CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Portfolio. March, 1876. (Seeley and Co.)—With the exception of an engraving from M. Ronsselet's " India and its Native Princes," the illustrations to this month's number are all etchings. The first, and the only one of any considerable merit, is a reproduction of the portrait of Gerard Dow, in the collection of the National Gallery. This is one of M. Rajine's etchings, and though not to be compared with many others that he has done from the same collection, yet it is, on the whole, a faithful rendering of the picture, though the shadow on the right-hand side of the face seems rather too marked, and the background hurried and coarse in execution. The next etching is by Mr. Ernest George, and represents a portion of the interior of the Abbey of St. Albans. This picture, though not so hard and deficient in tone as are many of this artist's architectural illustrations, does not strike us as being a good example. The third etching, by M. Queyrot, is one of a street- corner in Chinon, a small French town on the River Vienne, and is uninteresting in subject and poor in treatment. The letter-press is of the usual order of merit. Mr. Wornnm contributes a few historical notes on Gerard Dow ; Mr. Simcox has one of the little essays, entitled "Over-Production," of which he has written so many in this periodical; there is a great deal about St. Albans, and apparently a great deal more to come before the account will. be finished ; end lastly, Mr. Hamerton concludes the number with a continuation of his notice of Turner, in which he finds occasion to dwell on the various influences, natural and social, which help to make up an artist's life and the manner of his art. On the whole, lit; number is a fairly interesting one, though running too much to words.
Previous page
