| During the past few years, we have witnessed a pseudo rebirth of wood engraving. It was rather a fashion, a craze, the proof is made today, -mode adopted by artists, publishers men of taste without a doubt, craze of amateurs who bite the hook well launched. (...) A hundred young people very quickly acquired a notoriety obvious and we saw distinguished: (...) Boulage, Pierre Girieud, Marcel Roux, Robert Bonfils, Gaspard Maillol, Paul Vera, Marcel Gromaire, Tobeen S. Lewitzka , Gernez, Vaury, Carlègle, Ludovic Rodo, Sieutre, Pierre Roy, Quillivic, (....) If we except some works presented by Crès, La Connaissance, the Banderolle, the Mermaid, Pichon, Dorbon, Povolowsky, what will remain, what will remain of this overproduction? (...) The rumor is spreading that the illustrations on wood have had their day, that we do not want any more at any price; this noise is generally spread by fake artists who have tired their audience and see decreasing orders. (...) Arrived at the end of their artistic antics, they are predicting the end of a branch of art that they mainly served; it is from their own end that this is where the confusion. In truth, on the contrary, everything suggests a more and more refined taste of the beautiful ornate book, but adorned by artisans worthy of the beautiful and noble title of artisan, and who love and respect their tools. |