New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-27

an Exhibition of His Etchings and
IifhOgrqDhs.

n IS fitting that one OF the first exhibitions OF
the season-that now opened at the wunderlich
caile-y-Should be devoted TO Whistler. whose
death last sumner viii of course. have deepened
,uhlic Interest in his art IL is also fitting that
a. should be made up Of his etchings and ntho-
graphs. since they are peculiarly characteristic
of his genius. Nothing. Indeed. could better IL
iustrate the mystery OF artistic inspiration than
WHISPERS work in lire. Such work demands.
above all things. brilliant draughtsmanship.
ana when he was a student In the ateer OF
cleyre. this was the ore thing he seemed un-
likely TO achieve AS painter. difficulties OF
drawing dogged him all his life long. But by
one OF those miracles which occur from time to
time In the history Of art Whistler the etcher
acquired control over his instrument immedi-
ately and. so far as his plates themselves so
90 show. without effort AS time went on he
developed his style and gave II new aspects
hut al the outset his work with the needle bore
the mark OF authority
The present exhibition enables US TO see this
very clearly. for it contains plates representing
each phase Of whistlers art. We can compare
the earliest with the latest and observe the
foundation Of knowledge and strength on which
both were built Even in his earliest etchings,
moreover. ne had that transceneent merit OF his.
charm. That extraordinary little group Of plates
done IL France and published by Delatre may
not possess the vivacity. the elegance and the
briIliance Of style which Whistler was later TO
attain. but It brims over with picturesqueness,
and. what Is more with the rare quality Of pure
etching. Those two well known designs, The
Unsafe Tenement and la vieille Loques."
show a mastery over the art and an originality
81 the exploitation OF 1t not simply unsurpassed
by the etcher's contemporaries at that time. but
never since paraIeled by any one save Seymour
Haden. The exhibition at the WundeTlch Gal
lery is very wei arranged. Following this early
French set come a number Of the plates etched
along the Thame- IN which Whistler took the
prosaic buildings the banks and, still work
ing within the limits Of a thoroughgoing realism,
fransmogrihed them by felicity OF composition
and sheer beauty Of line. In the use OF this
last resource Of his he varied his mood and
struck more than one different note The full
explicit delineation which we see in the Roth
erhithe." for example. is dropped for the more
delicately suggestive notation Of The Forge"
or the Fanny Leyland" Again. in Venice,
Whistler abandons the bold black line of the
Thames set. and distributes a thousand light
touches over his plate. or seeks an effect Of
deep. rich tone in etchings like THE Traghetto.
Through all his three or four hundred plates. Of
which this exhibition by the way, gives a re-
-narkably comprehensive and representative
idea, the principle Of growth is clearly visible.
lie never stood sJiu IN his art. never became
-nannered. and at the same time his work is
curiously free from those souvenirs Of false
steps. OF doubtful experimentation. which, in
the circumstances. one would be ordinarily in
cIined 70 expect He knew what he wanted TO
DO. and did Il with a sure hand.
When he took up TYPOGRAPHY, not many
years ago. he was not. as in etching, uniformly
-. l. a.
labors In this Geld an instructive feeling for the
special qualities to be aimed at and perfection
OF touch which make US regret that he did not
much earlier find out what could be done with
the lthographer's stone No other medium
Yields such dainty tones. Richer more velvety
blacks are. OF course. accessible to the worker
81 mezzotint. but only IN TYPOGRAPHY are such
tender grays available Whistler shows Us
here Many Of the Impressions exhibited are
-1ncommoniy fine. that the artists scope is
most adequately exemplihed. He dealt with
many themes. There are some strong portraits
in the show, like the John Grove" the Walter
sickert" the sketch Of Mr.. Henley" and the
brilliant Mrs Pencil" There are several
graceful figure studies. among which We may
note particularly The Little Nude Model Read
ing" and some OF the most characteristic and
charming Autographs are glimpses OF open air
scenes. ia which figures play certain part. like
the Conversation Under the Statue Luxem-
bourg Gardens" Finally. there are many
sketches Of purely urban motives OF architect
ural picturesQueness. like the capital yellow
5ouse-Lannion." In nearly al OF the Autographs
Whistler conveys an impression Of having great
/. y enjoyed his work The touch is always suaye
and delicate, AZ times il IS subtle but it is ever
free and spontaneous Il is possible TO exag-
gerate the value Of these Autographs. They are
not the tremendous works which some head
long admirers would have Us consider them.
They are rather trifes in black and white But
1hey are the exquisite TRIES Of a man Of genius.