Mcissonier : his Life and his Art. By Vallery C.
0. Gre'ard. Heinemann.)—No trouble has been spared in making the illustra- tions to this bulky book worthy of its subject. A profusion of reproductions both of the sketches and of the pictures of the master are to be found here. After a short memoir we are given a number of Meissonier's sayings on art and things in general. These sayings are pointed, and contain much interesting art criticism. Here are two :—" A master is an artist whose works never recall those of some other artist." "Harmony of parts, unity of impression, make up the charm of small things and the strength of great ones." When he complained that Wagner's music was unintelligible, a friend said, "Wait, the light will come." He answered, "But why should I be left in the dark meanwhile ? " This answer was characteristic of the man. He had a passion for the definite and the exact. He said, "My paint- ing leaves no room for conjecture." This is no doubt true, and is one of the reasons why his painting never rose above the level of fine scholarly prose. He was tireless in his researches as to details. He discovered with enthusiasm that in the days of Diderot linen was cut on the cross ; and that Napoleon's great- coats were made large enough to go over his epaulets. Meissonier was doubtless the prince of costume-painters, and to some minds his enormous power of painting minute details is very attractive. But with such pictures we ought always to consider how much of the interest excited is produced by wonder at the smallness of the work, and how much by the real spirit of art.
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