Jane Lathrop Stanford Papers

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Copied from "The Studio" Volume 23, Page 174 "Religious Art at the Holland Fine Art Gallery"

It would be difficult to praise too highly the artistic spirit by which the Illustrated Bible Society has been influenced in its preparation of the great work which it has now ready for publication. A very good idea of the character of the publication can be obtained from the exhibition arranged at the Holland Fine Art Gallery. Here have been brought together a large number of the original drawings, executed as illustrations for the Bible by the chief artists of Europe and America. The collection

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between the works of artists like Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Sir L. Alma-Tadema, Mr. J. M. Swan, M. Josef Israels, M. Rochegrosse, M. Repin, and Herr von Uhde, all of them men inspired by strong convictions and endowed with a very definite sense of style. The impression that the whole series creates is that every contributor has been induced by a clear perception of the greatness of the occasion to attempt the clearest assertion of his capacities, and to do all possible justice to himself without any idea of appealing for popular approval by suppressing his artistic individuality. No one has feared to give full play to his personal preferences, and plainly each artist has determined

come Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Sir L. Alma-Tadema, Messrs. Walter Crane, Frank Dicksee, Briton Riviere, and J. M. Swan; from America, Mr. E. A. Abbey; from France, M. Benjamin-Constant, J. L. Gérome, J. P. Laurens, Puvis de Chavannes, Rochegrosse, and J. J. Tissot; from Italy, MM. Morelli, Michetti, and Giovanni Segantini; from Germany, MM. A. Kampf, S. Schneider, Max Liebermann, and F. von Uhde; from Russia, M. Ilja Repin; from Hungary, M. V. de Brozik; from Sweden, M. Albert Edenfelt; from the Netherlands, M. Josef Israels; from Belgium, M. Juliaan de Vriendt; and from Spain, M. José Villégas. Many of these artists are not in the ordinary sense illustrators, so that their participation in the work is interesting as in some measure a departure from their usual practice. Indeed, from every point of view the appearance of this Bible must be considered a momentous event in Art history. It has given to many men a rare opportunity of achieving great things in the way of imaginative effort, and it has produced an almost unprecedented series of religious masterpieces."