The Washington times., 1918-05-07
ETCHINGS
Of WATER BIRDS
DISPLAYED HERE

Frank W. Benson. Of Boston. the
man who has taken all the prizes
that are possible to an American art
list for his painting. has become with
in the last few years, an etcher Of
great distinction and originality. A
collection Of his prints-etchings and
dry-points-ean be seen at Charles
Dayton's, on Connecticut avenue, and
they will repay the visitor who strOlls
by. or into. that attractive print shop.
One must talk about Mr.. Benson
primarily as q painter, because he is
perhaps best known by his charming
portraits. his portrait groups in their
delightful setting. often out OF doors.
with the beauty OF sea, sky and floods
of sunlight, that he understands so
wen how to paint. He Is particularly
happy in his pictures OF children.
When he began to etch, in which
medium he is quite self-taught, for
which we are deeply grateful. in 1912,
the subtle effects OF light. shade, at
mosphere and tone gradations, ap-
peal in the same way to his keen and
comprehensive vision.
Almost his entire output Of etchings.
only few over a hundred. with the ex-
voted to birds and their habitat-water
birds, ducks. geese. pelicans. and storlls.
On entering the room whore the etch-
ings are displayed upon the walls. one
Immediately feels oneself transported to
quiet spots along marshy rivers, with
only birds. waving grasses. and wide
vistas OF sea and sky upon which to rest
weary eyes and troubled heart
They are distinctly restful. before one
begins to study them from the point OF
technique md impression" Their sub
tects Solitude" Ducks in the Marshes. e
wild Geese Resting" "Egrets," Lone
Goose" In the Clouds" Low Tide
carry you away to these lonely places
that could not possibly be expressed with
quite the same feeling in color or in any
other medium
Many OF the prints are dry-points,
done directly on the plate with the
needle point, without the acid bath,
which gives them the soft, feathery
effect that belongs to birds.
In 'Low-tide." q charming plate, a
group OF herons stand on barren
rocks, like sentinels watching for a
storm or q boat, immovable and
silent The long stretch OF sea
reaches to a thin line OF horizon. The
shore line Is at North Haven, Ne.
study OF Geese" received the prize
at this years exhibition of the Chi
cago Society OF Etchers. It Is q dry
point OF two geese flying. It is an ex-
quisits plate in point OF technique,
tho lines as feathery and perfect as
the birds wings.
Solitude" one Of the most de
lightful OF the collection, shows q
single crane, standing in . lonely
pool that reflects dark shadows OF
the grasses and bushes on the shore.
II is the embodiment OF desolateness,
4 most effective and beautiful print
For those interested in the per-
sonal note-Mr. Benson was born in
Salem, Mass, studied IN the Museum
OF Fine Arts. Boston, and later in
Paris at the Academic Julien. He
there painted the picture after the
Storm" that was exhibited at the
Royal Academy in 1885
He became instructor in the School
OF Drawing and Painting or the Bos-
ton Museum OF Fine Arts in 1889
His prizes and medals began in that
year and he seems to have received
one or both every year since, at ex-
hibitions and expeditions. A list OF
his awards would fill a column.
He Is permanently represented in
Washington in the murals OF the
Library OF Congress. a series Of the
"GrRces" and Seasons" a collection
of prints in the Division OF Prints, and
the charming portrait My Daughter"
in the Corcoran Gallery Of Art.
HELEN WRIGHT.