lley of the
Tauber past Kreglingen, and so forth, as far as Wuerzburg. I am confident
of recognising every piece of his at first glance, especially his
Madonnas. They have almost completely cast off the Gothic, and no other
sculptor in wood of his time knew so well how to treat the peach bloom of
a woman's skin or the charm of a woman's face and body. His women are the
pick of the lovely girls of Wuerzburg and its surroundings. Each one is
adorably beautiful. Here is Veit Stoss." He took a portfolio from a shelf
filled with portfolios. "Veit Stoss is superior to Riemenschneider in
force of temperamental expression; he has capacities in his passions that
make him superior, or at least equal, to Rembrandt." Ritter spread before
them several reproductions of the master, showing the seriousness and
sorrow inspiring all his works. "Nevertheless," he said, "Riemenschneider
holds his own against him for the very reason that he differs from him
so absolutely."

"The obstinate resistance of the Gothic," said Frederick, "the nightmare
condition of mediaeval Christianity, its fearful revelling in pain, its
ardour for suffering had to give way to the clear, healthy vision of a
burgher. The atmosphere clears, the garments acquire a natural flow of
line, erring flesh begins to blossom forth--"

"Tillman Riemenschneider's portraits are unsurpassed by any works,
ancient or modern, unsurpassed, I say, by the very best," Ritter
reiterated.

Willy Snyders entered with a great bluster. He had come directly from his
work in the offices of an interior decorating firm.

"I say, Ritter," he said, shaking hands with the men, "if you think I'm
not thirsty, you're very much mistaken." He examined the bottle. "The
deuce! Without me to help him, the wretch taps one of the twenty bottles
of Johannisberger with which a Chicago pork packer presented him when he
made a portrait of his humpbacked daughter. Well, now that one is gone,
another may as well follow. Gentlemen, isn't this a jolly place for
little carousals?" Pointing to the Madonna from Ochsenfurt-on-the-Main.
"Isn't she a smart little body? She certainly is not by Pappe. I myself
collect nothing but Japanese works." The fact seemed quite to accord with
his appearance. "I'm nothing but a poor dog now, but inside of four or
five years I intend to have the wherewithal, and the collecting of things
Japanese will proceed by electricity. There's no race that can compete
with those fellows in a