The Washington herald., 1913-11-30
GRAPHIC ARTS
ON EXHIBITION
Many Rare Specinsens to Be
Seen at Smithsonian
Institution.
BOOK EVOLUTION SHOWN
Progress in Wood Cutting Illustrated.
Etchinss Made as Early as
1880 Also Included.
BOOK EVOLUTION SHOWN

part of the National Museum collections.
is installed temporarily on the first floor
of the Smithsonian Building. where II
will continue to be open to the public un-
til its reinstallation. This exhibit is prob
ably the most complete of its kind in the
world, and consists of many rare speci-
mems. 1t comprises collections on the
development OF writing, illustrating, and
printing, and of the reproductive arts
intaglio. relief, and planographic-inclu
ing the latest photo-mechanical and color
processes. The evolution of the book.
both as regards printing and binding,
also win be shown in a short time.
In the series relating to writing. one
case contains a stylus used by the early
Romans in England, and one from Cey-
lon A cast Of an ancient clay tablet.
with cuneitorm inscriptions, and pRpyrus
and linen specimens from the famous
Book of the Dead" also are shown.
There is also a Moro alphabet such as Is
used in the Mohammedan schools for the
education of the native children. Copies
of the old English horn books, with the
alphabet and the Lords Prayer. form
Interesting additions, as does a book on
this subject, and several other specimens
of old records.
Carving Across Grain.
In the exhibits pertaining to illustrating
the progress in woodcutting is shown by
relief prints from ''planks" cut with the
grain, and also from boxwook blocks
with the carving across the grain These
are all hand engraved and represent the
efforts of both early ana modern artists
There are some old woodcuts by unknown
engravers and others by Albrecht Durer.
Thomas Bewick. John Andrews, Timothy
Cole, and Henry Wolf.
In this connection, japanese woodcut-
ting and woodcut printing form a special
feature. The exhibit consists of the vari-
Gus planks engraved in relief, used in
reproducing the original painting, each
plank reproducing the portions to which
that particular color applies. The proofs
of the different color-planks and the re-
suit Of each successive step are illustrated
in the composite print, as well as in the
completed picture, showing the various
colors in their respective places. The
resulting print Is remarkable, considering
the hand method employed, the registra-
ton is perfect. and IL is said that some
Japanese printers can run on 1900 black
prints and from 600 to 1.S00 colored prints
per day, while English and American
printers cannot. approach this output on
lection includes a complete Japanese out
fit for printing as well as engraving.
Some Old EtchinEs.
Some Of the etchings in the collection
were made as early as 14S0. The first
authentic print known In dated Ii23 Al
brecht Durer, Martin Schongauer, Hen
dirk Goltzius, and many other famous
old artists are represented, down to
"
modern etchers. Engraving covers the
same time and to q certain extent the
same artists. The processes of engraving
and etching are often combined. since
most engravers start their work by etch-
ing and finish with engraving. The pic
ture OF Ariadne, by A. B. Durand. the
first important engraving made in the
United States, is a good example
In the etching series the various stages
of the plate are shown, the clean, bright
copper, the waxed surface before and
after smoking, the drawing cut through
the wax by the artist with the needle,
the plate after the application Of the
etching acid which affects only the parts
of the plate exposed through the lines
cut in the wax by the needle, and the
finished plate with a print therefrom.
in the exhibit of lthography are shown
the first reproduction by this method
made in the United States, together with
many others.
Nearly the same principles used in
lithography are employed in collography,
but this Is a photo-mechanical process,
the principle Of which was discovered
about 1855 and developed commercially
about 1S72 In this method a bichroma-
tized gelatin film, mounted on copper, is |
used to print from. instead of the stone.
The photo-mechanical method is Illus
trated in each of the three different d. |
visions-relief, intaglio, and planoEraphic. |
Utilizing SUNS Rays.
There are some photo-mechanicaI relief
blocks in which the method OF utilizing
the rays Of the sun is demonstrated. This
involves the main principle of breaking
up the surface to be reproduced into a |
number Of various sized dots accom- |
plished by the use OF different sized
screens. The light passing through the
screens gives the effect OF numerous
dots, indicating light and shade by the
size of the dots or their proximity to |
each other.
In another series the development of
lithoraphy is represented. showing the
advance from the hand drawing on
stones, to the use OF photography, or |
photo-mechanical means Of securing the
picture on the stone for the purpose of |
reproduction.
The Ben Day rapid shading mediums, |
invented by Benjamin Day, are very COM
pietely shown, from his first machine |
and screens down to his latest inven- |