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128
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1906.
something he does not fully understand, and who note of the sources of information relative to consequently cannot put into his work the human the country under consideration. These chaptere quality which gives such an interest and charm we cannot stay to analyse. to all spontaneous work.'
With reference to India (pp. 230-238) Professor "Again, were such exact reproduction in itself Baldwin Brown sums up the position in these possible, it would be inadvisable, because by
it mania ha inadvianbla. bernAA by sentences: "The story of archaeological work imposing this conscientious, nay, slavish, copying under British rule in India is in the main what upon designer and craftsman alike, we should be a student of our national idiosyncrasies would starving their creative faculty, and condemning have expected. Efforte have been spasmodic, and them to forego their artistic birthright, their have depended largely on the personal initiative prerogative of freedom. Furthermore, the result
of individual administrators. There has been when achieved would to the ordinary spectator
little continuity in policy, because the objects to have the effect of a deceit or forgery. No doubt
be aimed at bave not been clearly defined, and the sensitive eye could always detect these great
the centre of interest has shifted backwards and though subtle differences between old work and forwards between the rival aims of research and new but the intelligent thonch inernert student conservation." This condition of tbing has been of architecture might often be led betray in the
led batray in the largely due to the want of any settled authority, matter of dating. The danger of this has as in European countries and in the French and presented itself to the minds of those who have Dutch po6866810ns of Camboja and Java. In these worked out the orthodox theory. The resolutions
the Commissions of experts advise and control the of the Dresden Congress forbade the use of
direction of the surveys and of works of preservaartificial colouring-matter to assimilate the hue tion, and so ensure continuity of policy and wise of new stonework to that of the old, and an
guidance. But in India, the Secretary of the elaborate system has been devised for indicating Department under which the survey is placed can by conventional marks or inscriptions those parts hardly be expected to interfere judiciously, and, of a building which are modern additions or
if the Viceroy takes a sbare in the direction, all restorations. There is something ridiculous in
has to give way to his wishes whilst he rules the idea of labouring anxiously to make one thing that is for a few years, and then the responsiexactly like another, and then labelling them
labelling them i bility lapses into the hands of the chief officer, with equal care to show that they are different."
who may follow his own bent and direct bis staff
to co-operate in his own particular line of At the Dresden Congress of 1900, protests
operations. Expert advice or guidance is entirely against the pedantry and futility of the old
wanting, and restorations are carried out by his orthodox theory were not wanting, and, as the
subordinates and the officers of the Public Works author remarks, “it was significant that
Department who have only been trained for work Dr. Clemen, who, as chief conservator of
of a very different kind. In such circumstances, monuments for the Rhineland, has more fine
what can be expected but results that every buildings under his care than any other man in
competent student must deplore in the future ? Europe, admitted that as a rule all representa
The best that can be looked for is the decorative tives of the care of monuments in Germany now
restoration of monumental structures by the agree in this, that restoration work properly so
insertion of careful imitations of details from called must everywhere be confined within
others of similar style. But the original builders narrower and narrower limits,' so that the Germans
were artists who never imitated details, and these are coming to occupy the same position in this
slavish reproductions, as the Professor says, matter as the English anti-restorationists and
have only the effect of a deceit or forgery. No the French Friends of monuments."
thanks can be in store from the future writers on The section on classement,' inventorization Indian art and architecture for the perpetrators and official publications is well deserving of of such false and foolish restorations. . attention and has its applications to India, but | The author, having traced in the briefest the reader must be referred to the book itself for manner the history of the Archeological Survey the details.
of India to the present date, concludes with The history of monumental administration in a clear and concise analysis of the Indian the various European countries, contained in the Monument Act of 1904, explaining its action second part of the book, presents a succinct and and its relationship to similar laws in operation clear account of the various official enactments, in European countries. each chapter being headed by a bibliography and
J. B.
