21 NOVEMBER 1896, Page 11

The Art Bible. (George Newnes.)—This is a copiously illus- trated

edition of the Old and New Testaments according to the authorised version. The illustrations, which must number at least six hundred, are, on the whole, good, we may say really illustrative. We must own that we put but little value on such pictures as that which serves as a frontispiece, "The Fifth Day of Creation," representing the flight of various birds. We know pretty well that the first winged creatures were of a very different aspect. Genesis i. does not lend itself to illustrations. Martin's pictures have a certain impressiveness about them, and would be expected, it is probable, by some readers. The new drawings of the " fancy " kind vary in value, but show, as a whole, the great advance in what we may call " veracity," that has taken place in this department of art. Such pictures as West's "Moses Receiving the Law on Mount Sinai " is no addition to the value of the book, nor is " Jacob's Ladder," though it is after Salvator Rosa. On the other hand, the figure of Abraham is good, and the representations of natural objects, birds, plants, &c., are all that could be desired.