MASTERPIECES OF ITALIAN DRAWINGS IN THE ROBERT LEHMAN COLLECTION, THEMETROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART by George SzaboReview by: Alexandra de LuiseArt Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Fall1984), p. 113Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Art Libraries Society of NorthAmericaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27947347 .

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Art Documentation, Fall, 1984 113

Cornell University Press has produced a well-designed and printed volume written by Robert Calkins. Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages is not the average historical study of the manuscripts. In recent years, the majority of books on medieval manuscripts have been sumptuous facsimiles or elaborate library collection listings. The books have been treated not as a whole but as individual illuminations to be studied stylistically apart from their use and setting or text. Calkins has reversed this trend by choosing only a few rep resentative manuscripts.

Included in this book is a collection of the miscellaneous bits of information on manuscripts that students sweat tears to find and understand. Terms are defined and developed in

well-written prose. Words such as "Septuagint" are ex

plained. Calkins has concentrated on the development of manuscript types, their text, illumination, use, and contents. Appendices list the complete content of the manuscripts discussed. Although Illuminated Book is a general discus sion of manuscripts, it is also an invaluable reference work for librarian, student and scholar alike.

Sara Jane Pearman Cleveland Museum of Art

STOW WENGENROTHS LITHOGRAPHS: A SUPPLE MENT / by Ronald and Joan Stuckey. With an essay by Albert Reese. ?Huntington (Lloyd Harbor Road, NY 11743) : Black Oak Publishers, 1982.-117 p. : ill.-ISBN 0-9608834-0-1 ; LC 82-72164 : $35.00 + $1.50 postage.

Stow Wengenroth (1906-1978) was a New York lithog rapher noted for his realistic depictions of New England and Long Island as well as New York City street scenes. A member of such prestigious bodies as the National Institute of Arts and Letters and the National Academy, Wengenroth exhibited widely and his works have been seen in books, magazines, and newspapers. His skillful capturing of a sense of place, light, and texture won him admiration in numerous public and private collections. The medium of black-and-white lithography suited Wengenroth well stylis tically, with the grainy quality of the lithographic stone en hancing the subtle tonal qualities of the carefully observed natural and man-made worlds.

This volume continues the Stuckeys' earlier volume, The Lithographs of Stow Wengenroth, 1931- 1972 (Boston: Bos ton Public Library, 1974) by reproducing the twenty-five lithographs published from 1973 until the artist's death.

Most of these later prints depict birds, woods, seascapes, and port scenes, primarily in Massachusetts. Several dry brush drawings are reproduced also. Like the earlier vol ume, this one carefully reproduces each print, includes

appreciative essays and provides features of interest to researchers and collectors. A chronology has been added. The Supplement updates several of the preceding volume's Appendices, such as technical notes on printing and pub lication of selected prints, and clarification of settings of those print titles which are not self-explanatory. The ex hibitions list has been updated and enlarged. The bibliog raphy has been arranged more thoughtfully and brought up-to-date and enlarged to include book illustrations, limited edition publications which include original litho graphs, newspaper articles about Wengenroth, and magazine and newspaper articles in which reproductions appeared. There are several listings of Wengenroths com plete lithographic output and separate Indexes for the Sup plement and for both volumes combined.

In tandem with the Stuckeys' earlier volume, this is a handsome addition to libraries interested in American lithography, realism and New England subjects.

llene R. Schechter Library of Michigan

MASTERPIECES OF ITALIAN DRAWINGS IN THE ROBERT LEHMAN COLLECTION, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART/by George Szabo. ?New York : Hudson Hills Press, 1983.-243 p. : ill. (most col.).-ISBN 0-933920-35-0 : LC 82-25849 : $50.00.

This new work on one of the leading collections of old master Italian drawings is a pleasure to read and an impor tant addition to the field of drawing collecting and connois seurship. Although not called an exhibition catalog, to celebrate its release a special exhibition of all of the original drawings included in the book was held at the Lehman Col lection from January to March 1984. George Szabo, curator of the Lehman Collection since

1963, has been responsible for more than fourteen exhibi tions, most of them with catalogs, since the wing opened in 1975. This book however, is a departure from his other catalogs. Here, perhaps for the first time, he has the oppor tunity to give a thorough account of the Italian drawing col lection, and to document and describe eighty of its most priceless works. The result is a lavish production of large dimensions, on heavy paper and with excellent full-page color plates, which are faithful in tone and quality.

Robert Lehman was one of the major American collectors of old master drawings. His taste was reflected in the kinds of works he collected; mostly Florentine and Venetian draw ings of secular scenes which exhibited delicate and detailed

draftsmanship. He also preferred large, pen-and-ink draw

ings which were once part of a pattern or sketch book. Like many collectors of his day, including J. P. Morgan and Janos Scholz, he was well-versed in the literature connected with his drawings, and could relate his entire collection to individual works by tracing their manner of execution and

design. The book begins with a survey of the Lehman family and

collection, along with the history of collecting old master works during the early part of this century in New York. This introduction, which includes eighty-two black-and-white il lustrations, contains fine examples of all the works in the collection; more than half of these are drawings, the other half being selections from his collection of paintings, majolica, manuscripts, bronzes, furniture and jewelry. This is followed by the entries themselves, each accompanied by a color plate. They begin with a brief biography of the draughtsman, his major works and the circumstances sur

rounding the execution of the drawing. The entries are well written and documented and include extensive com mentaries, with contrasting viewpoints from Lehman and various scholars. Additionally, there are extensive bibliog raphies and illustration and plate lists. These lists, which document all the works in the book, are the only access to individual pieces. One needs to know the name of the artist and his period of activity before searching these lists, as the works are listed in chronological, then alphabetical order by artist's name. This arrangement should present no real

problem for such a manageable number of works, and will encourage readers to skim through the entire book to get a full appreciation of the collection.

More than fifty artists are represented from all regions of Italy from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. While half are from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries (including Bellini, Leonardo, Tintoretto and Veronese), the other half are from the eighteenth century alone. Truly the thrust of the collection is this latter period, with outstanding examples from the Venetian masters, Canaletto, Guardi and Tiepolo. One of the highlights of the book is the selection of drawings by Tiepolo depicting scenes from the life of Puchinello.

There is no doubt that this will become a necessary work for art libraries collecting books on drawings and collec tions. Although it assumes a cerain knowledge of drawings and their style, it is clearly written for all levels of expertise. It is a good investment for the price.

Alexandra de Luise Canadian Centre for Architecture

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