New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-22
A NEW ETCHER.
TILE WORK OLE FELIX BUHOT.

opened an exhibition OF the work of an etcher' NJ feN
Buhot who is now our general pubic Many Va
NJ Buhot's drawings and rarcr etchlns' arc 'h''""'"
In the admirable collection Cf Mr. : T. avery anu a'
least ono Of the eSchines, "Thc Li;tlc Cottage has
been seen at the print shops but the pf'S'"' oNhO'
ton i, 81 Buhot's first formal Introduction 10 th'S
reuutyy lie is introduced by NJ Philippe Burty'
WIN arnears in the role of friend rather than OF cfc'
end sud numbcriess amiable things TO say OF NJ Blu
Lo,s vevk There is IN This work moro than sufficient
spil1; and fancy to redeem IL from the mmohpaee'
ard If would be interesting, If for no c'her reason
as Characteristic example of French Identification
NJ ait and lis material means VIC hnd thai sta''H
with NJ Buhot really mean experimental stages. They
rcn,,sopt the efforts e clever, lut by no means
assured manipulation TO work toward an erd which
shall satisfy his artistic sense. over against TINS
Cropinc aiter effect we may set NJ Iuttys d'Scrip-
ton OF Mluet His needle always gooS straight to
its end lie disdans the Juggling and coquet'eres,
the ordinary trckerics If artists who use the point
Nevertheless II is clear that NJ Buhot has she sIGn
famous desire for expression which Distinguishes the
work OF an artist from that OF nam craftsman,
although craftsmanship is 50 conspicuous feature OF
his etched work. NJ. Buho works up "a his effect,
using all possible means, whether legitimate or
not This of Itself is sufficient TO distinguish HIM
from Whistler to whom he has been absuidly com
pared Whistler dashcs at his effect snd expresses
IL impetuOusly In broken limo. His results ihVoiNo
Iasor and thought, we'll as ntuitIve perception but
the labor and thought are not apparent. NJ buho'
Is far from combining himself to line Indeed, IL IS
impossible TO regard him as an etcher pur sang. IL
would be better to say that he paints on copper G2i
ing In strong contrasts and drawing BY acas, So hsS
his effects arc often those produced by waercolor
washes. This use of unusual material means an I'M
porant feature Of his work
Unks Whistler thu first states OF Buhot is plates
are often the least satisfactory lie rcworhS ana
changes them. Sometimes he has mixed spirits CT
turpentinc with his ink in order 10 iRart desired
quality of softncss to tho impression No; content
4 hs of old ar yCllOWcd
a hod of preparing paper with a waNy surface.
lie obtains irregular tnts 10y rubbing his plates win
rosn, puinIcc stone, charcoal, by foul bling ana
what not. lie delights in aqua tint. lie AFFECTS
dry point and the roulette well as Tho etched line
Certain impressions Of his japanese echngs have
been taken upon bright yellow paper several etch-
ings are surrounded by marginal SKETCHES These
are not intended "remarqueS" They are simply
an essential part OF the subject, to FuhotS way Oh
thinlnng lie is most careful that these shetchcs
shall DO less pronounced than tho central etchh5
In the printing while they shall be in harmony with
It, In all questions of printing Buhoi IS most exact
ing indeed Is said that the Paris printers demand
A higher price from him than from aDy OF his brethren
Such some of the phases OF his Manner Witch i"1S
10 called original.
In the earlier days OF his etching, the artists
favorito subject the donkey which he mas treated
bumorously and seriously in several httle etchihsS
and dry point plates. After these ccver sketches
come a reproductive etchings, which are followed
by examples of considerable manual dexterty In his
group of still life etchngs. There are crystal anu
bronze vases and japanese SCI printed ufon !eiiow
japanese paper which represent excellent WorH'
although few OF us Will agree with NJ Buiiy III giving
Buhot preference Jacquemart. We may clto
Japanese sweetmeat or mcdlcine-box, remafkaDie
for tho differentiation of the textures OF ivory and
wood, grotesque masque and small hagon "bich
show that NJ. Buhot satisfy severe requirements
An this direction Several illustrations OF DAurcViIy
and Daudet precedc a series of genre etchlngS, which
Jean I,erand NJ Buhot has been attracted by the &C
centcd types the movement and variety OF Parlslah
street life which he presents to Us IN several OF MS
larger etchngs. His sensitiveness 10 eject is Illus
trated In his picture Of winter morning on tue quay
of the Hotel Deu, which has been printed With INK
and spiI1is of turpentiDe. OF course, the question
remains whether il has been worth while to counter
felt the appearance of monotype, or perhaps De'ler,
Of wash drawing The Return Of the Artlsts,'
after submitting their pictures for the salon, is like
most of NJ. Buhot's work. in that the form falIs 10
lear analysIs but there is denying the spirit OF
these gaunt Doiesquc figures, stalking aonS ia broad
hats and tapping coats. The winter IN Paris IS
good illustration of the quality which is the special
justification of NJ Buhots use OF the needle, and that
is In his drawing he does MT attempt
the final or conclusive treatment which IS the bane
Of much socalied etching, although he aims to OBTAIN
extraordinary effects by other means The ." IIace
Picailc~ a scene in the Latin Quarter with knots OF
artists convcrSlng, Omnibuses passing to and fro and
Italian models seated beside fountain, is an example
OF spirited, clever skeichng, and also OF the artistic
extreme in manipulation There have been iour
state, of ths plate, and VIC are shown all impression
on Wha man paper, another ON yellow Holland paper
and another with the liquid effect duo 10 printing WIN
a mixture of ink and turpenjine. Next comes the
"InndHs I'm England a sketch Of several wind swept
figures which was reproduced In Harpcfs MAYA
zine Here again find the artist aiming al effect
and pushing his disregard for any e1actness OF form
10 al extreme one Il Ms humorous plates intro
- no a
bending radcr the weight OF many properties and
stalking along the lonely shore in search OF the PIC
c, lur, Whi, in the last state Of the plate, name
loss monsters are vaguely outlined In the clouds.
Next e ne d group OF ctcAlngs by which VI. BUhot
is nIcIy TO become best hnown-that is. as regards
The general puzzle. The Country Nclghbors" IS
said 10 have received degree of praise from one
eminent ejeher which We trust may not rise up 10
haunt him. The artist has drawn for us two worthy
members Of the bourgeois class who making
haste in wind and rain toward pleasant little house
at the cid of lane. Tho figures are animated
and * prcssive, but have not seen animated and
expressive figures drawn by MOnte6ut and other oi
the c5ycr Partisan illustia0fs This is an enjoyable
little sketch. but uIfolt ana,oly NJ. EUhot has been
unable 10 refrain flom cAaegeration of the action
which transfers from serious art 10 carcauIe. The
Little Cotase@ and The Large Cottage" should prove
acceptable plates for they comparatively simple
I'm design selfcontaned In treatment, and pictorial
without apparent oycreaboration. Nevertheless they
and rc-Worhing The various states Of these Nor
mandy critaces show how the artist has brought
out his controlling lines. toned down Ms lights made
Opaque blacks transparc III, and alter many changes
has finally arrived al his results, which are good.
But these c,chings hardly 10 be noted a. exam
ps, OF the sp,ntaneity certainty ANA dectuesS men
Mr. liadcn exhibited To a. essentials OF true
painie', cchings. In his Funeral Process on
and The smaller CtCing Of sidilar sG1i jet NJ BuhOi
prove, that be has certain power OF dran3Jc OK
preston but II the power OF the sympaihe Illus
traitor rather than thar OF great ag The strongest
OF the architectural studies Is the large etching OF
Westminster Hall an excellent drawing, notable for
tI, sustained suggestion o. completeness unaitan-
able with the medium. The Spirits on Dead cues
III 10 iI.n.InatINc Ncn.