "Dans la Foret," first seen by tho public in ,1893 at the Salon of the Champ de Mars, and presented ia the Art Journal in etching by M. H. Manesse. In the clearing of a wood in some region of northern France a imill company of wood-

cutters have settled themselves (or rest and (heir midday meal, some on the ground, «on» on the failed tree trunk*, while the yoked oxen wait patiently, as '.happy in repose as their masters. Sturdy youth, grave;manhoed, *u<f green old age are all represented among the woodcutters and peasant* ; and fresh maidenhood, too, in the young fkl who, in her basket, now empty, has brought food to the party. Here, in this seemingly licnplo rustic scene depicted by M. Sdgnsn-Bouvcret we have pathos- of a 'higher kind. H« realise*, with the vision of the painter, as well v the intuition of the npirit finely attuned, a mood— under the magic spell of music — which enwraps and bring* for one moment into unity the eouls of these simple being*, all irre»i»tlbly drawn towards the same centre, »U held .together, while the spell lasts, by the same invisible yet gently compelling bond of sympathy. It would ■hardly be possible to imagine Ja greater contrast to M. Dagnan-Bouveret's canvas than Is presented by 'another of tbe moit important works in tho M'Culiooh coUgoUod, the "Fropos G^Unts " of 11. Ferdinand Rojbe*. .Speaking of this picture, Mr Phillips says ;' " Tbe subject, though it is certainly not « Tlirecfc imitation of mny one Netherlandish master of theieventeeath century, has a strong flavour of that time -and thoie regions. The male -partner in the flirtation isa.not particularly well-washed trumpeter, wboae clarion and slouched hat are-suggestive of Terborch, but whose variegated coot might, on i.b.o other hand, have come 'from Eastern Europe. Tbe Dulcinea, who, ' all amorous, billing, and cooing,' meeta hit advance* hittf way «f she sits plucking fowls, ti like Don Quixote's worshipped damsel, of coarse and irab»tar<tial build ; if not fair, shois oertaidy fat and forty." A selection ef the works of J. Xawfcon Wiagate, Rj3 A., \ with a - biographical notice of- the 'artist: ]by J. L. C.xw, is an atfractite feature .of the Dumber. Mr Wingate i« one of the many talented Scots who hare made the world's metropolis their home, but notwithstanding this his procures mostly savour of tthe land ayont the Tweed. Tho&e illustrates are all rural ecenei, and a charming selection they »re. ''Springtime," "The* Otra Corner," ''Wanderers," "Qnoifefi," "TheTVitch oMheWeod," "Summer Erening," eaoh'tells a tale of its own, and the accompaniment of words would be superfluous. ll Evf>lyne|" an original lithograph by the eccentric 3am«s M'Neill Whistler, preetnts features of interest wbioh many a more pretentious picture lacks'. Tho little girl, iv her long, full frock, ttands by a chair, one hand upon its arm, the other 'hanging by her side ; that is all. And yet she lives on the paper ; charming in herself, extinguished in the muster's presentment of this charm. The other subject* treated of are "^Collecting Japaneie Ait Treasures," ♦« The J?irst Cataract of Nile," "Tynecwstle Tapeitry," "Heredity in Art," " Decorative Art «i the Winter Exhibitions," " The Oia Masters' Exhibitions," ""PaMing Events," &c. It is mentioned that 100 copies of the etehiug "Dani la Foret," ligned by the artist, are for Rale at 21s each, which c htmld be a guarantee of the faithfulness of the reproduction.