The "'rad° and its Masterpieces. By C. S. Ricketts. (A.
Con- stable and Co. .25 5s. net.)—This large and well-illustrated book is not one of those showy volumes which are so common, and of which the letterpress is the least important part. On the con- trary, Mr. Ricketts writes with learning and distinction of the pictures in that wonderful collection at Madrid. The critic seems equally at home in discussing the Spanish, Italian, or Netherlands school. Whether we turn to a description of "The Bacchanal" and "The Garden of the Loves" by Titian, or to an analysis of the qualities that give Velasquez his great position among painters, we are sure to find subtle and independent criticism. An important part of the book is the careful investi- gation made of the surface of many of the masterpieces, with the record of the damage done by restorers. The work is illustrated by fifty-four photogravures, some of which are large, and the pictures represented are many of them among the world's masterpieces. The volume is therefore a delightful one, as it is good both to look at and to read.
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