Evening star., 1916-11-12


The beautiful art OF wood-engraving.
which hourished so successfully In
Germany and Italy in the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries, has had brief
and varying history in this country. 1t
was at first our only mode Of pictorial
expression and the early wood cuts are
very crude. Not until the latter part
of the last century, when the en- ngravers
used the line after the manner Of en-
craving on copper. was the possibility
of the medium appreciated. and a small
group of men produced very charming
work, original as we'll as reproductive.
An unusual opportunity to study this
progress is now given in an exhibition
of the work OF the American wood en-
gravers. in the main gallery. second
floor Of the Library Of Congress.
Alexander Anderson. who is called the
father of American wood engraving"
Is represented by forty books which he
illustrated. They are the classics. his
tories. .schoolbooks Bibles. three edi-
tions of Pilgrims Progress" and an in
teresting collection of one hundred and
fifty "studies.' which he executed after
his ninetieth year.
He was born in New York; April 21.
1775. AS his father was a printer. he
early acquired an interest in and some
familiarity with the printing press and
the engraver's tools. His first work
was on metal, done in 1895 for the
Works of Josephus." published in
Philadelphia. Later he experimental
with engraving on wood. copying some
of Bewick's "Quadrupeds." which he
did very well. but they are not worthy
to compare with the originals.
The collection shows seventeen of the
original wood blocks with restrikes
a from nf he kS
are very small, measuring two by three
and four inches. with infinitesimal cut
tings in delicate lines that look almost
too frail to stand a press. yet the prints
taken from them are quite as clear as
those made early in the nineteenth CEN
tury.
Anderson was a most prolific worker.
illustrating books on anatomy and archi-
lecture as we'll as books of sentiment and
religion, besides bookplates and por-
traits He was followed by a number of
workers in the medium. and between 1850
and 1884 great Improvement was made
in the art, not only in originality of de-
sign. but in skill and beauty of execution.
A sincere emulation arose between the
engTavers. encouraged by the leading
publishers and periodicals. especially
Harper's and the Century. and find
the names Of Gustav Kruell. Francis
Scott King. Frederick Juengling. Andrew
strom and others. In Tennyson's Dream
of Fair Women" illustrated by Will II.
Low. are charming engravings by Kruell
and John w. Evans has cleverly interpret
ed Frederick Remington's designs for
Roosevelt's Ranch Life and the Hunting
Trail
There is no more beautiful method of
reproduction than wood engraving There
interpretative quality that give 1t its
value and charm. which is preferable to
any mechanical process, no matter how
we'll done.
The best work of the moderns who ap-
preciated the superiority Of wood engrav-
ing to the cheaper, mechanical methods of
illustration. Is seen in publication for
ers. issued by Harper & Bros. in 1887.
me portfolio contains twenty-five proofs
from engravings by fifteen of its mem
ten by William NJ I-affan, an art critic
and admirer Of the new school The work
will remain lasting monument to Ameri-
can wood engraving.
Each engraver chose his subject from
painting that appealed especially TO
his sympathies. 1t is much more diff
cult to interpret a painting by means
of wood engraving than by drawing
values in the colors must be harmon
lied. and il painting is large, the en-
graver must understand how to elimi-
nate the unnecessary details and give
only essentials
The library shows sixteen of the en-
cravings from this collection among
which are 'Winif-ed Dysart," engraved
by Closson, after George Fuller's charm
Ing picture. and Kings engraving after
Blashfeld's picture. "A Difference"
Frank French's beautiful engraving
after Gilbert Gaurs I'm the Enemy's
Country solitary young soldier
standing by his horse in a lonely wind
swept plain, seems to have special
significance at this time.
Henry Wolf. one of the greatest of
the modern engravers who received
the Grand Prix at the Panama Pacific
exposition. and whose recent death is
Eastman Johnsons New England Ped
der This print in the exhibition is
signed by both the artist and the en-
graver. an added value
1t is impossible in brief survey to
give an adequate description of the
exhibition, but it will well repay a
visit.
Another exhibition. particularly inter-
esting and of importance from an educa-
tlonal point Of view. has recently been put
up in the division of prints of the Library
OF congress 1t Is an explanation of the
various processes of engraving from the
eariy wood engraving through the line
etching and mezzotint methods. down to
modern chromo-lithography color typo
sraVnre ana photo mechanical processes.
together with Illustrations of the tools
used, examples of the completed work in
black and white and in color and a short
history and explanation of the methods
put IN as condensed form possible
Several wood blocks are shown. among
them one of Alexander Anderson, the
hrst American wood engraver. with the
hnlshed portrait of William Shakespeare
beside it, illustrating method and result
Again. a colored print by Helen Hyde. SO
successful In her portrayal of Japanese
views and characters. is accompanied by
M the series OF blocks necessary to obtain