Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-01-06
COMMENT ON CURRENT EXHIBITIONS.
opening exhibition of the


tectural subjects constituting notable
exceptions. Invariably this etcher's
compositions are good. He makes
excellent choice of subjects. his works
have pictorial charm and his manner
is very diversified. Sometimes Mr.
uses pure etching, some
times entirely dry point, sometimes
an doften two or three of
these media in combination. In fact,
he is quite likely to use aquatint for
his skies, and he handles this very
difficult medium with the utmost
skill. But, after all, save in the
matter of facility, it matters less how
an artist obtains his effects than the
quality of those effects. Mr.. Dahl
green's results are essentially pleas
ing and some, indeed, are well out
of the ordinary-delightful. Take.
for example, his print, Morning
Shadows" woodland road in Win
ter, crossed by the pale linear shadows
of the bordering, leaf1ess trees and
twigS, like lacework of Natures
weaving. Or Vista" country road
leading through a fragment of woods
to open rolling country, in which
each element in the composition is in
precisely correct relation to all the
others. Evidently Mr.. Dahlgreen is
a lover of trees, and, above all, his
interpretations of pines are charac-
terful and significant. To draw
tree and make it seem to live is
achievement, but one which
this etcher has done repeatedly to his
credit. Edge Of the Pines" and
Towering Pines" are excellent ex-
amples. Especially pleasing also are
Mr.. Dahlgreen's Winter pictures
snow and evergreens in sharp con-
trast-snow and gray skies shown
in delicate tonal relationships. 1t
is a gentle and. one might venture,
a typically American country that
Mr.. Dahlgreen depicts, completely
without affectation or sentimentality-
a country which, with all its charm,
9 out of 10 persons merely take for
granted. Mr.. Dahlgreen makes in
his etchings its reticent charm mani
fest to all
Among the architectural subjects
which Mr.. Dahlgreen has etched is
a Chicago skyscraper. The Tower"
with its dominant vertical lines and
its repetition of window openings,
a pattern against the sky, as we'll as
a dominant feature of the city pic
ture. This is skillfully etched. but
two other examples are given in
one of which, entitled Mote
in Pattern" was not only included
in the Century of Progress Exhibit
ton, but chosen as one of the so
best to be sent on circuit. 1t is one
of the buildings in the exposition,
very modernistic in design and no
less modernistically treated by the
etcher, but amazingly clever. There
is one quality which in some instances
Mr.. Dahlgreen's prints lack, and that
is atmosphere. but they do not in
frequently convey the illusion of light,
as, for example. in the print already
Morning Shadows" and,
conspicuously, in Evening on the
Marshes" Furthermore, his prints
suggest color, which his colleague.
Charles Woodbury., says is only, or
almost only, true of the works of
pointer etchers-those who are in the
habit of seeing color and TRANSCRIPT
ing it.
Charles w. Dahlgreen has won
prizes galore by both his paintings
and etchings. Born in Chicago in
1864, he early gave indication of ar
tistic ability and was sent to Dussel-
dorf for specialized study. Upon his
return to America, however, he went
into business and it was not until
1904 that he actually took up art as
career. Then came several years of
study under competent masters in
Chicago and New York. In 1910 he
in the Pris Salon. Two years
before, while still studying at the Art
Institute of Chicago, he took up etch-
ing and his works in this medium are
now in leading public and private COL
Lotions in this country and Europe.
Mr. Dahlgreen is one of those who has
kept his prices low, and
It is interesting for the collector to
note that no print in this exhibition
S priced above $40 and that some are
as low as Sc or So. After all, one does
not have to be a Croesus to collect
prints.
IN THE section Of photography, Arts
and Industries Building. United
States National Museum, may now be
seen an exhibition of pictorial photo
graphs by Sigrid A. Larson of this city,
which is very engaging. Mr.. Larson
has been experimenting with photog-
apply for some years, diligently study
ng its scientific and artistic poten-
,ialities, evidently with good result,
out this is his first one-man exhibit
ion. 1t is admirable in every respect.
His subjects are well chosen, his eff
ectS most artistic. In the hands of
IN artist the camera may become a
and satisfactory medium
or artistic expression. Thus Larson
mas used it not merely recording facts,
out elusive effects and emotions. Most
pleasing are his effects of sunset and
after-glow, full of luminosity and the
feeling of momentary passing. One or
TWO of these were made in the vicinity
Of this city, but the majority are in
with Florida landscape.
In not few of his prints this pictorial
photographer shows genuine feeling
for design, as in "Montauk Light" and
4 study of banana plants Silhouetted
against bright sky. His architectural
are also very good, espe-
cially "The Great White Way" in
which he shows excellent chiaroScuro
and most skillful disposition of figures.
In straight photography, but at its
best, are his transcriptions of "A Gar
den Altar" Washington Arch-Dusk,"
Curves and Shadows" A novel note
Is found, Furthermore, in his photo
graph of ducks swimming, as photo
graphed from above, and a group of
shells. also taken looking down, and
a gull, the last enveloped in atmos-
phere. Here is variety In subject mat
ter and treatment, but throughout an
lnsistent note of sincerity and artis-
tic perception. These prints, SO in
will remain on view through
out January.
THROUGH the Catherine Walden
Myer fund, bequeathed some
years ago to the National Gallery of
Art for the acquisition of paintings,