The Portfolio. No 35: Peter Paul Itubens. (Seeley and Co.)
— After excepting a few phrases of artistic or Eesthetic slang we have nothing but praise for Mr. Stevenson's monograph. There is something affected, for instance, about the phrase," a big, vital man." The personality of the painter is neither obtruded nor obscured. We are told just what is wanted for the proper under- standing of his art. The art itself, which shows an enormous bulk of production, is treated with excellent judgment. Rubens was a great picture-contractor. Some of his letters, which he pro= bably did not intend for public reading, give quite frankly the details of his factory. He offers, for instance, to Sir Dudley Carleton, ten pictures, of which half only, and these apparently not the most important, were "entirely by his own hand." Could all the paintings that bear his name be collected they would fill a good half of our National Gallery. The illustrations of this number are as abundant and good as usual. The two principal are "Jacqueline de Cordes" and "Le Jardin d'Amour." Among the eight illustrations in sepia there is none more thrilling than the drawing of the Duke of Buckingham. The powerful, sinister face, with eyes that remind us of St. Peter's phrase, "cannot cease from sin," quite haunts the memory.
The Era Annual contains, in addition to the calendar and other information that might actually be expected in a periodical devoted to the drama and music, a host of very readable. stories, anecdotes, and descriptive articles. Of these the most considerable, if not also the most important, is a paper giving studies of the hands of distinguished actors and actresses, froni which we gather, among other things, that Mr. Beerbohm Tree "has the promise of a good long life if he is careful, but should not go on working after fifty-two." Some of the stories are rather slight and farcical ; but Miss Warden's "That Poor
Burglar !" is very entertaining. •
Previous page
