The Washington times., 1908-07-26
STIMULUS TO ART
IN LIBRARY PRINTS
Many Photographs Fave
Been Loaned During the
Last 1 ear.

The efforts of A J. Parsons, the
superintendent Of the print depart
ment Of the Library Of Congress, to
stimulate the study OF the art and 20
disseminate as widely as possible
throughout the District the Dement'S OF
the immense and valuable collection
Of art material in the library. are
slowly but surely developing a con-
dition Of art interest that is not fully
appreciated by the general public.
During the last fiscal year t0ere
have been loaned TO art circles,
schools, and universities 1906 photo
graphs for use in the study Of special
subjects relating to architecture,
painting. and sculpture. At the pres
ent time the library force IS engaged
in the arrangement o. a large collec-
can etchers-
These etchings, numbering nearly
5000. are appropriately matted so as
TO be examined in the most convent
ent form, and have been carefully IN
dexed for reference use until such
time as the library may arrange for
public exhibition the works Of Ameri-
can etchers in a manner correspond
ing 20 the arrangement OF the present
exhibition Of the etchers Of the Bar
bizon School. or more broadly CLASSIFIED
! as the etchings Of the French school
In the present public exhibition Of
+, photographs at the Library Of Congress,
|! replacing the earlier exhibitions, there
is now on view a choice collection OF
| Photographic reproductions OF the paint
ers Of the Italian school OF the FOUR
teenth century.
The larger number Of these photo
graphs are from mural decorations OF
! churches and homes Of religious or
ders In order, however, that the schOOl
| Of that period should be fully covered,
the paintings of notable artists or that
period have been collected without ref
/ erence TO the present home u these an
Commemorative. notable pictures now
owned by the National Gallery OF Lon
don, the Academy OF Fine Arts OF
| Sie1a Italy. and those storehOuses OF
Dafntfngs the TniZf Gallery and the
Royal Gallery. are represented IN this
| exhibition. The exhibition is Consplcu-
Gus not only on account OF the merit OF
the artists represented, bot IN the hgH
quality OF the Photographic reproduc-
tons.
The photography Of paintings Is at az al
times a difficult operation ana When the
/ originals occupy spaces as decorations
| in church interiors, and IN many IN
stances elevated and dimly lighted loca-
I tons. the aalFADA4dA AAAAA~eANAI1 a.
/ greatly multiplied. II seems, IN some
| Instances, as in the f-escoes OF me
| Campo SantO Of Pisa, old anc dimE1eo
! by age as they are. that 70 secure z
| creditable photograph would be almos'
/ impossible.
And yet these ancient frescoes con,
tanning a complete biblical history q
Old and New Testament subjects ron
Z the fall Of man 70 the last judgment
I have been reproduced In manner
which cannot fail to coramepd the teen
meal knowledge OF the Photographic
I As in the frescoes Of the Campo SanJo
I so i'm the decorations Of the churches
the subjects are wholly Of religious
I cha TaCter.
This vas the period Of religious paint
I ing as we'll as religious architecture
I and in another exhibition upon the op-
posite side OF the corridor may be seer
I the Christian architecture OF that perloe
"a period when the devotional character
Of the people gave 20 the churches tht
/ best Of their means and the best OF
their art: when centuries were occu'
PIED in the completion OF some Of tht
| cathedrals.