Evening star., 1935-11-03

I'VE VI tllC lCdtCSL JOyo uAlO
the surest compensation
for the art critic, whose
~ task is harder and more
ungrateful than one imagines," wrote
Camille Mauclair some years ago, lis
to discover real artist" At the time
he wrote this he himself had just
discovered r. Stephens Wright. an
American etcher, who in 1882 had his
first one-man show in the Galerie
Marcel Guidot, Paris. To the cata-
logue of this exhibition Camille Mau-
clair, one of the leading French art
critics, and Samuel Chamberlain, the
distinguished American etcher at that
time in Paris, both contributed appre-
ciative forewords, and it was in M
Mauclair's contribution that the quo
tation above Is found The joy to
which he gave expression awaits at
this time all lovers of prints in this
city. for tomorrow a collection of Mr..
Wrights etchings and dry points will
be placed on view in the Smithsonian
Building under the auspices of the
Division Of Graphic Art of the United
States Museum.
M. Mauclair did not exaggerate.
These prints by Mr. Wright are de-
lightful. Instantly they declare them
selves to be out Of the ordinary, the
work Of one rarely gifted and we'll
schooled. one who fully commands
his medium and uses it well, one who
sees beautifully and finds exquisite
expression. No one may be able to
define a work Of art. but only very
ignorant person fails to recognize su-
preme quality when he views it. It
manifests itself. So it is with Wright's
etchings-they do not merely charm,
they sweep one off ones feet. they
are so knowing, so completely what an
etching should be.
R. Stephens Wright was born in
Chicago in 1908. At the age Of 20 he
entered Harvard University and made
brilliant scholastic record. There
he studied architecture. the history
of art and painting. After his grad
uation he returned to Chicago and
continued for time his studies in
the Art Institute. He married and
went abroad. That was in 1927 and
for year he Travelled extensively in
Europe, visiting the great galleries and
museums, familiarizing himself with
the works of the old masters, "fortify-
Ing his technique as painter through
study and often by making copies Of
the great works of the past" Then in
1928 he met Samuel Chamberlain, was
fascinated by his work and began
making etchings. He put himself un-
der the instruction Of Edouard Leon,
than whom, it Is said, there is no bet
ter teacher. He was an excellent pu-
pill, painstaking. endless in patience,
willing to submit to the most rigor-
ous discipline, knowing full well that
by no other road could freedom of ex-
preston be attained. I'm short" says
Mr.. Chamberlain, "he approached his
chosen field with all the thoroughness
and devotion which characterized the
artists of less hurried centuries than
this"
But all this labor and excellent
preparation would have been fruitless
had not the etcher been greatly gifted.
It is not merely what he shows us and
the way he shows it. but the feeling
he himself must have had toward his
subject. In most of his plates there is
real loveliness, delicacy combined with
strength, reticence with assurance,
fact and vision. With his magic touch,
piles of shabby dwellings. bathed in
sunlight, enriched by shadows; har-
bors filled with boats, rnasts in great
confusion-all these commonplace
scenes take on an unbelievable beauty.
His compositions are excellent and his
emphasis always well placed, but it is
in his use of delicate outline and
elaborate detail. side by side, that his
work is unique.
That Mr.. Wright has studied Rem
brandt, Durer, Meryon and Whistler
until he knows them by heart none
can doubt, but he Is always himself.
himse. an impeccable Craftsman.
Especially skilful is his manner Of
introducing figures into these compost
tions, enlivening the scenes, but never
interfering with that thing which he
evidently holds first, beauty of aspect.
Even finer. however, are his land
scapes-so simple, so quiet. Mauclair
refers significantly to his felicitous
placement and rendering Of "a bouquet
of trees" and of the happy sincerity"
with which his work Is characterized.
No one could mistake in his etching
Holland for France, or either for
America. Some of these little land
scapes are gems Of the etcher's art.