Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-22
The Free Exhibition of Etehings.

There has never been here an exhibition of
fine etchings. c. Klackner, of New York,
is doing voeman's service in cultivating
the Etching Art in America, and educating
the public taste to its application. AS one
means he makes free exhibitions of master-
pieces in leading cities, his recompense
coming from sales and orders taken. His
representative, o. L. Woerner, has such
free exhibition now open at Whittier, Full
Ter & Co.'S Art Gallery, from to-day until and
including Monday next. 1t will be open also
tonight and Saturday night, until 9 o'clock,
and it should be visited by all lovers of the
beautiful. This exhibit of several etchings.
filling the walls and tables full, was shown
with great success in San Francisco. OF it
the San Francisco Bulletin, in long review
editorially, said Some of them have not
been multiplied to any great extent
About twenty five copies ON parchment
half as many on satin and few artists
proofs include all the copies accessible to
the public By far the greater number of
these etchings are known as reproductive
works-that is, they are etchings by the
painters themselves of their own pictures
The etching sometimes, and often indeed
has all the artistic value of the original
painting. A good etching
now attracts attention at once. Painters
etchings are the most sought A cele-
brated painter having produced a pict-
ure which has contributed to give
him a national reputation. etches it
as the consummation of his art" An
etching is within the reach of people
of moderate means, and yet ranks with the
highest works of art 1t augments in value
with age you know that only about $50 or
400 copies can exist, and of these you have
one. An etching is as superior to the steel
plate as the latter is TO rough wood cutting.
Philip Gilbert Hamerton, who has done
more than any other to cultivate a taste in
America for etching, defines it to be " the
stenography of artistic thought. OF all
forms of art which can be multiplied, ii is
the only one which at the same time is per-
fectly photographic, aud yet capable of IL
bertv. delicacy and strength, each in its
utmost perfection Etching is scratching
with fine needle through "a film of var
nish upon copper plate to bare the metal.
Acid is flooded on repeatedly, and attacks
the bare spots. the fine lines being stopped
off with varnish, and the hea Ter bitten
deeper IT, Then needle, called " dry
point" is used 10 add supplementary
lines. Some are etched wholly with the
" dry pointr and these are wonderfully
rich. The printing follows and is a fine
art. since, by its delicacy and strength of
shade and light by careful application of the
ink. satin, japanese paper and parchment
are used. There are several grades in value,
rs the using of the plate destroys its fine
lines. The highest is the remark IRE
gaarqite3 proof, and bears On the margin
miniature picture by the artist. Only fifty
of these are usually printed, Then the re-
mark is published off and 200 artists
nroofs - taken. These bear the artists au-
fograpb. Then come 100 copies not signed.
and known as proofs before letters" Last
come the India prints-the lowest grade.
1t will be seen that the limited number of
proofs must pay the cost, and that they
increase in value as the number is sold of
so ii is that every good etching grows in
value on the owners hands. Even in a
few a,u1 weeks after being given to the public
they treble in value. Thus, The
Vesner Hour" published at $50,
now commands 800, and The Parting
Dayr printed at $50, brings $50 for artists
nroofs the remarks being all gone. In
Klackner's magnificent exhibit will be
found the only photographs sold OF J. 6.
Browns celebrated painting OF Street
Arabs and also the only photographs of
7 M. Tracy's fine-bred dogs. recently SO
richly illustrated in the Century Magazine.
We desired 10 name and descant on some
of the gems in the exhibition, but space
forbids. except to specify Bentley's " We'd
ding Bells, II; Prewett Shares Water
danss wonderful work THE Chimney Cor
ner." ]. Wells Champney's May Bios
SOM Benjamin Lander's 'Afterglow
and When We Were Boys" Hamilton
Hamilton's " Parting Day" Bellows !" The
Inlet Peter Morans " Through the Mead
ow and SIN the Orchard" and Henry
Farrar's Autumn"
MARY ANDERSON considered the three
floral nieces made by the Bell Conservatory