The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
A PASSING ART.


Frederick w. Gookin, in Decemb9 Dial.
That engraving on wood seems likely to
become, like line engraving on steel, al
most a lost art. Is but the natural conse-
Quence of the invention and perfecting or
the various processes of photo-mechanlcal
reproduction. There are many reasons why
this should be so. 1t is not only that the
mechanical processes are both actually and
relatively cheap. The gain in literal fidelity
is indisputable; there is no tedious waiting
for the tardy engraver; there is no lntru-
sion of his personality into the result. These
considerations are commercially effective
and of more weight with both publishers
and public than realization of the short
comings of the process print. The blurring
of some qualities and characterization Of
others In the mechanical reproduction, the
inevitable omission OF that intangible vivi-
flying something, which, for want of bet
ter name, may be called the soul of the
work, is commonly overlooked. And with
the improvement of photography by which
more accurate rendering of tone values is
secured there is much reason to fear that
the day Of the wood engraver is almost at
an end.
for the greatest of all wood engravers has
not yet laid down his tools Mr.. Timothy
Coles series of wood engravings after the
aggeration, be said TO represent the crown
ing achievement of the art. This is high
praise, but no more than deserved Prof
John G. Van Dyke does not, put IL too
| strongly when he says that the series can
not be regarded other than monument
tall" The high standard set in the "Old
| Italian Masters" and ''Old Dutch and Flem-
| ish Masters is fully maintained in Mr..
| Coles new collection of eight and forty ex-
amples of the "Old English Masters In
cutting the blocks for these Mr.. Cole was
constantly employed for nearly seven years.
Many of the plates have appeared in the
Century Magazine, but in their present form
they gain much from heavier paper and
| In the technique of his craft Mr.. Cole is
| absolutely unsurpassed. His method is in
strict accordance with the best traditions
| of the art. Always and everywhere he
uses the pure white line and stipple
| around which such animated controversies
| have arisen between advocates of differ
almost infinitely varied, are the possibilities
| of this white line, is nowhere better shown
| than in Mr.. Coles mastery use of ii. In
his hands it becomes vibrant. instinct with
| life; yet hrm clear and reStful. AS in all
| craftsmanship OF the highest order, there
| is here no trace of indecision. The handling
| is free, strong and direct, but without any
| trace OF hardness. 1t is this combination
| of strength with softness and delicacy of
breadth, dignity and subtlety. that reveals
| in Mr.. Cole not the mere translator of
| other mems work, but the artist of con-
summate ability. Yet as a translator and
| interpreter of the individual qualities of
| the painters whose works he has repro
duced he has also achieved high degree
| of success. 1t is difficult to say whether
| in such an example as the Detail from
| Hogarthls Marriage la Mode" we should
most admire the exquisite nicely with
which the quality of the painting, the
character and expression of the several
| figures, and in particular, the atmosphere
the envelope-of the original have been
| placed before us, or the wonderful tech
nique by which this result is accomplished
| The achievement is the more remarkable
when the narrow range of the tone values
| in this picture are taken into consideration
| line or dot misplaced, made a hairs
| breadth too large, or taken in the wrone
| direction, would have been fatal to the re-
| suit. The direction in which the lines made
by the graver shall run is indeed one oil
| the most important questions which tn,
| ensraver has to decide. 1t is true that
| it is largely determined by the perspective
| of the planes in which the surfaces lie
| But that is not all that needs to be taker
into account. Some of the things tina
| have TO be considered, and how skillfully
Mr.. Cole has met the varied problems pre-
scented, may be seen by noting the differ
ent ways in which he has treated the face!
in the portraits reproduced. How essen
TALLY unlike in character are the rythmi,
and sinuous lines with which he has placed
before us the lovely face of the "Parson:
Daughter" by Romney, and the white line:
crossing each other so as to leave little
rectangular dots at the intersections, which
he has employed in the engraving Zone o
the finest in the series) of Sir Henry Rae
burns portrait of Mrs Scott Moncrieff
How different also is his treatment of tn
faces in the engravings after Reynolds
portrait of Lord Heathfeld Hopners por
trait of William Pitt. and Raeburns pre-
Sentation of the massive features of Lore
Newton! Equally worthy of study are tn
lines adopted to render the textures of TIL
different fabrics depicted, and the consum
mate skill with which both quality of sur
face and tonal truth have been secured.