29 JUNE 1912, Page 9

The History of Silhouettes. By E. Neville Jackson. (The Con-

noisseur. 10s. (3d. net.)—England seems early to have taken to the black profile portrait, for it appears Mrs. Pyburg "cut" the portraits of William and Mary ; and in this book the art is traced in the work before us from the early times down to Phil May. The Velazquez of the art was the Frenchman Edouart, who came over here in 183(3, but nowhere was he so happy as in his American portraits. All his work is stamped with keen appreciation of character and his figures are full of life. Indeed, in turning over the pages of this book Edouart's work asserts itself in an astonishing way. The National Portrait Gallery has lately acquired a portrait of Sir Walter Scott by this artist, which Mr. Jackson reproduces : ibis full of individuality.