Shorter Notices
A Miniature History of European Art. By R. H. Wilenski. (Oxford Unix ersity Press. 6s.) A Miniature History of European Art. By R. H. Wilenski. (Oxford Unix ersity Press. 6s.)
THIS book purports to set down a precis of the whole of European art since its origins in the caves of primitive man unto its present stage of development in the air-raid shelters of contemporary civilisation. It requires considerable ability to achieve this aim in eighty-three pages, and with few notable omissions Mr. Wilenski succeeds in covering the field. The author's work is always lucid, well documented and unpretentiously written, but though he indulges, as he states in his preface, in very little subjective expression of personal preference, certain of his references to individual artists seem to me too caustic for so objective a standard. Turner's paintings are labelled "concoctions," Constable is dismissed as a painter of imitation Dutch pictures "with rather brighter greens" and Gainsborough's only acknowledged attribute is his ability to catch a likeness in the manner of Vandyke. Be that as it may, this little book will be of value particularly to those of us, taken up with particular periods or individuals in art, who wish to keep the perspective of time, stature and development in proportion. Where we are at odds with Mr Wilenski is in his references to the exact similarity of the artist and the research scientist. We do not see the artist in this or any other age as a research scientist since, unlike science, we do not consider that art. except in minor forms, is practised and created exclusively in the service of man, even today. Furthermore, though acknowledging temerity, we do not share all Mr. Wilenski's opinions as to the changes in the nature of art since its origins. But these criticisms relate only to the " epilogue " newly added to this edition, and in this epilogue the author has very sound things to say about how civilisa- tion treats the artist. The actual history itself is well paved to its essentials, and if it goes too far in the pruning, in that it is too brisk with the art of Flanders and makes no reference whatever to sixteenth century German art, this is presumably inevitable in so difficult an undertaking, but to devote three lines to Eric Kennington and not so much as to mention William Blake seems to be going too far. The next edition would benefit by six more pages as the present edition has benefited by three new illustrations.
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