BOOK REVIEWS. 633 



with the subject manifested by the writer; also from the numerous most 

 excellent illustrative engravings. 



It is certainly a very opportune time for the sale of such a work in the 

 United States, since wc are as a people rapidly becoming imbued with a love 

 of ai't in its higher and truer forms. As the author says, "we are evidently 

 entering upon a period of art development that shall crystallize the still un- 

 formed and unorganized art talent ot the community into art schools such 

 as have distinguished the Old World." In order to do this successfully and 

 systematically it is necessary for us to study art in other countries and 

 among other peoples for the purpose of obtaining a clear idea of the philos- 

 ophy of its growth and pr6gress. The object of the author is to furnish us 

 with a correct and comprehensive account of European art in its present 

 condition. 



Dividing the subject into the three heads of Contemporary Art in Eng- 

 land, France affd Germany, he first takes up that of England, and enters 

 enthusiastically upon the subject, describing with minuteness the various 

 art schools, such as the Eoyal Academy, the South Kensington Museum, the 

 Grosvenor Gallery, &c., dwelling with artistic warmth upon the enormous 

 amount of capital, labor and public interest expended upon art by the Eng- 

 lish people and government. After devoting more than fifty pages to a 

 description of English artists of all classes, and works of art in every depart- 

 ment of art including architecture, ceramic art and household art and 

 illustrating them with w^onderfullj^ fine portraits of painters and represen- 

 tations of their characteristi-c productions, he seems to yield the palm to 

 such artists as Millais and Leighton, and to conclude that some of the best 

 work done in England is of the Decoration class. 



Speaking of French art, he takes the position that no people ever had 

 the art instinct more generally diffused, and that while the character of 

 modern French art is sadly dej)raved, still it is due to the demoralization of 

 the race, and that the responsibility rests with the public which demands such- 

 art ; that while it is desirable that good art should be pure art, yet it may 

 be technically of a high order while its moral tendencies may be debasing. 

 That the original artistic genius of the nation continues in full force without 

 any decline in vitality cannot be doubted. This is due, first to the natural 

 talent of the people, and second to the fact that the French government has 

 always fostered the growth of art by wise and far-seeing legislation and 

 liberal appropriations. To such causes is attributable the immense gal- 

 leries of Paris and the wonderful concentration of artists and art production 

 which has caused the business connected with them to engross the attention 

 of a large number and to employ perhajDS a larger capital than any other 

 legitimate business in the city, except that of hotels and restaurants. 



Prominent among the government institutions for the encouragement of 

 art are the Academic des Beaux Arts, the Ecole des Beaux Arts, the annual 

 Exhibition of the Salon, the Hotel Drouot, besides which there are numerous 

 public and private galleries, art clubs and art schools. 



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