New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-26
THE PAR ,ISH ETUHINGS.
ppooprss OF A YOUNG ARTIST,

Chester County Pa" but the natural INCLINATION 10
wa,d the art illustrated In these III plates has gwen
him n conspicuous place among the comparatively
few who adequately illustrate painting etching In ths
country Etching has become cheap and common of
rccent wears that there Is danger OF forgetting
the reasons for the individual value OF the ar'
:, l. the simpest most direct method of linear
EXPRESSION in permanent form. Inc ar'ist II
not bampcred by his materials. lie Is no'
obl,csI u ploughharl steel with BURN, nor painful
" To chin away in6nesmnl inorseis OF lockwood
Cor avery line or tone other than black His draw
,ng Il done rapidly and with perfect freedom,
IL not always with academic accuracy he
has an opportunity TO put his own personality ih,o
his frcehand sketches. on account OF It's auo9aphc
character and the infinite chance for suggcstivcness
sipcs the true etchcr must be wise in omission as
in commission, pure etching holds high rank among
The gr,phIc arts but very much of current etching
is merely a commercial form Of picture making. III
NAV be said the dirccness OF the method Is IN
terfcred with by the uncertain pranbs OF tho acm'
There are chances Of all kinds Ia be encountered In
the biting every echer knows. but there are plenty
of examples TO show that the reDclious. moruah'
can be transformed into obedient servant
Mfr Parrish has sometimes made slips in biting
his plates but It is clear that from the first he mas
had an idea OF the true province Of etching ms
collection is not arranged in chronological orler put
the catalogue enables to follow the artists pro
Crcss. The earlier etchinss, scenes around fhiladei
mia in New-Jcrsey and in the Ad.ronIacks, show
not unnatural constrant The artist has been some
times overridden by his subjects. Tic has felt that
necessity of quitting everything in " from which
some etchcrs never escape. As result the first
twenty etchings to group them in general way,
bctray fussiness here and there and elaboration
Of details which suggests the work of some of the
older engTaver etchers. One marked advantage was
wanting in these early etchngs. the clever printing
which has been carried so far at the present day.
Apparently the artist was dissatisfied with tho want
of color in his first prints. and find indica
tons of efforts toward tonality as in the "Markct
Boats No. g. and the thiri state OF "On the
Schroon" This becomes noticeable even in
the first state OF No. TO- Now this tendency might
have resulted in the multiplication of lines, III cross
hatching in the of roller and even OF BURN TO
obtain emphatic blacks and full range OF tones
But fortunately the etcher possessed sell re-
straint enough to keep the middle course and avol
an extreme which would have been ruinOus TO his
art For the language OF suggestion was natural to
him This is noteworthy in the frank foreground
omissions in these early prints, ana IN the use
of the broken line which soon makes Itself felt
From the first moving. rpplcd water seems 10 nave
attracted the ctcher and his experiments in express
ING IL by irregular lines must have been helpful.
The personal quality of Mr. hrrshs line and GER
tain phases of expression become more marked as
we continue TO the Gloucester and Cape Ann ctch-
ngs These If one insists upon conventional diVis
ions might be said TO represent second period, ana
the collections might be divided into four periods, II
il were worth while. In these seaside etchngs the
drawing is freezer and more sketchy. The paper
PLAYS a more important Iart The artist Is devel
oping a liking for contrasts, strong accents, and
forcibe bits of local color in the high lights upon
his houses This Is not such painters use OF color
as is seen in certain Of Mr. Flats etchngs, nor arc
contrasts made much Of as in some of Mr.. Duvc-
neck's work, but the artist is evidently strengthening
himself in various directions. His subjects are SUI
drawn with much detail compared with his most
recent work. but linear cXprcssiveness is never want
ing Occasionally he tries omissions unnecessarily.
as I'm the rocks of No and the first state OF the
Portsmouth. In No. 40 we find him Interested III
obta ming eradations Of tone by charcoal tnts. No
AZ supplies an instance OF overriding. The Iors-
mouth" GLOUCESTER Ferry" and "Fishcrmcns
Houses Cape Ann" familiar plates No 90
shows a reversion to a heavier, more elaborate man
ner,
The BAY OF Tundy and New brunswick etching.
are characteristics They convey no impression or
external influences. They are carefully aithoueh
not laboriousy drawn, with attention TO texture
and the artists liking for color is best illustrated in
the brilliant sky Of his Glow Tide, Bay OF fuhdy'
an etching which has been added to the great colec
ton at Vienna, of which Adam Bartsch was the Gu
rator seventy years In this and other etchinRs
OF this time strong lines and deep blacks are freely
used. Figures become more prominent. MI. far
rsh's treatment of the figure varies az dlnereho
rcrods from shaded drawings, and blocked in sketches
to the merest outlines. But his figures are never
the important part of his compositions. in No. 10
there IL an example of more popular, "dccontlVe'
trea mept and vet something Of the exquisite SIM
nlcity OF No SO, "EnviTons Of Scranton" is felt In
this foreground The former etching, however, mas
no moro especial significance than the two examples
of reproductive work. His Evening, Gloucester,
and "Coast of New Brunswick" are perhaps better
/ o1 rft fpn
teri This is not characterized by vivacity of OK
nression but il is an expressive as well as sub
santial peco of etching. As the etcher has continued
the love of omissions becomes moro noticeable ms
is seen In tho Florida etchings which are preceded
by a charming little Bit ain the Meadows" some
thing done in spirit Of pure enjoyment. In the
Florida sketches much is left TO the paper, and to
simple contrasts OF black and white as in the hgures.
OF these little moro need DO said in this general view
than that they are sunny and Interesting. After
them come the etchings from No. 103 onward, which
nlustate the latest phase of Mr. farrishs art All
these etchngs will interest student OF painters etch
ing All are undeniably clever, and yet it is impos
ble to ignore the suggestions of stronger influences
| In the "Mespck Mills" the touches the left are
in the manner of IIaden. and the foliage on the right
is also suggestive but less So The Fishery on the
| Deen is distinctly Whistlerian. This Is certainly
| not Mr. Tarrishs natural manner In the Green
| wichn and "Iondon Bridge" water and sky recall
Haden, and the III Ao ldepcN UIi
| of the study of Whistler. The plate Cannes the
Harbor" is interesting although Overbitten in parts,
but the unresful composition Is not satisfying There
| is good figure work and action in tho "Gae at TO.
CAMP clever illustration of the artists versatility
and skill 1t il pleasant to be able to leave the col
lection with the feeling that Mr.. Parrish remains a
| true uainters etcher He has not fallen into the
nit of imitation and decoration. His later tendencies
are toward greater vivacity, more pquant sketch
ness Mr.. Parrish has abundantIy demonstrated his
tact in choosing his subjects but if we mistake not his
future etchngs will show still moro confident skill
IN omissions His line is spirited and personal and
his etchings will not be tiresomc. At present the
| etcbcr has allowed his individuality 10 become
subordina,ed an irrcmediable injury If permanent.
Dut We are ready to believe that he will fee himself
from other influences after time and evolve a
manner which will be his own and which will lead to
i fnann