Evening star., 1935-07-07
BY LEILA MECHLIN.


VERY engaging exhibition of
n prints has just been opened
| "a in the Library Of Congress.
4 \ This exhibition is in two sec
tions-the first comprising exclusively
works of modern American print
makers-the second works by foreign
artists-and both consist Of acces-
sions made by the Division of Fine
Arts, chiefly through purchase, during
the past five years.
In the first section, set forth in the
long. west gallery wherein the Pennell
Autographs have so long been shown,
are 1T etchings, 80 Autographs and
| "a wood block prints, a thoroughly
comprehensive collection-and one
we'll calculated to engender national
pride. In the practice of the graphic
arts this country has surged ahead in
the last double decade until it is now
second to none. Indeed, comparison
of the American section with the
| foreign section of this exhibition evi-
denceS this fact. And it should be
noted that the foreign section is not
| circumScribed. In it are 80 German
prints, % British. % French, 4 Ital-
ian, 3 Swedish and 9 Mexican.
| Of course it should not be forgotten
that one of the greatest etchers Of all
| e-Whistler-waS an American,
and that Mary Cassatt as an etcher
is held in the highest regard by for
eign connoisSeurs. Also, that in the
field of wood engraving, through Tim
othy Cole and Henry Wolf. this coun-
try made unique contribution to the
field of art internationally. Further
more, the revival of lithography as a
medium for original artistic express
sion was largely due to Joseph Pennell,
born and reared in Philadelphia.
Print Making More Active.
But only in the last 20 years, more
or less, has print-making Of great
technical excellence, as well as artis-
tic merit, been widely carried On in
the United States. The extent of this
activity is shown in this exhibition by
the inclusion of prints by print
makers who live not alone in the
so-called art centers, but in the South
the deep South-the Middle West
on the Pacific slopes-in the South
eastern desert country. And the fact
that these artists have chosen to in
terpret subjects near at hand-the
American scene in its best sense-in
which they have discerned beauty,
would seem to show growing ma
tional tendency toward that which is
finest in art and in life.
Especially notable are the works OF
the wood block printers and Itho-
graphers. Among the former, out
standing are the wood cuts by Thomas
w. Nason-farm and country scenes
among the latter the works of Stow
Wengenroth, Thomas Hanforth
George Wright and others. Nason's
little prints are as dramatic and al
the same time as quiet as any that
have ever been produced; while
Wengenroth's larger Autographs OF
the Maine coast are no less epical and
emotionally stirring. If one is SenSi-
tive to such impressions the works
of these men, at the opposite ends
of the pole, sweep one of ones feet.
George Wright has made, and Il
here represented, by series of itho-
graphs illustrating the sugar industry
in the West Indies, very pictorial and
and from the standpoint Of the work.
ing classes interesting. Thomas
Handforth who halls from Seattle
but is at present living in China. is
we'll represented by Autographs OF
Chinese men, women and children
in which one sees a CLINT of Oriental
influence but at the same time great
individuality.
Albro's Prints Displayed.
The Mexican slant. which has SO
objected our American art Of late, is
seen in three prints by Maxine Albro
of Mexican subjects but without
initiative effect. One Of these OF a
Mexican baby is exceedingly pleasing