New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-09
ART EXHIBITIONS.
Old and NeSc, PrintS-PdintiRgs and
Furniture at AUCTION.

presence or certain fne prints In the collection IL
detail concerning the coanosseur alone, and
even be ought to be willing descend from his
hobby on this occasion Ia Difference the personal
appeal which Is made, first and last. by these
souvenirs OF our FIRST President For the great
I mass OF portraits that were made OF him Wash
1 ington gave. OF course sittirgs. The result
/ IS that the hundreds OF engTavtngs and etchings
/ that exist commemorating his physognomy are
easily to be classified under certain definite heads
In one group you have the type OF portrait whose
essential lines fixed by Peale; IN another It
Is the impression OF Trumbuil that rules. and
others presided over. TO say. BY Stuart and
Savage II Is curious TO observe the confusion that
4 flowed from the situation in which the enSravers
I found themselves working so often s second and
/ even third hand. They would adhere roughly
I 10 more or less recognizable outline but within
Z that outline they would give almost any account
OF their subject. making Washington seem now
the soldier and gentleman. now the Roman hero
the country squire the grave statesman or
the minclng fop. There portraits here IN which
the Father OF His Country resembles melancholy
elavedriver, there is in which he Is the courty
I dancing master 10 the life and there few
4 in which he Is the very type OF an old petit
fogger. Sometimes he seems. whether he Is him
self or not, TO have stepped out OF the peges OF
cur Revolutionary history with all It's atmosphere
aroOnd him. and again he wears the aspect Of one
Of Dickenss characters All this. OF course serves
f TO make The exhibition really amusing.
4 Nothing co.ld be more droll. foT example than
the print which shows Washington in the Roman
dress" according to the inscription the plate.
'as ordered by Congress for the Monument to be
erected ir Phiadelrhis 10 perpetuate 20 Posterity
the Man who commanded the American Forces
through the late glorious Revolution" II is droH
not simply because tho Roman dress happens to
he. as a matter OF fact the arnor OF an English
cavalier. but because OF the source OF he design
Side by side with the print Is shown one Of GER
tain Sir william de Ia More in armor. On this
the engraver OF the portrait OF Washington based
HIS work. reproducing every detail in the bo6y OF
the print and simply placing the Americans head
on the Embellishments shoulders. and working over
the flag and the distant view OF men IN COMBAT
which are included in the plate. This offers good
Illustration OF the shifts to which the engravers
OF portraits OF Washington were put. Divers other
I exhibits throw further lEht on the manner IN
which the general was portrayed without his know
ine anything about II The publishers or The
I Philadelphia Almanac" Tor I7S5 wanted vignette
TO place at the top OF their engraved sheet what
more natural than to put free sketch OF wash
ington there? Many other similar Instances are to
be noted IN the show. There are dozens OF prints
which were obviously produced merely 10 meet
popular demand. eugravings made by ordinary jour
nsvmcn and published doubt. somewhat as the
old broadsidrs used be published. These quaint
relies Of patriotic fl the Revolutionary epoch
are often excessively rare Ia fact II is their
rarity alone that commends them. in some cases
But we would not underestimate the artistic value
OF r considerable number Of these engravings
one % the oldest prints in the collection Is also
one OF the most charming. regarded merely as
work Of This is the tiny proale mezzotinted by
ST Memin II IS 3 small that magnfying GLASS
IS not cut OF place In examining IT, but small as Il
Is the portrait is eKquisiteIy drawn and modelled.
and is full OF character. This exhibition VIII be
open until February %. to visitors obtaining cards
from members. and II ought not 10 be neglected
Mr William strans. the British etcher who has a
collection % his works exhibition AZ the Keppei
Gallery IS the most brilliant OF the followers Of
Professor Legros. His art Is chiefly remarkable FOR
t-fvd ~ M -grvfF a
apparently part and parcel OF his temperament. Tor
A. was manifested In the hundred and more plates
which he exhibited at the Wunde-lich Gallery In
lSel and he has cultivated since with IN
wavering devotion Mr. strang's simplicity. how
ever while affecting MS technique. his sense OF
structure in design. and his way OF looking at FORM
has not kept him from being. In some ways a.
subtle q. any modern etcher. lie has resources OF
thought and imagination. and he Is not AFRAID 70
,.e tber, I, fact he yves Il 10 his having. as a
rule something say that he escapes. IN
measure. the penalty inflicted upon the man "ioS7
tyle too often betrays the influence OF this that
master II is not Professor Legros alone VINO j. re-
called nv this exhibition though Mr.. Straag makes
Us think OF him often than OF any one Else Al
times he makes think Of Meryon. or Il Is FeIcle"
Rops who is suggested. OF is Mlet All OF theso
men We fancy. and perhaps some others nave han
so-,erbInn ~ do with M StranE's evolution as an
etche-. and the drawings which form part OF tals
exhibition suggest that he has studied 1ahs nor
bsn to good purpose. Yet while he Is so obviously
eel
that could be described wholly and abso'utey
his ovrn he rontrfves by sheer intellectual ana
imaginative force 10 convey something Las ."
o-ietnal impression II is impression OF thlabs
y,orbia and uacabre OF mind rowing iAquis'-
.veiv over literature and life. and Fastening UPON
themes far more apt be grim than pleasant
more apt to be bizarre than beautiful Inc pom.
was made plain in the earlier snow fleI'ioie
above and Il Is amply confirmed ny the PIesoh'
ovbt,,,,to, Rarely does this artist give US mere
" charming transcript from familiar me- Hhe
..Tbe E5esaer" an echo. but delightful echo. OF
sffl-. More often his realism. Is In Inc soup
Kitchen" Despair" or "Sociails's' sa'Ois % -
nainful ugIness OF downright squaior. ana II 'le'e
IS ruthless veracity about these works tha'
-, ,,.,,or,e. OF Manet there Is in them also
strain % wilful melancholy which we may oe quite
go .ba French artist with his Joy In lie. Wouio
have Instantly disowned. The nsures IN HieSe
mates have the horrible set stare OF iuhacy 'S'i
II Is terribly depressing. but in some mysterious
I "a n.,sdoxical fashion Mr.. Strang makes 1t very
St,.-. 7~,at 4. where his individuality comes
= ar .,-,,ce He EFFORTS admiration even whiie
n. ts lowering the spirits OF the oehoiner- ne can
- ~. ,.r,lv because he Is 50 fecund Designer
"a a. "a strong a draughtsInan Ills nIusl-noi,s
- -Tybo Rhine Of the Ancient Mariner may IaI'
- =, ,,t.rnreting the fantastic beauty OF Cole
~ ..,arDteee: his etchings for Rudyaro
,-se,,-,s, stories may give anything Dur con-
s.I1s turn to the modern rornancers nouFes.
4 81, ,bs last thing that could possibly % SeAu V
,nv Of these productions wooio Oe ma 0S
! 81, Nj strang Is always interesting &c a"@yS
-. , design that has meaning ano an at
ih m. .Don ouixots" plate. have In them
-. 20 ,nuch ss g smmer Of the huraoT OF Ter
-. they are rnads not Of the stun OF thst Gu
S.,t,ns oen,us but OF the elements In Spanish
/ ,s,. which we associate with OoFa- AT lne sA
,,,n. IN these. too there Is visor OF Hhe. 90
,n.re Is q harsh pcturesqucDess. In when We can