New-York tribune., 1884-02-26
THE WATER-COLOR EXHIBITION
TIE ETCHING CLUB's COLLECTION.
(Thfrd Notics.l


(Thtrd Eotes)
If an intelligent interest in etchings continues
to increase as has been the during the last rev
years. it may be that the exhibitions of the Etching Clb
viii undergo process Of evolution similar to that eN-
perienced by the Water Color Society There was lhe
when tie latter body modesty eonented ltse WIN hc
corridor or with two of the small galleries at the
Academy and prediction that the society could ever
occrpy the entire building would have been deemed pre-
MYSTERIOUS The Etching Club much younger organiza-
ton is ut present in equally humble position ana loi
obvious reasons must expect somewhat slower growth
But the members have good reason for m
that their work is more and widely circulated in
resuonse TO growing demand the part Of the public
How much this demand may amount tots something
which depends very largely upon tie etchers themselves
People who are accustomed to seeing at our dealers
work by Watner, Rajon. Brunei Debanes Chanvei ana
other accomplished etchers OF England ana france are
likely 10 form an exactng clientele one that should spur
our OWN ochers on ambitious and serious achieve
meuts In some degree this stimulus Is having It's effect
The present exhibition OF the Etching Club Is, we tmnk
an Improvement rogards technical qualities over those
which have gone before Here and there we find that tie
artist has been aided materially by tie printing hut IT Is
rather late in the day to insist upon the use OF the line
alone for expression as well tor shading and texture
although the voice of Nj Linton Of one crying IN the
Wilderness is still heard preaching the gospel Of the line
to good-eugravers But let remember that etching Is
linear art and that every line should have meaning
There IS temptation TO produce slight scrtchy sketches
relvnc on the vague quality Of sugsestyenes, but while
sketches have their place look for serious work IN an
exbildtiop Whistler's etchnss nothing if not
suggestive but they represent deal OF painstdkng
labor although that labor Is far less apparent than IN the
heavier productions Of Esden and Hameron 1t is as
true in etching In painting that sound ana thorough
mastery OF materials sou& precede resort to suggest
vencss pure and simple Mr.. Whstlers errors in draw
n, arc n,,tlav atoned for not much by his clover
annca TO the Imagination by his sliltu management
of the medium through which those appeals are made
Pelaps it is because the artists have few original mes
sagcs to deliver that we feel a lack OF thoughtful
yorlwork with ideasin both the exhibitions OF etch
prs and wate1-coors At the same time It is encouraging
t see That most of our etchers w0rng in their own
WAY and although they have produced here nothing
great their evident interest in their art and advance in
its comprehenson augr wei for important work in the
future
We notice that those who nave come to bcoocd upon
n. the old guard OF etchers nave contributed much
of the most careful and earnest work Mr. Henry FaTer
has sent six proofs Nos 90 and 81 after his coors
revealing an excess pains to reproduce the finer points
Of the originals and in No. 81 particularly TO make
every line count, while No. So lacks the more delicate
aylsh tones within the etcLcrs reach But in OF
these etchngs is there any careless or slOyeDy work
Mr. James d. snlie has contributed most interesting
serlns-" 4 FallOw Field" etched from nature; My
Colored NeighbOrs Hen-Yard," finely unprctentous,
well dra wn and EeI bitten; From my Study Door,"
difficult but successful study OF foliage and seven other
examp es OF conscientious and udicious treatment. Mr.
Nico shows good work in his shore scenes, and Messs
Parrish and Pennen furnish positive and attractive
work Mr. Parrishs Inner IIaIbor," Fishing Hamlet"
and Evening, Gloucester" are OF class OF. subjects
which this able etchcr invariably Invests with interest
In his Trenton, Winter" the sides and roofs Of The
houses particularly of the large building in the centre
anpear TO have suffered from Oyerbiting. Their
blacks are too intense, but this is a. mi
nor flaw In what is perhaps Mr. ParIishs most
attractive He is not conventional echer; he is
far from being conventional Ia his methods as the
three We have already mentioned, but Mr. Parrish can
ALWAYS be relied upon express his meaning through
e agency of the line without resort to adyentitiOus
aids Mr.. Penue more pquant but not always so
hdicous an etcier shows shadows entirely without
transparency and blacks badly bitten In several Of his
pate thus losing the form Of the arches of the bridge in
No l57 aud rendering the boats IN NO los an l62
mcreshapeiess bOts Mr.. Pcnneus effects are Obtained
i'm inc main by light and easy touches, but his
easy eTSI"Ts and 6s love- Of forci6e contrasts caT-
ries HIM too far Taere is a range Of intermediate
tones between white and black at the eicAef command
more sensitive the deicacy OF the gsduiOns Here
-caiIle1 - 50 80 ~ t ~ ia his Venef1In sfuies I'm MS view
of quay good effect is secured upon the stones pro
baby by "A very slight biting b the plate while the water
az natcy Appearance. Mr.. G. A. Platt's six proofs
show excellent intentions but rather unsuccessful
struggle i'm the biting OF his plates, and in this respect his
proofs contrast unfavoraby with those OF Mr. Krrseman
Van FIten whose Quiet SPOT" and Deserted MIL"
are characterized by extremely careful ana uniformly
sound treatment though MI Van Elten is sometimes too
conventional be altogether interesting. The Moran
family as usual make "a valuable Contribution 10 lhc
exhbitinu Mr.. Thomas Moran sends free and sketchy
study OF apple Orchald printed IN cooredk with MS
Tower of C0rtes and two other PROOF" AlIs ". y.
Moran represented by five echngs, and Mr. = NOLAN
las etched the spirited presented when the wheat
j. thrashed beneath tie hOois OF h0lsts IN New
Mexico. This forms q confused composition, but the
etcher has caught the action OF the ists a MI MOnhS
mas transGxed the guieeT action OF his sheep An Old
Pasture 10y Mr. Monks printed upon SATIN i - PROOF
which We can but warmly admire Me-sfs FdlcOnei,
Callahan and the veteran j. Henry Hll have sent
uaD.faking work, and We find proofs by Miss Matldck
careful but suggesting thc caution oI tuo1c
v no venture upon unknown ground Mr.. Blum contrib
utcs n vigorous dry-pOnt portrait OF himself, too
grltlv en- on on The right and Mcssrs. samuel Colmau
r. S Church Clifford GndJ. r. hlspaugh have produced
.ome crpditable work Two extremely huOng AthiS
after Rembrandt aud Franz ilals by Ar D. = King are
,v.q y,nrfh notice. Tie sccOnd may be compared with
advantage With the etching after Has by Ohser an
unsatisfactory example Of an artist VINO haa attained
de.eryct ruincnce in this branch oi reproductions
Turning 10 the foreign cfcacTs We hud m,h OI inc be5t
work due TO English artists. MI Z. L. Johh'"h rs
Rayiue OF the Thieyes,' "a strong ana SERIOUS N"Ih
conveys lesson 10 Of 0uf ccicfs III INC hA'tey
treatment OF tle cloud forms. skies are TOO often
neglected ia our own etchhgs OF disnl's'u VIZ. "a" ~
scfatciy and meaningless lines. Mr. Johnson shares the
common tendency OF English eichers toward an oNcI
elaboration which produces an elect Ol hcdN le' nl
This less 10 DC regretted Ia hs proof than III MI La"
Moonlight, Venice Here lS sulgsSt Ii1
adapted to Imaginative treatment, but Mr. Law has Hiru
his plate with involved and meaningless llhrs III ia
anxiety do full Justice TO MS waief until nc MS pro-
ddcol effect Gf after confusion. Mr G. o. murray
admirable Music DER the sea shows hhchess ol
execution which may be taken objection Dy thOse
who bold the fear Of liberalism the heads OF etcfs
but VIC do not believe Mr.. Murray could have secured