Evening star., 1917-05-20

Etchings, aquatints and Autographs
recently added to the Gardiner Greene
Hubbard national collection constitute
at the present time a very interesting
exhibition in the southwest pavilion of
the Library of Congress-. The exhibit
comprises several hundred prints. all
of which have been acquired within
the last two or three years. through
the Hubbard purchase fund, under the
direction of Prof. Rice. in charge of
the print division. The majority are
modern works, but for this reason
none the less interesting. There has,
indeed, been a renaissance within the
past few years in the art of etching
and some very beautiful work in this
medium is now being done.
The collection on view at the Library
of Congress has been arranged alpha
betically according to the surnames of
the etchers. without regard to ma
tionality, subjects or technical methods.
In the first case, therefore, will be
found two very interesting etchings
by Bracquemond, one of geese in a
field clamoring at the approach Of a
storm, the other Of pheasants. while
not far distant will be found an etching
by Frank w. Benson, the well known
American painter, whose sunny out
door figure pictures are both popular
and well known. This pictures a har-
bor with fishing boats. and is. II we
are not mistaken. an early expert
mental work. perhaps the earliest.
Two etchings by Daubigny next claim
attention. done very much in the spirit
works in oil.
OF great beauty and interest is an
aquatint by George Percival Gaskell,
an Englishman, born in 1868 and still
living. which pictures an approaching
storm with wonderful dramatic effect
and sincerity of feeling. 1t is a very
unusual work both from the stand
point of composition and rendering.
There are several very attractive
etchings by Robert Goff of buildings
drawn and nicely finished with an
agreeable adjustment of light and
shade. There is quite group of
works by Charles Storm Van S'Grave-
sande. the Dutch etcher, all of which
are skillful, and few quite exquisite.
This etcher has a charming sense of
simplifica ton and of the limitations. as
well as the possibilities of the medium
he employs. In this group a print en-
titled 'Environs Of Harlem" is pecu-
Lester Hornby, an American etcher,
is represented by little print of very
excellent quality. entitled Little Bal
oenies," which demonstrates an ar
lists power to make any subject inter-
esting through artistic interpretation.
In a case wherein FIVE etchings by
Seymour Haden are to be found will be
seen q group of six etchings and meg
zotints by A. T.. Howarth, an English
man, all of which have pictorial quality
and manifest technical skill. They are
of architectural subjects seen under
very interesting relations of light and
shade.
There is a large group of works by
Lalanne. French etcher, who died over
forty years ago. And following this is
drawing, the only one in the collec-
tion. made by Legros, study of man
in the nude.
w. Auerbach Levy, an American, is
represented by several portrait etch-
ings. very personal and individualistic
and having much the appearance of fine
charcoal drawings. In this same case
one finds a charming little etching by
Anton Mauve, The Towing PATH" a
man and horse by the side Of a canal.
An interesting example by Charles
Louis XI receiving the printer with
great dignity and ceremony. printing at
the time of this Louis reign being
properly regarded as a fine art.
or much interest is group of etch-
ings by Mortimer Memphes. including
the beautiful cathedral doorway in
Rouen: an interior looking toward the
transparent window In Holy Trinity,
Stratford, and an archway at Toledo,
the last a drypoint. Near these is a
beautiful and very characteristic etch-
ing by Millet, two men digging in a
field. And on the other side Of the same
case will be found a whole series OF
etchings by Charles Platt, now a men,
ber of our federal art commission.
Ernest Roth, also an American etch-
er. Is admirably represented by sew
eral architectural themes, among which
is his we'll known and very attractive
doorway of San Michele, Florence, and
his "Ponte Vecchio," as well as a less
known flight of steps up a hillside at
Assist.
Frank Short, one of the best CO.
temporary English etchers, is we'll
represented by his Entrance to Mer-
sey' and "Old Gravel Pit" the latter,
however. mezzotint.
There are quite number Of works
were exhibited at the Dayton Galleries.
this city, during the present season.
An etching of himself in hts studio at
work Is particularly interesting. and
his Irish landscapes are quite inimit-
able.
There is a series Of mezzotints by
Turner. emphasizing as nothing else
the difference in style between the
work of his day and the work of ours.
Dorothy Woolard, an Englfshwoman,
has to her credit two extraordinarily
fine etchings of trees. one OF frs, the
other of beeches, which lead to the re-
Election that the English artists seem
better to understand the anatomy of