Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-27

some years ago at New Sharon, Me. A
great tree with low. spreading branches,
standing a ridge Of rolling upland,
has been taken the chief factor in the
composition. though a struggling hedge
and less symmetrical neiGhbor divide in
Il measure the interest. In the distance to
the right and left are mountains, and
across the face of the sky are floating
clouds. An impression of spaciouSresS is
given, of loftiness and mellow light. And
yet the treatment is manifeStiS simple.
1t is chiefly pure etching. though here
and there dry-point has been employed
Another likewise confines Itself 10 the
familiar rendering of trees and meadow
land but at closer range and without
vista. Three trees occupy the center field,
while to the left one strangely bent
catches the attention. The. light and
shade are finely concentrated, and the
values from first to last splendidly sus-
tanned. 1t breathes the spirit of the out
door world and of the real country, and
yet it conforms to the strictest laws laid
down for the etchcrs art. And still a
third gives a view of a bit Of epherds-
town. w. Va. and shows not only an old
mansion perched on & hill. but a turning
road and two humber dwellings, at a dis
lance. homely scene. perhaps, but made
charming through its LONELINESS. In this,
no doubt the beauty of TIE medium is
specially manifested the asceniency of
treatment over theme. Mr.. Miller intends
to go to Shepherdstown. which, by the
way. is his birthplace in August and
spend several weeks sketching in that
vicinity.
This IS an off season for exhibitions but
it is well to rem amb"r that there are sew
eral extremely interesting collections of
etchings. engravings and prints on view at
present in the Library of Congress. The
wonderful collection of original etchings
and engraved reproductions of paintings
by Rembrandt, which was ass ambl ID in
commamoratCn of the tercant rnni2l of the
or at masters birth, is still to be seen in
the southwest gallery, the NCyeS collection
of japanese prints is in the staircase hall,
and the Durer eng avines in the southwest
PAVILION. while in the south gan ny are to
he found the notable print coll ctions pre-
sented respectively by the French and CIR
man nations. These are open to the public
in the evening as we'll as during the day,
which to persons regularly employed is a
great boon. In the early fall these collec-
tons are to be Withdrawn and replaced by
othe-s, one of which, it is understood, will
furnish q comprehensive exhibit of the
work of American illustrators.
peculia ly valuable refer nee book las
recently been received at the art reading
room in the Library of Congress, "A His
tory of American Engraving Upon Copper
and Steel" written and complied by David
McNeely Stauffer of New York, and pri-
vately printed by the Grolier Club. Giving
lists OF engravers ard their works care
fully studied and remarkably complete, ii
furnishes a source of information which
did not previously exist and yet was much
needed, and is therefore the more welcome
and important. As the edition was limited
and its distribution among members of the
Grolier Club and leading libraries it is
especially desirable that its existence
should be made widely known for the
benefit of collectors and students.
*
The National Society of the Fine Arts is
arranging its program for the coming year
and to some degree charging the scope of
its activities. Already plans have been
made for banquet to be held on the 18th