THE MAGAZINE OF FINE ARTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2720, 2 May 1906, Page 65

THE MAGAZINE OF FINE ARTS.

A Review of the Fine and Decorative Arts of Other Days (March). London : George Ne-wnes (Limited) ; Is net. With every succeeding issue the publishers of this splendid magazine seem bent en showing how secure they have made themselves against any risk of failure. The March number has the same artistically attractive freshness and variety which graces

its forerunners. For ihos© who are blessed) with a love of the beautiful «t- the— lavish array of pioronal and other reproductions forms an endless enjoyment, while the special articles afford the best of good reading. These are from the pens of British and Continental authorities of the highest standing, and in all instances criticism, as it should do. plays second fiddle to exposition. In this as in every respect the new magazine compares very favourably with its most ably conducted contemporaries, the marvel being that it can be produced at all at .the modest price asked for it. The first paper in the present issue has for subject "Maurice Quentin De La Tour," and ia from the pen of M. Raymond Bouyer. Quite apart from the eeven fine examples of De La Tour's pastel portraiture which adorn it, this racy description of a characterful Frenchman, with the eiglrteenth-cen-tury society he moved in, and whose men and women he portrayed, reads meet delightfully. De La Tour. " without creating any distinctions, immortalised alike actress and queen, bourgeoise and great lady, blue-stocking and gossip," and there are many piquant itens of a personal 'kind regarding his sitters and friends in. those gicidy pre-revolution days. Of tnor© sober import is Mr Frederick -Wedmoire's article,' j "The landscape of G. F. Watts." This i greafr- allegorical painter is but little known r as having worked -at landscape, but ther-12 illustrations given show that Watte paintedlandscape and put the "-am« impressive quality into it as into his belter-known work. Sir J.\ D. -Linton, R.1., contributes a one-page note on ".The Drawings of "John Downmin, A.R.A\," nine oif whose exquisite performances in pencil and tint are given in full-page colour plates. All •are- very fine, but th-c flower of t<W -'tot is Downman's "Portrait of Miss Abbott," a lady whoso winsome beauty could hardly fail to incite ■ the artist to his betst possible achievement. Another fine paper, throbbing with liveinterest, is that by -Mr Ralph Straps iipon "John Baskerville: Prinier and Artist." This famous English printer, a man of varied talente, and struggle? ttnd triumphs ac varied, is well worthy ci the £ood account here given of him eight facsimiles of title pages from his most notable achievements in -topography accompanying the paper. Among other papers is one -with 20 illustrations descriptive of "The Eighth Exhibition of the Arts and Crafts Sccietv." Mr Lewis F. Day being the writer. Mr L. Intjleby Wood discusses " The- Value of Old Pewter-ware " in an article with 21 illustrations showing many handsome specimens of jugs, etc., in this,, old-time alloy. Mr E. Alfred Jones has a second article, with 10 iilusirations, um>n " Some , Old Silver. Communion Plate of English Nonconformity." Mr Nigel Bond gives account of " Some More Houses Preserved by the National Tru&t " (five illustrations), while- " Notes and Comments from the Principal Art Centres" have oix illustrations, among them some fine examples of book-plates of various dates. The frontispiece is a full-colour eqpy, pf.Benozzo Gozzoli's picture; '"The Rapg-of Helem Wife of Jilenelaue, King of Sparta." This ia one of the finest possible examples of ing without perspective— a real .curiosity of mediaeval 4 composition. Among the othor supplemental plates is a-=v6ry fine mounted monotone of Turner's picture, **Yacht« Racing in the Sole-nt."