536 CHARLES CALLAHAN PERKINS. 



had not yet been adequately set forth, and Mr. Perkins applied him- 

 self to the task of writing it. With characteristic thoroughness he 

 critically examined all accessible examples of this school, and the 

 documents which bore on the life and works of its masters from the 

 beginninor of the thirteenth to the end of the sixteenth century. 3n 

 1864, he published "The Tuscan Sculptors," carefully and admirably 

 illustrated by himself. In 1868, this was followed by " The Italian 

 Sculptors," a history of the art in the other Italian cities during the 

 same period. These works were immediately recognized as the stau- 

 dard authorities on the subject, and such they are still acknowledged 

 to be. 



His labors on these and kindred subjects were never discontinued 

 durins: his life. He edited an American edition of Eastlake's " Hints 

 on Household Art" in 1872, and Von Falke's "Art in the House," in 

 1879. In 1878 he published a work on Raphael and Michel Angelo, 

 and in 1883, the "Historical Handbook of Italian Sculpture." He 

 wrote for the Arundel Society an account of the Sepulchral Monu- 

 ments of Italy. He gave much time and labor, as critical editor, to 

 the Cyclopaedia of Painters and Paintings, of which two volumes were 

 published during his life. His last completed work, written in French, 

 was entitled " Ghiberti et son Ecole," — " une magistrale etude," 

 says so competent a judge as M. Charles Clement. At the time of 

 his death he had begun a History of the Handel and Haydn Society, 

 a part of which has been published, and was engaged upon some 

 writings showing the connection between art and natural forms in 

 plants and animals. 



Strongly convinced of the dependence of every artist, even the most 

 original, upon the examples and the ideals which surround and impress 

 him, he took great pains in all his historical work to point out the 

 influences which helped to form the masters of whom he treated ; and 

 it is this method, not less than the careful exposition and judgment of 

 their work, which gives his books a permanent value. As a critic of 

 art, whether old or modern, he was discriminating and just, but he 

 loved the mercy that seasons justice. He was always more anxious 

 to find merits than faults. A harsh criticism seemed to give him 

 positive pain. 



Since the sculpture of which he wrote could be seen only in Europe, 

 his books could be judged only by European students. Their verdict 

 of appreciation and api^roval has been decided and well maintained. 

 It is no slight evidence of the esteem in which his work was held, 

 that, in 1869, he was chosen by an almost unanimous vote to be one 



