The record-union., 1894-02-13
KINGSLEY ART CLUB EXHIBITION.
Frederick Torrey's Address on Fitch.
ings and Etchers."
An Interesting Lecture. Illustrated by
the Works of Rembrandt and
Other Celebrities.

Other Celebrities.
The Kingsley Art Club held its "Club
Day. yesterday, the public being invited
to examine a large number of etchings
belonging to Mr.. Vickery of San Fran
cisco and listen to remarks by Frederick
c. Torrey on "Etchings and EtcheIs."
The room was we'll filled with those
who take an interest in art in general and
this branchin particular, and they listened
attentively to the remarks Of Mr.. Torrey.
he is pleasing speaker, and in simple
conversational style gave sketch OF the
rise and progress of etching, illustrating
his remarks by Il comparison OF the mag
niticent specimens OF the art which were
shown, which included number of fine
original Rembrandts and Claudes.
Among other things, he said that there
was one advantage in the study of etch
ing-it could be studied at home, at ones
lreside. We do not have to cross the
ocean 10 study ii in Europe. 1t is one Of
The forms OF expression III art.
Proceeding, he said
every form OF art expression holds
It's place IN theory and practice by virtue
OF lis own peculiar indiVidualIly-b Vir-
tue of its realizing for US certain charac-
terlStics not eX pressed by other art forms.
Whenever one form OF art comes close,
III It's aims and methods, TO another form,
it loses lis identity and becomes a lost art,
SO To speak.
The history of the various forms of
art-eXp preston is full OF such disappear
ances, and merging OF one form into
another, and the iact that we are pracu-
cally celebrating here to-day the five
hundredlh anniversary OF the practice of
etching Will sufficiently indicate that
there Is a certain Individual essence i'll
the art OF etching which is not given in
any other OF the arts, and that at the
same lime cannot be got along without.
10 illustrate at the very beginning the
nature OF this peculiar character and aim
of etching, l have surrounded you with
number OF etchingS OF the highest excel
lence, selected with view to their size,
so that the character that | speak OF may
be readily perceived from where you sit.
The prime necessity in the making
up of an etcher is power Of analysis. The
art itself being expression by line alone
is limited in its aims TO the rendering of
the salient features of its subject. 1t has
been called the shorthand of art" be-
cause whatever it undertakes, whether it
be landscape, or pOrtralture, or dramatic
grouping, or what not, It's one tunda-
mental aim is to reveal, to express in all
tullness the characteristic OF the subject;
TO express that which seems to mark OF
this particular ruby from every other
subject.
''rhis cannot be done unless the etcher
can penetrate with artistic vision into
the very heart OF things and can instinct
lively select those features which are nee
essary in expressing this essence, while
~ e,
would be but mere elaboration.
ITO make this analysis and selection
requires an artistic instinct. The work
cannot be done by pondering and study
ing over the subject, but it must come as
the result OF a sudden illumining of the
artists mind, consequently rapid, direct,
simple, sincere, ana with fixed pur-
pose not to be swerved from.
These qualities then, briefly, must be
held up as the standard by which etched
work must be judged. In spirit there is
no real exception to this, but we shall
soon see certain plates that apparently
would seem to be exceptions, inasmuch
as they are both thoroughly fine and
very elaborate. The seeming incon-
slstency will vanish, however, ii you
stop to consider what it is in these ap-
parently elaborate plates that the etcher
is seeking to interpret to you. Ii the
elaboration is simply from lack of power
of penetration and analysis, 1t is bad. If
it is to display certain essential qualities
of the subject that require technical
elaboration to sugges st them, it is alto
gether warranted; and you will find it in
such men as Samuel Palmer, Jacque-
mart, Meryon, and in some plates of
Claude.
II have mentioned rapidity as ne
cessity in an etcher's work, and it is the
possibility of this speed of execution, to-
gether with perfect ease in handling the
needle, that accounts for the vast differ
ence between etching and other processes
OF engraving. A slight explanation Of
the etcher's technique will be necessary
here.
al have no intention OF entering into
any extended comments on the technique
OF etching or printing, as you doubtless
are thoroughly informed on those mat
ters. 1t is, however, evident to you that
a combination OF head and hand land one
may also say of heart) is necessary III the
production OF an etcher. a man may
have great mechanical skill, and yet be
entirely lacking in spirit-as has been the
case throughout most OF the history of
German etching; or he may have the feel
ing intensely, and yet lack the peculiar
skill necessary TO handle the needle sue
cessfully- Then, again, a man may be
great painter, accomplishing wonderful
results with the brush, where he can go
over his work, taking out here and add
ing touch there; but fail as an etcher.
where every stroke tells, and must stand
for certainty OF knowledge. SO we have
many of the greatest etchers, who either
I'did not attempt, or failed at other
branches Of art, such as Hoilar, Haden,
Meryon (who was color-biind), to men
ton no others.
- must point out here distinction be-
tween two classes of etchings, which re-
semble each other only in the fact that
the process by which they are made is the
same, while in aim and method and
spirit they are altogether different"
The remainder of the afternoon was oc-
cupied by an informal talk illustrated by
the work of all the greatest masters Of
etchings, from the time of Albert Durer
early in the sixteenth century down to
the present day, including Rembrandt,
MeryOn, Millet, Laianne, Daubigny,
Haden, Whistler, Frank Short. Samuel
Palmer, Van Gravesande, Felix Buhot,
Charles A. Platt, Pennell, Moran, and
many others.
The collection will be on exhibition
during the remainder of the week, both
day and evening, under the auspices of
the Kingsley Art Club.
SENTENCE COMMUTED
Youth paFdoned 80 That He May