The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-05-14

Hb VIGIL US lHCJ ulu WH'tJ hIo thO iuhhNioo
powers which made an art available M means
of expression for his genius. Nevertheless
until recently. the fow collectors who possessed
etchngs had learned by experience to open
their portfolios only to such friends as shared
an eccentric t,iste. and by tho general public
etching was condemned as q sort Of bad en-
craving, rs something which would DO en-
craving IL 1t could and finally was catalogued
in the philstne mind ~ an imperfect art.
Apropos of etching, Mr.. Hamerton returns to
n topic elsewhere treated in his volume at
greater length. viz. the falncious form of
criticism which pronounccs some OF the graphic
arts "imporfcct" because they cannot initiate
with equal facility the whole Of tho qualities Of
nature. On this head Mr.. Himerton remarks
that II you once admit such standard Of per-
lection. you cannot stop consistently until you
have rejected one after another every one Of
the graphic arts. and east them behind you 40
that you may stand face to face with mn
ture. and be rid forever Of all human
intervention between her perfection and
what you suppose to- DO your own perfect
appreciation and complete enjoyment thereof.
There will then. in other words. be two porfeo-
tons. naturo's and yours. tho imperfect arts
being no longer in the way or course such
state Of things is entirely conceivable, for as
Mr.. Hamorton points out. it happens to DO tho
actual condition OF the mid African negro and
tho American Indian on the Great Plains. II.
however, we admit graphic art ut all. we must
admit its limitations. Oil painting cannot give
the light of nature nor charcoal its hues. nor
Transparent water color it's substance. nor fresco
its depth. nor siver-point it's chidroscu'o. y0t
all these arts have been pracised enthusiastical-
ly by men whose sight was rs clear as ours. and
whose knowledge is ut least equal 10 our own.
1t Ia 40, says Mr.. Hamerton, with etching an
art practsed by masters who had proved their
strength in other fields. but who here found
form Of artistic expression which. after careful
experiments. they ascertained to be satisfactory.
They liked etching because it enabled them to
disseminate drawings which wern at the same
time printed by hundreds, and yet were really
originals they liked it because it was both
very delicate in faint billings. and very strong
In deep ones; they liked 1t because it
allowed ample freedom for comprehensive
sketching. and yet permitted tho most severe
and studious drawing wherever 1t might hap
pen to be necessary" Passing to the limitn-
tons Of the art. Mr.. Hamorton suggests that
men like Rembrandt must have found out after
very little practice that etching was not by any
means the best OF the graphic arts for the rem
dcring OF subtle and delicately various tome /;
that it was more a linear art. like pen drawing
than u tonic art. like washing with Indian ink
They accepted the limitations contentedly. not
in any rigid and absolute spirit, much less in
that temper OF pctulant amateurs which casts
aside an instrument ~ useless because it can
not accomplish everything.
What is the difference between dry point and
line engraving? Mr. Hamerton shows us that
according to the strict sense OF tho words
line" and engraving" etching and also
woodcut have "a fair claims To them as BURN
work on steel for etching is work in black line
which is engraved by acid. and woodcut IL
work in white line engraved with the burin.
Again. there cannot be the slightest question
| about the claim of dry point to be called line
engraving, for it is all in line. and every
line is cut in metal. In dry point
you take n plate OF copper and draw
upon it with sharp steel point, every stroke
being scratch on tho polished surface. In
line engraving you take n steel plate and make
trenches in it by pushing BURN. The differ
ence is simply that In dry point the line is free
while in line engraving it Is formal. The
needle used in dry point is held in the hand like
| pencil. or q silver-point and Is therefore an
| instrument which can be used by any artist az
| customed to the ordinary tools of q draughts-
man. The burin on the other hand. is held
like no other tool ever invented, the
working end OF it being grasped be-
zion being got by pushing against a buffer
with the lower part Of tho palm of the hand
The etching needle requires no appreciahle
| force and will turn in any direction at 0nce !;
the burin requires considerable pressure. and
will only turn in curves. When. therefore. the
subject absolutely demands greater agility of
line. the engraver must have recourse to the
| etching needle or dry point.
The Importance Of these technical details
will be at once appreciated when We
consider the essential distinction. as rs-
CARDS eXpmssional power. between those
kinds of art which are free and those which
| ara under some manual restriction. Most OF
| the graphic arts described in Mr. Hamerton's
volume are free arts but fresoo painting. wood
engraving. and dry point arc exceptions
| Fresco. for instance. is hampersd by having to
be done in patches. wood engraving by tho use
OF the BURN and the difficulty of correction,
and even dry point is just u little tram meed
because the scratching point is not 30 free as
one that glides over surface. But no one Of
| these arts Is so fettered BY tho natuIu of its
own instrument as is BURN engraving on
| metal. Now. the absence OF liberty. which puts
| all spontaneousness. all variety OF inspiration
out of the question. determines the scope and
function of line engraving. This must no
essentially reproductive. and not an in
ventive art. You might rs we'll" says Mr..
Hamerton. tell an author to compose his
book with types, as order an artist to express
passing thoughts and caprices with burin."
1t is Of course possible for original artist II
he chooses to thus trammel himself. to employ
the burin for the expression OF his own ideas
but the entire subject must be invented and de-
tnrmincd in all its details before no touches the
metal plate. Spontaneous thought and senti-
ment cannot stir, and the revival or romem-
brance of thought and sentiment which were
once inspiration. has to take their place. On
the other hand. Mr.. Hamerton would urge
in favor OF line engraving that 1t IL
mental discipline Of high kind for
the engraver must have the clearest possi-
bic understanding Of the picture which he has
to interpret. and must be. ut least with refer
ence 10 one class OF art u thoroughly sound
and complete critic. Nor is 1t enough for an
engrayer to have intermittent flashes OF In
sight like man who sparkles in conversation:
he must keep his mini in the steady bright
ness Of that ideal electric lamp which modern
invention seeks. When we bear in mind that
the work Of the line cngraver Is most difficult