Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02

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Grafton of Arts, under the auspices of which
it is to be sent on museum circuit. 1t was
assembled by Eugene Savage of New York,
representing the American Federation of Arts,
from the artists studios in Toronto Ottawa
and Montreal and from public galleries and
private collections.
Mr. Savage began his artistic career as a
student in the Corcoran School of Art, since
which time, however, he has gone far and won
high distinction. From 1912 to 1915 he was
one of the fellowship holders of the American
Academy in Rome. He has been head of the
department of painting at Yale University for
some time and is not only himself an excellent
painter, but possesses an exceptionally fine
critical sense.
In assembling the exhibition the American
Federation of Arts has had the generous CO.
operation OF the Canadian Minister Vincent
Massey; the directors and curators of the Ma
tional Gallery of Canada, at Ottawa and the
Art Gallery of Toronto Loans have been made
by both of these institutions and by Hart House
OF the University of Toronto and the Woman's
Art Association of Sarnia.
There viii be about so paintings in this
exhibition, all, with but one exception by ly-
ing Canadian artists. The collection as whole
1t is understood, represents for the most part
the younger school, and will comprise works
which have essentially nationalistic flavor
The exhibition will be on view to the public
IN the Corcoran Gallery of Art from March 9
TO 80, inclusive, after which it will be shown
in the museum of the Rhode Island School of
Design, Providence; the Baltimore Museum of
Art, the City Art Museum, ST. Louis and in
other cities The fact that the circuit begins
AT washington and that the exhibition will be
opened here with a certain amount of ceremony
gives reason for local pride and satisfaction
THE collection of etchings by Frank W. Ben
son, now on view at the Arts Club must
charm and delight not only every lover of the
graphic arts, but also lovers of nature-those
who delight in outdoor life.
Mr.. Benson made his first etching in 1882
when he was 20, but he did not produce another
plate for 80 years. Meanwhile he had studied
In Paris at Juliens, under Lefebvre and Boulan-
ger; had exhibited in Paris and London and in
the leading American exhibitions and had at
tanned to the highest distinction as painter
Of portraits and figures, especially figures out Of
doors. In 1912 he produced a dozen etched
plates The following year brought forth an
other dozen. In 1913 the crop consisted of H.
MIR. Benson has been continuously etching ever
since, and it would be difficult to say in which
branch Of art at the present time he stands
highest in the esteem of his confreres and of
connoisseurs.
Mr.. Bensons first etching that made in
1882 was of Salem Harbor He was born in
Salem and still makes his home there But
since 1912 his etchings have been almost en-
tirely of wild birds and fowl, of life in the
open. He is himself enthusiastic sportsman
but he is quite as enthusiastic in the use of the
etcher's needle as of the huntsnan's gun
There are number of etchers now who do
wild geese, ducks, water fowl on the wing and
do them well, but Mr. Benson was the first,
and none has ever quite equaled his sensitive
and amazingly accurate transcriptions
The japanese and the Chinese have sup
poSedly led in keen perception and accurate
record of the flight of birds. Mr. Benson has
not borrowed his method from these Eastern
masters, but he has arrived at an equally salts
&c Vra0r IN nc ofoI,
1ngs of birds in flight sense of relation to
environment, an understanding of the beauty of
motion, sense of the infinite
In the year 1915 Mr. Benson produced no
less than So plates, and as the number in
creased did the skill of the etcher The
product of that year, according to Malcolm
c. Salaman, one of the leading British authori-
ties on prints, testified to the advent of a
master etcher with something to say which had
never been said upon the copper plate" Be-
fore another year had passed Mr.. Bensons
reputation etcher in the esteem of con-
noisseurs was firmly established.
Mr.. Benson has not confined himself to the
etching of wild birds. To again quote Mr.
Salanan: He is as quick to the beauty of
a boat sailing before the wind as of a wild bird
on the wing, and when the boat is a factor in
the JOY Of his sport he draws it with true and
loving hand" And again, "Open-air man as
Frank Benson Is his riparian hunting ground
seems rarely to interest him from the point
OF view Of landscape, but when the scene reveals
its form and character in a mood to which his
own mood is responsive he can interpret its
expression with pictorial poetry of enchant-
ing appeal. When a rare mood allows his
vision to hnger with the landscape he looks
to the sky for his pictorial motives and finds
them in the transient effects of light. For him
the living touch of nature makes the poetry
of evening fully expressive and his etched inter-
probation is irresistible"
Mr.. Bensons etchings are indeed from first
to last, just as Mr.. Salaman has said irressti-
BILE, the result Of consummate artistry a knoWl-