It will take some years before the authorita tive history of the war, with broad vision and free prejudice, will be written. Diploma tists' diaries, written originally for the maga zines and utilized by the movies, while vivid and suggestive, lack the even poise and dignity of histories. The far-sighted, well-balanced historian demands a few years of preparation and another perspective than that of the jour nalist or the occasional letter-writer. A prac tical help for the future historian has been be gun in the Universal Library of Bologna, Italy, with its collection of books, pamphlets, publica tions, photographs, documents, etc., pertaining to the war of 1914-18. The works are cata logued under 800 different classifications and numbered at the close of 1918 nearly 10,000 volumes and pamphlets, exclusive of rare docu ments and special reviews. The collection is not restricted to Italy but includes every coun try and phase of the war.
It is generally admitted that the war inter rupted a general renaissance of industrial art in Europe. In England, it is true, thanks to William Morris and his immediate predecessors, the awakening had already come. In fact in the summer of 1914 an exhibition of the decorative arts of Great Britain was held to show the French people how far England had advanced in the task of making artisans of her artists and artists of •er artisans. In the same year in the report to the London county coun cil of the Central School of Arts and Crafts, it was stated that "workmen, employers, and educationists are awaking to the need of an organized scheme of education in art which shall be both ideal and practical.' Further and more detailed testimony to the progress of art education in England are furnished by the special autumn number of 1916 of the Inter national Studio, which gave a careful review of the work done by students in a limited num ber of the leading art schools of Great Britain and Ireland. The problem of meeting foreign competition is being resolutely met.
In the United States the war has not been allowed to check efforts in industrial art, but the modest beginning made will be developed in due course when suitable methods adapted to our people will be acquired. France has shown its vigilance by organizing in war time its art teaching and establishing committees to ascertain conditions and requirements in its various manufacturing centres. Paris had an exquisite display in the exhibition of Pagnot typography in 1918. The four brothers of that name, who were leaders in the book art, had fallen in battle. In other lines the master craftsmen have had their gatherings and demonstrations — the metal workers' craft showing a particularly remarkable develop ment.
As the direct outcome of the world con flict has sprung into prominence what might be termed the technique of war, in which the in fluence of impressionists and cubists might be traced as well as that of legitimate art, under the popular name of camouflage. Among painters C. R. W. Nevinson with his chlight' merits the highest praise for the genius displayed; among the French, Faivre and Farre may be mentioned. The en trance of artists and craftsmen in this field of art was everywhere successful and their work In the military and naval service was very help ful. If America owes the initiative to the camouflage corps of the French army, it has shown an ability and a versatility of its own, especially in the problem of marine camouflage. Patrol boats and merchantmen have been painted so as to create low visibility at sea. In New York the work has been chiefly concerned in designing and carrying out street decora tions for the many receptions given to com missions from the Allies, which culminated in the Avenue of the Allies for the Fourth Liberty Loan drive, of whose fine features perhaps the most remarkable was the series of paintings done by American artists, one each day, to commemorate the spirit of the 22 nations engaged on our side of the world strug gle.
Further work of the artists was to make signs and posters for the army and navy to encourage enlistment— which were scattered all over the country. As a consequence, a camouflage corps was formed for service in France, and it included painters, sculptors, architects, craftsmen such as scene painters, stage carpenters, plaster cast molders and masons. Thus France received a little repay ment for her copyright in camouflage. Some further commendable work in this direction was done by artists beyond the draft age in sending original paintings and decorative pieces to the various rest homes and Y. M. C. A. huts.
Thus art was brought into the lives of our soldiers in the many centres of army life in America and France, to wield a more than transient influence on character and efficiency both during war time and the peace that was to follow.
As to the effect of the war on art prices, any inquiry is legitimate. We shall probably wit ness a change in the class of art purchasers and the appearance of a new coterie of wealthy buyers, with whom an intelligent appreciation of the best work is only a matter of time, and who at first will pay higher prices.