The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-03
YALE SCHOOL
 LOAN EXHIBITION A Notable Collection of Rare Etchings and
 Engravings.
AN ARTISTIC CRITICISM
ACritical Study of the Rep resentative Works of
 Real Masters.

(Written for the Journal and Courierl.
 The especial feature, this season, in connection with the grauating exer- cises at the Yale Art School, aside from the anniversary address last evening by MT. Ralph Adams Cram, F. A. I. A.. will be loan exhibition Illustrating the progress of that department of the graphic arts comprised in the practice of etching and engraving. While not entirely complete chronoiogically, many important names being left out, owing principally to lack of hanging space, the exhibition will be a surprise to those, who have not realized the wealth of possessions which the cullec- tors of our country have and are ac- cumulating.
 It is well known fact that our peo- pie have become the keenest and most successful competitors, in foreign coun- tries, for all such art and literary treasures as find their way into the public, markets, or are disposed of at private sale. so much so in fact that some of the more conservative govern ments are passing laws prohibiting the disposal of art objects, of all kinds, out of their respective countries, and even democratic England has it's agitators who cry out for this sort of protection. One frequently hears 1t said there when some new treasure comes to light, either in manuscript, printed book or painting, T suppose that will go to America and more often than not, the remark is true. They try 10 make a Joke of it, but It is but sor- ry wltticism for them, While this con- dition does not, as yet, so aptly apply to prints, as to other art objects, the time is not far distant when it will be no less true of them.
 Every year, numerous though these frail pieces of paper be, the impress slons, in all conditions, are becoming harder and harder to obtain. As they drift into museums and permanent collections, they find lasting homes like thu St. Christopher of 1423, the earll- est dated engraving, for long in the private collection of Earl Spencer, now in the library at Manchester, Eng land. It Is fortunate indeed, for us, that
 the old paper makers Knew nothing of
 the secrets of woodpulp and coated
 surfaces, one can feel, with delicate
 finger touch, the dislntegration going on in the leaves of our machine-made
 books and magazines, showing that
 their final doom cannot long be delay
 ed-while the common old printed pages and prints Issued 300 years ago are today as bright and firm as parch-
 merit. If we have not here all that
 could be desired, in the way of exam
 ples, of tho works of the great mas
 ters of engraving, we have enough to give Us a good general idea of the evo- lution of the art, from It's earliest known conception to the present time,
 as well as a realizing sense of the importance of such an exhibition as an
 educational factor, not only to the
 students of the school, but to the pub-
 lie at large, and 1t is the earnest de-
 sire, and hope, of those who have
 brought about this exhibit, that all
 classes may take such lively interest in it, as to encourage the promoters in the continuance, from time to time, of further exhibitions on the same lines. thus giving Us increased opportunities of enjoying and profting by such ob- joet lessons as the past has to offer us. IT. iu nI xtYA11 it ic a Al xy necessary, for the student in any art. to constantly turn back to the foun- tain heads for fresh incentive and cor
 rection; there are certain qualities of sweetness and vigor inherent in the
 earlier fiowlngs of the streams of hu-
 man effort, as there are in natures
 rivers, which do not belong to later and deeper floods The constant tendency of the human mind to ever increasing re- finement leads inevitably to effemina- cy. and this tendency, which is the death blow to genius, can only be suc- cessfully combated, by steady and loving reference back to the original
 sources of inspiration and knowledge,
 and even then not always, except by the strongest natural individuality. The
 greatest masters, those epoch -maklns
 men who stand out in bold relief above their fellows, landmarks In the
 progress of art for all time.
 This collection is especially rich in the works of the foremost of these, Durer, Rembrandt and Whistler. Of Durer there are no less than fifty ex- amples, and of Rembrandt's between sixty and seventy, truly a remarkable assembly to be seen. together at any one time. Of Durers, to mention but 6 few, where all are of the greatest in- terest we have two from that wonder full series of twenty designs from the Life of the Virgin, '"The Flight Into l Egypt" the forerunner of Holman
 Hunts painting of the same subject,
 and the Meeting of Mary and Eliza
 beth Of these designs, William Bell
 Scott says: These twenty noble and beautiful works from the most excel lent votlve offering ever made to the Mother of our Lords body" These
 were cut In wood, Of those in metal the famous "Melencolia," that weird and Iamysterious conception, "a picture of
 gloomy meditation will no doubt at- tract much attention, as well as La
 Grand Fortune" with It's quaint and typical German landscape, and "The
 Rape of Anymone." But for quiet, sim pie and beautiful pieces of artistic | workmanship with the graves, perfect
 in every way, prints which an engrav-
 CT would like always to see hanging l hr his side while at work as snnrces