Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-14
EXHIBIT At LIBRARY
Remhrandt's Tricentenary
commemorated Here.
SIX HUNDRED EXHIBITS
Bradley, Hubbard and Garrett Collec-
tions Brought Together.
SEVERAL NOTABLE PAINTINGS
Great Celebrations in Progress at
Amsterdam and in Other Parts
Of the World.

In commemoration OF the tri-centennial OF
Rembrandt's birth. which occurred IN Ley
den on July Is. 1905. the Library Of Con-
gress has set forth in its southwest gallery
remarkably interesting exhibition relating
TO his works. 1t consists OF original etch-
,ngs, engraved reproductions Of Rem
orapdts paintings and faithful copies Of
MS drawings-in all over six hundred ex-
hioits. Rarely is such an opportunity given
10 study this great masters art: never in
this city has a more notable exhibition
been held
80 greatly are Rembrandt's etchinRs es-
teened that only museums and mIlliona,res
II Is said can afford to own them In num-
pers, and yet here will be found no less
IMAM 80. all OF which are authentic be-
yond question These have been drawn
from the Bradley. Hubbard ana Garrett col,
by the library and many Of them hear on
tnear reverse sides. the stamps OF such
famous earlier collections as the Ayiesford
Won Nagier, Dutuit, Dumesnil and Thier-
ranged according to Rovinski the great au-
thority, and have been selected and set
forth under the auspices OF the print divi-
sion.
1t Is these that greet the visitor upon on
ter1ng the gallery from the main hall, and
TINS Is well. for whatever may be thought
or rembrandt as painter, as an etcher he
Is unquestionabiy pre-eminent. There is
indeed none that compares to him. Not
only did he develop the art, but bring it to
its highest state of perfection. He had none
10 follow, but he established for all time a
standard Strangely enough, while his
paintings were not always appreciated his
etchlngs were priced from the first Dur
ing his lifetime they were sought by COL
lily increased In price Dutuit paid 81 100
for proof of the Hundred Glider print
in 1858. and another impression from the
same plate few years later brought Ell $50
while at a recent sale In London the Land
scape with the Three Huts," which is much
less rare, fetched 5000, and his portrait OF
Clement de Jonghe s1.600.
Marvels Of Skill,
But Is it any wonder2 Could anything
exceed the charm OF these marvellous little
pictures? In subject they are exceedingly
varied, and in style they range from the
toughest sketch to the most finished draw
ing. They have been arranged subJec-
lively. the portraits. landscapes allegoricai
and religious themes being placed in groups
but 1t is quite possible, by comparison. to
note the growth of the etcher's skill-the
progress of his art. At first he used pure
etching. but later he resorted somewhat to
dry-point, and finally he almost abandoned
the one method for the other. possibly he
etched for practice-certainly he did what
ever was nearest at hand. No one subject
II,
and never did he give himself up to any
one fixed style This has caused his cata-
loguers much confusion. but has materially
benefited those who look to him as an ex-
ample. So excellent Is some of his early
work that some persons have declared 1t
must have been misdated. but 1t is, after
all, more easily accounted for by unparal
leled genius than by careless error.
Rembrandt has been accused of vanity
because he so frequently pictured himself;
but mirrors. we are told, were the common
ornament in Dutch homes of that period.
and he was, it must be remembered. the
one model he always had on hand 1t is
more than probable that he portrayed him
self quite impersonally and entirely with
out conceit. These Self-lkeneSSeS conSti- |
tute one Of the most interesting sections
of this exhibition The prince of Etch-
ers''' has pictured himself in almost every
conceivable guise and yet he is at all
times Enthusiastically himself-a man of
strong and definite personality.
Thought and Care.
It has been said that Rembrandt etched
religious subjects because they were popu-
lar and had ready sale. but if this be
so It does not show in his work. On no
other class of subjects has he apparently
bestowed as much thought and care. The |
Hundred Glider Print which has been
referred to before Is picture of Christ
healing the sick. and the "Cruclfixion." the
Death of the Virgin" and the Raising of
Lazarus" are among his most famous
plates. All of these. in excellent impress
sions. are included IN this collection. as
well many more almost equally notable
None is very large and some are so small
that they could readily be covered by the
palm of mans hand. Among the last
is Jacob Lamenting the Death of Joseph"
which was produced about 1885,. and is
seen here in specially brilliant impression
Only little more than three by four inches
in dimensions and complicated In compo-
stion it is so vigorous in line and perfect
in value that It readily holds 1t own at
distance. s.-.- ~
The landscapes, too. constitute an inter-
esting section Less. well known than his
portraits his religious pictures they are