Evening star., 1935-10-20

there are excellent prints by Benja-
min c. and Howell C. Brown Of Pasa-
dena, Calf, to whose interest and
leadership the California Printmakers'
Society owes its existence and success.
Another California artist. May
Gearhart, one of a family of block
printers, is represented by a print of
Cypress Trees at Monterey" which
is very pleasing. But California
etchers have not as large represent
alton as might be expected. There is,
however, in the collection a fine.
strong print by Roi partridge-a pic
ture of a bridge over the Seine beyond
which Notre Dame stands against the
sky. Mr. Partridge has refined and
modified his style since making this
print. but it amply testifies to his
etcher's instinct and command of me-
dium. 1t is still an outstanding work.
Among the artists Of the Midwest
given prominence in this collection
is Arthur w. Hall, who has attained
exceptional success and with excellent
reason. He has three prints to his
credit each quite distinctive in man
ner as well as subject. One Is the
head Of a little Negro girl. done some
what Sketchily-one Is q tiny land
scape done with the gravity and re-
gard for technique which marks the
works Of the European masters-the
third Is q group Of houses at Antilles
handled with great delicacy and ex-
quisite feeling. Mr.. Halls work in
variably finds favor among his COL
leagues. Upon one memorable occa-
sion five prints from one plate were
purchased by members of a jury be-
fore the exhibition in which it was
included opened to the public.
Another Hall-Frederick G., of Bos-
ton and Eastern Point Gloucester-is
represented in this collection and at
his best. His diploma print is an
etching of the church of st. Nicholas
du Chardonnet, beautifully rendered
and with a decorative note in the
placement of title. There is nothing
trivial about this, nothing accidental;
apparently the artist not only COM
mands his medium, but respects his
art, and has, without straining for
effect, real individuality.
It is interesting to note that
another view of this same church
by another etcher, Robert G. Logan,
Is included in this showing. The
plate Is about the same size and
the viewpoint is not very different,
but the result is extremely so. Mr..
Hall has made his etching from
directly In front Of the church,
Mr.. Logan his from a little to the
side, So that whereas in the former
the perpendicular lines are empha-
sized, in the latter. divergent line
dictated by perspective becomes DOM
inant. The one Is very quiet; the
other quite animated-an interesting
contrast.
A good many of our best etchers
have given-and are still giving, for
that matter-their attention to the
rendering Of architectural themes.
These have excellent representation
here in works by John Arms-a most
brilliant technician, Louis c. Rosen-
berg, e. D. Roth, Samuel Chamberlin,
Thomas E. Tallmadge and others.
Arms and Rosenberg both studied
architecture at Massachusetts, Insti-
tute of Technology. but gave up prac-
tice for etching; Talmadge is still
active in the architectural profess
sion and a writer on the subject;
Roth is painter as well as etcher,
and, incidentally, a half-tone en-
graver. His two etchings in this COL
lection show him to be no less skill.
full a craftsman than his colleagues
and with the painters instinct for
colorful effect. Mr.. Arms two etch-
ings are quite out Of the usual
intimate studies and interpretations
not merely Of Gothic architecture,
but medieval sculpture for archi-
tectural adornment.
There are fewer portrait and figure
etchers than etchers Of architectural
subjects-among these, however, there
are shown in this exhibition exam
Piles Of three of the best-Arthur
Heintzelman, William Auerhach-Levy
and Walter Title. Heintzelman and
Auerbach-Levy have both been pow
erfully influenced by Rembrandt's
works and are at their best in etch-
ings Of old men and women-char-
acter studies. little is q painter
and individualist. He is represented
here by dry point portraits of Au-
gustus John, English painter and
etcher of renown. and of Joseph Con-
rad, writer Of the sea. The latter
was made from Mr.. Titles portrait,
painted from life, which has been
acquired by the National Portrait GAL
lery Of England.
Among etchers Of birds, Charles E.
He'll and II. e. Tuttle are particularly
well REPRESENTED, while among animal