Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-24
PRETTY, BUT HARD TO GET
New Treasury Notes Possessing Artistic
and Other Merits,
SUPERB PICTURES BY EMINENT ARTISTS
New Departure In Currency Printing
and EnprnNing-LcRnIT Tender
Missivc Fit to lie
Framed.
SUPERB PICTURES BY EMINENT ARTISTS


currency of the world, says the GlobeDemo-
crat. as well as define the relations betweeb
art and currency, which have heretofore been
left entirely out OF governmental consldera-
tion. The 81, 50, s5 and $40 bills shortly TO
be put in circulation by the government Of
the United States will be works Of art, each
note being worthy OF framing, like any other
engraving Of high merit Such artists as VIII
II. Low, Walter Shirlaw and Edwin Howland
Blashhed have made ot paintings, from
which the government engravers have made
steel engravings, from which, in turn, inn
pressions have been printed on absolutely
unique and beautiful paper, the result being
not only new money, but millions OF speci.
mems Of the highest art Of the end-of-the-
century engravers put in circulation among
the people Of the United States.
The design for the face OF the IS note,
which will be first issued, is by Walter Shr-
law. That for the 81 is by Will II. Low.
Edwin Rowland Bashfield designed the new
81 note, and Walter Shirlaw the new $40.
They will probably appear. the 81 and s5 notes
In January or February, the 81 and $40 notes
two or three months later.
LITTLE REAL ART UNTIL NOW.
Up to this time bank note designs have con-
sisted of hotch-potch of portraits, lathe
work, letters, ETC., having no particular rela
ton to each other, and no coherent sgnf-
canoe. These various bits of engravings have
been done on s.eel plate OF a certain size,
and the resultant printing has shown series
Of splotches inclosed in narrow border The
government Of the United States, in the new
series, has attained unity in design. and
effect. To secure that result the services of
some Of the best figure painters in the coun-
try have been enlisted; and, of all those who
competed for the honor. with Its attendant
emouments, only few succeeded
For this competition designs were submitted
ranging in size from two and one-half to four
feet in width, and Of proportionate height.
They are painted in oils, and supposedly in
black and white, although the irresistible ten
dency toward coloraion invariably asserts
itself In the warming and cooling of tints.
These paintings, of course, depict objects In
smooth surfaces OF color. relieving light or
dark, as the case requires. The function OF
the engraver at once becomes of supreme i'm
portance. 1t is to take the design and in
terpret 1t that the idea of the artist may go
forth to the artistic and the non-artistic on
its mission of culture
For the first time in the history Of the
world money in itself is to refine and en-
tighten.
The engraver is now Obliged not only to
reproduce the light and shade Of the orig-
nal design, he must devise directions of line
which describe surfaces gracefully and har-
moniously, depict textures and actually con-
vey sense of color. His strength or light
ness Of line, his varying widths crossings
recrossings and n.erwork; his suggestions of
nearnesS and distance, his rendition Of
quality as well as color-these identify and
individualize the work.
The new money that will pass from hand
to hand among 70,000,000 of people is in
reality the work of the government
gravers, and they are G. F. C. Smillie and
Charles Schlecht. When the designs come
from the hands Of the artist designer, the
lights and shades are depicted in smooth,
unbroken surfaces of color. In translatine
this into line, broken linear surface, the
judgment and tact Of the engraver are called
into play to translate these washes into
lines.
NO "SLURR1NG" IN THIS WORK.
Burring, for example, will cover defects
in a painting, and color invariably distracts
the attention from errors in form. But there
can be no slurring in line engraving. Its
meaning is exact, the engraver must cover
the inaccuracies Of the artist. Sometimes,
for example, the design is suggestive" but
rough; in that case the engraver must ap-
preciate the artists hints and make fin
ished picture. A photograph is a reproduc-
tion--an engraving is a translation. The
first is an exact copy, the second embodies
the thought, taste and originality Of the
translating mind. 1t is worth remembering
that the note that passes from hand to hand
is the engraver's work. his translation of the
designers idea.
When the new fives were issued, about the
time specified, they will get into circulation
by being paid out by the Treasury depart
ment of the United States instead Of the old
notes; within month thereafter the new
notes will get into general circulation among
the people. Twos and tens will follow.
Claude M. johnson, chief of the bureau oi
engraving said on this subject: 1.-THE new
notes as works OF art will have decided
and agreeable educational influence; besides,
they will be more difficult to counterfeit.
We have employed the best artists to be had,
and we are sure our engraVers are the best
to be obtained in the world These features
Of the new currency would themselves com
mand for II the attention of all civilized ma
tions. But in reproducing on the backs OF
the notes for the first time portraits of ia
nous civilians we give the reverse the same
security that WAS impaired to the faces of
the old notes by the portraits they bore, and
add to the new notes a feature of beauty, of
artistic value
Each of the new notes typifes distinc-
tive idea. The five may be called America" " |
embodying the ideas Of energy and progress. |
Three groups appear side by side on the fac= |
Of the note.
The first group Is an erect male figure |
driving three spirited horses by reins which |
are really flashes Of lightning; in his right |
hand he grasps from the storm clouds the |
whose energy is conveyed by |
chief figure In the central or principal group
On the face OF the note. Coherency of design |
Is thus indicated.
The central female figure, OF magnificent |
is winged She holds aloft in her |
right hand an incandescent electric light |
which 10 converting the energy conveyed to |
her from the clouds into direct usefulness, |
,nlightenlng mankind. She stands on hem
sphere which shows the United States; un-
Ter her extended left arm an eagle perches |
1t her feet Immediately on her right, resting |
,lso on the hemisphere, In a sem-recumben, |
position, is female figure, embematic, per-
laps of the press, announcing to the universe
he progress of civilization.
On the Observers right to the left OF the |
central figure, IL floating figure OF Peace
holding law scroll In one hand and lightly |
supporting a dove in the other. In the back
ground are glimpses OF the great dome and
Il the senate wing OF the capitol. localizng the
e Jign in its entirety. Walter Sh'rlaw OF New
FORK, who made the design for this note,
tudied art In Munich. His best known work
S a large painting called "Sheep Shearing"
On the back of the new IS bill will be an
deal winged head, in the center. with V
IN her breast-a fancy Of the engraver,
;milie; on either side OF the ideal head w!l
,e the heads of Grant and Sheridan. For the
irst time portraits OF persons not holding
,ftice under the government appear IN It's
currency. The back Of this and Of all The Hsw
lotes was designed by Thomas F. No: rlc,
hIaf nj tho engrayinR division Of tha Ru.e a., ]