New-York tribune., 1920-04-04


'Ae causes of the interregnum. Ameri-
can etching in the true sense NAV be
said to date from the rise of Whistler
VINO published his famous French Set
as far back as 1853. But he was then
Well settled abroad. and the sfgnif-
cance OF what he was doing with the
needle was not recognized here until
later 1t was probably not until 1870
when Mr.. Brownell printed in "Scrib-
ner's' his memorable essay on Whist
ler, that the great artists countrvmen
began really to make his acquaintance
The practice Of etching in the Amer1-
can school began in the more local
sense when the New York Etchinr
Club was organized in 1877. The club
throve and exerted wide influence
BY the early sos something that
could honorably claim to be called
American etching" had come into be-
ing. Those were the days in which
stephen Parrish was making some of
his best plates and communicating
much Of his ardor to Charles A. Platt.
They were the days CT Henry Farrer,
Swain Clifford, DR.. Yale, Mary Nimmo
Moran and divers other ACCOMPLISHED
craftsmen. Joseph Pennell did some
Of the best work Of his career in this
old period. The late Robert Blum was
also an active figure. In Venice, where
they came into contact with Whistler.
Frank Duveneck and Otto H. Bacher
produced some brilliant etchings, in
- -rv,,t, . =, ,.n
1t seemed at that time as if the con-
tlnulty OF American etchings was as
sured. for the art was supported by
men OF genuine talent, who were all
headed in the right direction. They
were men Of Individuality and they
had firm grasp upon etching as es-
sentially a linear art. They were es-
pecially successful in landscape. where
the artistic inspiration OF this country
has always been peculiarly rich. The
considerable group we have indicated
went on gathering new laurels for
some years. Then it seemed gradually
TO disintegrate. Some Of its members
turned to other mediums. and, in any
case, etching was presently over
shad0wed by painting.
It is perhaps useless to speculate
as to just why the revival petered out.
One reason, however, cannot be ig-
nored. Etching. through It's very pop
ulariry. invited the blight Of CONNER
cialization. The big plate is an Of
fense,' said Whistler Nevertheless.
the big plate had for time an enor-
nous vogue in the United States Most
Of US remember what It was Ike, SEN
timen-al in subject, with an absurd
= marginal "renarque,' and very often
with a horrible "decora i've frame to
match its inherent banality. The ma
rlne etching, for example, was rarely
displayed in a shop window without
silvered rope running around the outer
edge Of the frame. and occasionally the
frame, too, would have its "remarcue"
IN the shape Of a steering wheel carved
crudely IN the wood. OF d couple Of
crossed anchors. We have seen an
etching Of musical notiv% Unframed
n oak on which a bar of music had
been cut. with the notes gilded. No
wonder American etching died the
death. to be only sporadicaly resusci-
tased by some lone artist loving the
needle 100 well TO abandon i. alto
ge.her While we remained discour-
aged, neglectful or Indifferent where
production was concerned, the. cult Of
the etching was kept going by the col
lector who Interested himself in the
o.i masters and in the moderns who
went right on dong notable work
across the Atlantic. II is possible that
the success Of foreigners like Cam
eron, for example, did something TO
stir the dry bones. It is possible also
that etching began to llft up It's head
. again in unconscious rebellion against :
( the domination Of The halftone. In our
4. .atter-day period Of the mechanical
/ process there was bound - come d re
/ action against its soIllcss influence.
! The halftonc has all but e1tlngulshed
1 the wood engraving rFeaA The maga-
/ zines, though the editorS o. "The Cen
| tury" and "Iarper's" sti'l give the en-