This beautiful and valuable book, which was published in 1920,
has only recently come to us for review ; so long after publication we can do little more than urge its authoritative claim not only on specialists but on every amateur who is interested in the art of the Renaissance. The many repro- ductions, occupying thirty-one plates, are a wonderful expres- sion in little of the whole movement in Italy, Germany, France, England and the Netherlands. Added to the aesthetic quality, they have a considerable interest as historical portraits. Mr. Hill's extensive monograph is necessarily rather for the col- lector or enthusiast than for the " ordinary " man, .although the reading of it may turn him from his "ordinariness "—in the matter of medals, at least. Such an accumulation of learning as Mr. Hill displays is inevitably somewhat indiges- tible, and he admits to a "scientific joy" in the "game and play of attribution." His attempt to defend this game is mteresting, but hardly conclusive. He admits that "the least important thing about a picture is the question who Painted it" is true "from the purely aesthete point of view.'!
Surely that is the only point of view at all worth while in the study of art, except the historical in the study of portraits, and in this case it is the identity of the sitter rather than that of the artist that is of importance. It is a dangerous principle to admit any toleration to the "game and play," because in it everything else tends to be forgotten. It is so much easier than aesthetics. But Mr. Hill is a restrained player with a sense of proportion. We can forgive him. Scholars " will have their little game."
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