New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-12
NETWORK ETCHERS.
AN ARTS DROLINE AND FALL.

s,or, nv ths New-York Etching Club exceeds any Of
tho climbs previous collections. There arc etch'ngs
from tho floor nearly to tho ceiling all around tho
gallery but this vast display IS not surpffsns mas
much a. tho print shops have already oornc so"ndsns
testimony 70 the Industry Of those who torture copper
Etching let ms remember, Is merely tho corro'on OF
metal with an acid. Thore Is no superior virtue IN
the process Rembrandt was an etcher The man
who bites in his name with acid upon dog collar may
claim to DO an ctcher also Tho quality OF an etchihe
depends upon the personality behind the process Ths
should be truisn but there has como To re fasn'on
OF regarding anything etched as srfistc' ana tnere
fore proof of tho cuvat OF IT, possossor- ms
curious misconoe ption. for which Mr.. Ham'rson was
partly although iuroceniy responsible, has now on
dured for half n dozen years. There was time when
the chrome was deemed . precious thing. There was
= time when tho steel engraving gratifed 90 sthet'c
desire. But the chrome was finally DISCARDED as
machine maden and tho steel engraving damned as
being labored cold and colorless II was then when
the demand for modest pictures as house furnishings
was temporarily unsatIshed that this want opened tho
way to the Transformation Of art into manufacture
which We have witnessed within the last FEW years
For tho pervrrson Of etching which has been rc-
markabe feature Of contemporary art wo have neVof
held tho artists wholly responsible There was hrst
the demand Of the public for pictures. and secondy Tho
demand Of publishers quick to detect popular want
and to make an application Of tho rhetorical eulogies
of the etchng's artistic qualiiy' Most of the etch-
Ing done In this country to-day is done for publishers
who are endeavorng to suit the popular taste Eleven
years ago the few men who etched used tho needle
for love OF work. because they valued the medium %
means Of individual expression This little company
OF artIstetchc has gained but few recruits And so
arc compelled to acknowledge that the vastly IN
creased output Of etchlngs represented by this ex-
hibltion does not a corresponding Increase IN
originality OF design whether noble subtle nor In
~ rh ch art
nor even In the proper understanding and nse OF
medium which moro than any other OF tho graphic
arts invites tho assertion Of artistic personality.
Tho ends which the majority of these etchers or
their publishers have kept In view have evidently
been wall decoration and popular anchorage. Inc
quantity OF elaborate frames alone illustrates the
decorative purpose and the remarkable matreatment
of the remarque shows determination to prefer story
telling to art Mr. Percy Moran has seen TT to encase
his hinge Colonial Days. In tho broadcast OF frames
ornamcnted with gold lettering and gold remarqne'
Mr.. HOvenden has used frame rotous with hligreo
work for his extremely disappointing etching AFTER Mr.
Mayors "Frst Communion" and there are snowy
carved frames innumerable, with white frames and
varied combinations Of oak with metal work Ornamental
ton. The remarques are a study In themselves
Every body knows the tradition that some nameless
etchcr when giving HIS plato Its final touches tried
his needle lightly on tho side, and when proof was
taken tho mark shown Out OF this grow the
custom Of marginal note intended to mark certain
carly impressions Of which the etcher approved Ihis
was harmless enough, although 1t was not necessary
hut now the remarque has grown to be another etching
complete picture attached to the original. or course
neither frame nor remsrque should be allowed to DIS
attention from the work which the artist oers'
but the temptation has been too great and the re-
marque not only obtrudcs itself but even suggests
another train OF thought For example Mt Nlcoh adds
to lis moonlight marine two emarques one nymph
and dolphin. the other a yacht pennant, curious
mixture of ideallsmn and realism" Mr. Hovenden
appends 10 his etching after his picture of John Brown,
head Of Lincoln. The effort to make more Of story
Is illustrated I'm Mr.. McIhenny's etching OF young
girl Leaving Home,p which has for a remarque an
old COUPLE the disconsolate parents who are
mourning the empty chair Mr.. Freer, who has
etched a picture OF a young woman expecting her
lover supplements this valuable piece Of scntimentaty
with the information In the remarque that the lover has
arrived safety, and his horse Is securely tied az the
gate. Mr. Lanber, not content with HIS picture OF a
fisherman unloading a boat, appends rear Wow ot
the fisherman pushing his handcart and presumably
announcing HIS wares. These serials might as wen
have half dozen additional chapters. Or, perhaps,
muslcb In the frame would be more effecti"e In
attracting attention and stimulating langud curiosity
There have been largo plates Ike Mr.. Haden's
Calais Piern which amply justified their exist
ence. but Mr. whstlers principle that the surface
covered should not be out Of relation to the means
employed Is undoubtedly correct as regards general
practice. Tho most spontaneous individual and ex-
pressive etchngs have usually OF comparatively
small size. There seems to DO reason for the
number Of hugo plates in this collection other than
the satisfaction Of popular demand for wall decora-
ton. for pictures which shall make the greatest pos
,ibe showing on the walls Mr. Whistler has furnished
a suggestive commentary upon this phase OF modern
etching Is his familiar declaration Tho huge plate
Is an offence. Its undertaking unbecoming display
OF determination and ignorance. Its accomplishment
triumph Of unthnking earnestness and uncontrolled
energy-end0w OF the duffer.'"
1t would not be profitable to dwell upon the lover
who presses bis inamorata to name the day. or tho
young woman who languishes az spring
or the other examples Of sentimental anchorage
which show how much dependence Is placed upon
popular subjects Nor there much 10 be said OF tho
repetition of the effect gained by the opposition
Of blacks and whites. by the introduction OF figures
and buildings set against bright shy. striking"
effect is not difficult, but IL was cruel OF the hanging
committee TO "skyH four Of these etchlngs In row,
two by Mr.. Bentley and two by Mr. Mielafz, which
with exception might as we'll be monotypes IN
figure work well as In landscape we find line count
ing for nothing and instead, there attempts to OBJ
tain the results Of other mediums which are as In
sprting a struggle TO initiate the effects OF char
coal In pen and ink. Side by side with etchings In
which a mezzotnt effect has been laborionsly at
tempted there are others which might as we'll DO steel
That s they have the GOODNESS hardness
constrant and elaboration Of work with the
burin on steel instead Of tho freedom, richness ana
sofness Of the etched line This Is illustrated In
" Tho Last Load,n by Mr.. Shelton. In "The Plough
by Mr. Peter Moran, artist whose work is usually
int resting, In Mr.. Shares etching after hr Brown,
and In dozen other plates. AS for Mr.. c. Y Turner's
hard spotty glitterng Marriage Procession which
is neither thing the other, we cannot believe
that the artist himself takes much pride In his WORK
This IS an exhibition Of reproductive rather
than original etching and reproductive etching,
as every knows, may be most
valuable art. There Is nothing by Mr.. J. ID. Smile
or Mr. schof in this exhibition but Mr.. Parrish has
contributed an etching after Mr.. Ranger which IS
worth study example Of sympathetic translation
which The indiydn aty OF the etcher,s line Is pre-