New-York tribune., 1901-03-31
PART ii.
TWELVE PAGES.
LONDON ART.
ETCHING AND IT'S MANIFOLD RE-
SOURCES ILLUSTRATED IN PAIL
MALL-WATER COLORs. MIN
IATURES AND PASTELS

Every artist undergoes unceasing drudgery IA
obtaining mastery OF technique but the etcher
IS always at the mercy of treacherous acids
and is never certain that his processes will
rome out right. For this reason etching is re-
garded the most thankless branch OF art and
few workers have the patience 10 devote their
energies TO II. when pictures are to be painted
more easily in oils or water colors. There is
Only one exhibition Of and original works
OF this class in the course Of the year in London
and the collection. even with engravings, mezzo-
tints, dry points and aquatints added, rarely ex-
ceeds go entries in the catalogue This year
the number Of works exhibited in Pail Mall by
the Royal Society OF Painter-Etchers and En-
gravers falls slightly below the average, even
when a small series Of thirteen etchings Of the
Norwich School is lent. Whistler William
Strang. Sir Seymour Haden, Samuel Palmer and
Oliver Hall are not represented. and there are
few noticeaby brilliant works; yet lovers Of this
beautiful art find much the walls OF a single
room 10 please them in line. shade and texture
The exhibition illustrates the resources and
range of etching and engraving, and the various
methods Of preserving the relations Of tone.
The best examples of pure line etching are
found IN the small loan collection OF Norwich
works by John Crome, John Sell Cotman and
Edward Thomas Daniel. The subjects are
simple-the figure OF girl at a Well rural
bridges and ferries mills. groves. village lanes
and castles with wooded hills-and the effects
are produced by the needle in pure line, with
little shading. These are old fashioned etch-
ings. with a subtle refinement and delicacy of
their own. In contrast with these quaint works
is the series OF studies Of we'll dressed women
by the French etcher, NJ. Helleu. These. too are
conspicuous for purity Of line and mastery
technique, but they are essentially modern in
process and spirit and bring the art up 10 date
and possibly a little beyond. Apart from these
groups are many examples OF line and shade
and texture etching, in which passages have
been reworked and toned with the same patience
in experimenting shown by painters in oil. In
this way the effects of close adherence to pure
line are contrasted with the results Of conceal
ment Of line when rich and mellow color is got
out Of the plate. in the soft and harmonious
mezzotints the lines disappear from the rough
ening OF the surface Of the plate. and in the dry
points they reappear. in the romantic works
OF Legros and Bauerle OF in Mr.. Burridge's
'Gilder."
Mr.. Dy. Cameron, the Scotch engraver and
etcher, who has recently been painting success
fully in OIL has seven strong and charming
works in the exhibition. His San Marco Ven
Ice" shows how sure and incisive he be in
ine. and what richness Of tone he can bring out
Of the plate. His ''Rialto, Venice" with the
bridge in strong sunlight and the riverside in
deep shadow. is mastery achievement in tech
nique. and his -Abbazia. Venice" is almost as
strong His ''Elcho on the Tay' is work OF
less purity Of line, but lovely. mellow color has
been drawn out Of the water and the sky. These
works are subtle in line and perspective, and fine
examples of the effects OF texture and chiaro-
scuro. Much simpler IS Mr.. Macbeth's Five
Miles from Anywhere" in which old fash
loned. secluded corner Of England is depicted
with refinement OF sentiment and delicacy of
craftsmanship. Quaint is the effect of the float
ing bridge on which wayfarers are lettering and
sheep are huddled together before the haul by
rope across the river. and picturesque is the
matched inn on the other side. with the leisurey
movement Of rural life around it. The water is
vel lined and the sky softly toned, and there
5 an abundance Of air in the dainty work. Mr.
Pi-nlott illustrates the feXibility Of line in his
-. Ives boats and his heads Of monk and Moor
and Mr.. Bush first finds and then loses his lines
by throwing shades over them in his spirited
sketch Of wild scenery on the river Taft, in
South Wales Mr.. Short. in perhaps the best
aquatint The Lifting Cloud" shows how finely
light and shade can be contrasted. Miss Kemp
Welch IN The Reapers' combines the sinewy
action Of the laborers with the restful qualities
Of the field Of grain illumined with sunlight
So great are the technical difficulties and
iabors Of engraving that artists are now content
with the drudgery Of translatiLg well known
paintings and ordinary craftsmen have re-
course 10 machine ruling in tOnlng SKY ana
landscape II is only at such exhibitions as this
that one sees various examples OF original work
on copper steel or zinc. and comprehends Alright
the range and variety OF art which has in
terested and fascinated great men OF genius
like Rembrandt, Rubens, Turner and Meryon
There is a far cry between elaborate and care
fully balanced compositions like Mr.. Herman
Eaig's Cathedral, Barcelona" and "On the
Sonue at Amiens' and artistic book plates like
those Of Mr. Sherborn and Mr.. Charles Holroyd;
and the grim reticence Of Professor Legros's
Solitude" contrasts strongly with the rapid
IMPROVISATION and dashing realism of NJ Hell
eu's studies Here is an art which lends its re-
sources with a free hand: TO portraiture as in
Mr. Percy Thornass striking head Of the great
ptcber. Sir Seymour Haden: TO harmonious ef-
fects OF landscape. as in Mr.. Finnie's original
rnezzotint. with its Towering meadow. sheltered
lagoon majestic trees and murky clouds; TO
classic allegories like Professor Legros's. 10
chitectural studies like Mr.. Murray's Christ
church, Hampshire; 10 interiors. genre, pas
torals. marines and everything under the sun
With needle. burin or stylus the delicate
effects OF line can be produced, and with toll
and patience in experimenting gradations Of
tone are perfected and mellow color is brought
out Of the metallic plate. Etchers are called
upon TO pay the heaviest price for technical sue
cess in their craft and only those inspired with
genuine love OF their art have the patience re-
ouired for perseverance in its toilsome and un-
certain processes
Perhaps il is because the processes have been
made too easy and comfortable that the art
ha daCli n