Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
A Remarkable ColleC tion in
the Library Of Congress,
THE LEADING METHODS
PAINT STICKS AS AN ARTISTS
MEDIUM
Success of an American Woman in the
japanese Wood Block Method
Autographs and Monotypes.

The largest and most comprehensive col
lection of color etchngs which has ever
been shown in this city was placed on exhi-
bition recently in the southwest gallery of
the Library of Congress. 1t was selected
by the chief of the print division from
larger private collection loaned to the Ii
brary and has been arranged by the divi-
sion as a special holiday attraction. In
character it Is as whole less serious than
the exhibits which have heretofore been
given place in these galleries, but of its
kind It is no less excellent or worthy of at
tention.
Some knowledge of the method by which
a work has been produced as rule height
ems it's interest, and in this instance the
process of production is graphically DEM
onstrated at the outset by series of prints
by Raffaeli. one of the earliest color
etchers which is to be found in the first
case to the left of the entrance. Here two
or three impressions from a single plate,
showing il in it's several states, are to be
seen. from which 1t will be readily under
stood that the etching has to do only with
the plate and the color with the printing.
The etching, as some one has APPLY said,
is the drawing done once and for all,
whereas the color must of necessity be laid
on anew for every print. This gives to
color etching some of the individuality ana
artistic value of painting. Each print must
be made by the etcher and it almost Lever
happens that any two are the same
Sometimes a print is rendered complete
by a single impression, but more often three,
four or FIVE are required and sometimes
several plates are used. Originally, Is Will
be seen by the Raffaelli etchings, but a
small amount of color was used to hefghten
the effect of the etching, but gradually the
artists have decreased the one ard IN
creased the other until many of the more
lie either lithOpfanlS
monotypes more nearly than etch1ngs
There are in the color etching certain posi-
bilities which nothing else can possess, Tor II
may combine the subtlety of the etching
with the piquant charm of a water color. 1t
can have the interest derived from clear
cut significant lines and the delight found
In soft rich color harmones, and unless 1t
does have both these qualifications it is lit
tie worthy of the name.
Raffaelli's Work.
NJ Raffaelli, whose work has been used
as illustration of the method, is the inVen-
tor of the paint sticks which about eighteen
months ago yere put on the market as the
ideal artists medium. purported to possess
the attributes of oil paints and pastels and
to surpass all other mediums in convenience
and result. For few months every artist
was experimenting with them, and in Paris
and London whole exhibitions We're held of
works in no other medium. For certain
work some rev are StlIl using lneH Out II -
doubtful If they ever become universally
popular He is first and last an artist
pioneer but that he is the first as well as
the last his group of etchings now on view
at the library amply proves.
Take. for example. the first print to the
left. which pictures two old men seated on
a bench in the open air. and note its excel
lent drawing; or the one below it, giving
glimpse of a foreign street scene, and OBJ
serve its admiral BILE composition See in the
little house amid desolate surroundings, how
interesting the most commonplace may be-
come through Interpretation, and in the
last tiny one to the right "a whole village
in rniniature) how much meaning can be
got in a few lines and colors. In all of
these the color has been introduced so skill
fully that Ii would seem that the original
etching itself had demanded it, and thai
the art of color etching had not been dis
covered. but. on the contrary, had discov
cred itself A unique feature of this group
OF etchings are two or three prints which