Pictures of War Work in America. By Joseph Pennell. (Lippin-
cott. 9s. net.)—In a former volume dealing with war work in Eng- land Mr. Pennell proudly announced " I do not believe in war," and in the present work he reiterates this sentiment, adding : " I do not see why some pictorial record of what is being done to carry on the war should not be made—made from an artist's stand- point—for we are in it—being in the world—but I am not of it." This sentence is the clue to the ineffectiveness of the drawings. They are soulless. Compare them with Mr. Muirhead Bone's and the difference is apparent. There is an artistic weakness and uncer- tainty of aim contrasting with the strong, manly work of Mr. Bone. Of course Mr. Pennell is enormously clever, but there is a sameness about these drawings which is not merely due to same- ness of subject. The absence of definition becomes wearisome, and the oneness of treatment—crumbling darks and scratchy lights— monotonous. This peculiar technique would show to much greater advantage if some drawings with a different method had been included.
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