Evening star., 1937-12-05
UNIQUE EXHIBITION
"Problems of Portraiture" Are Shown at
Phillips Gallery-Prints From
Swedish Artists.


comprehensive collection OF material
relating to James McNeill Whistler,
and at the same time bequeathed to
it all of his own etched plates, prints
and drawings, besides preserving only
life interest for Mrs. PennelD the
whole of his estate.
BY his talent and industry. Pennell,
born in Quaker family Of modest
means, acquired during his lifetime q
fortune of over 100000. which Mrs.
Pennell so carefully guarded, after
1t came into her possession. that, in
spite Of adverse financial conditions.
by the time Of her death, in 1896, her
husbands bequest to the Library had
grown to nearly $350.000. This fund,
1t was specified by the donor, was for
three purposes: /. The purchase of
material relating to Whistler. 2. The
completion of the Library's collection
of prints by Joseph Pennell. 3. The
purchase Of prints made not only in
the United States but in any country,
within the last hundred years.
According to the terms of the will
this third group of prints Is to be
purchased by committee comprising
the chief Of the Division OF Fine Arts
!. of the Library of Congress Leicester
B. Holland), an outstanding etcher
and no less distinguished lithog-
rapher, the appointment of the first
two to be made by the keeper of the
National Art Collections and the di-
rector of the Corcoran Gallery of Art,
in consultation with the chief of the
Division of Fine Arts of the Library
OF Congress. Ruel P. Tolman, head of
the Division of Graphic Arts, under
the Smithsonian, and c. Powell Min
nigerode, director Of the Corcoran
Gallery of Art. in consultation with
Mr.. Holland, made the appointments
now announced.
The field open for selection is a
very wide one, covering a prolific
century of print-making in Europe as
well as America. But chief emphasis
will undoubtedly be laid, as has been
the practice of the Library in the
past. on contemporary American
work. This, it is felt, will be in ac-
cordance with Mr.. Pencils desire,
for in his will occurs this statement:
i have made the bequests contained
in this will to the United States be-
cause the United States is spending
money on prints and encouraging art
and artists and has encouraged me-"
Both OF the appointees are well
known. John Taylor Arms was born
in this city in 1887 and spent his
ooyhood here. He is not only president
OF the Society of American Etchers,
but also chairman Of the Graphic Arts
Section Of the National Academy of
Design, of which since 1888 he has
been a member. France has made
him Chevalier of the Legion of
Honor, he is an associate member of
the Societe des Beaux Arts of Paris,
member of the Royal Society of
Painters, Etchers and Gravers of
England and of various other we'll
known professional organizations here
and abroad. His honors are numerous
and his etchings included in the
leading collections of the United
States, France, England and other
countries.
Less than year ago he held in the
Grand Central Galleries, New York,
a retrospective exhibition entitled
"TWenty-one Years of Drawing"
which included selections from his
complete work of 800 prints, 232 etch-
lngs, IS aquatints and l mezzotint.
The foreword to the catalogue, written
by the etcher himself. set forth his
creed, which, with extraordinary le-
niency toward those who thought diff
ferently, clearly stated his own con-
viction. For exactly 81 years." he
said, Il have visualized a plate of
perfect beauty, and in my own way
and in accordance with the dictates of
my impulses have striven to achieve
it,"
Among Mr.. Arms plates are two
notable series, Little Churches of
France" and Hill Towns of Italy"
published in connection with books
of travel written by his wife, Dorothy
Noyes Arms, much as Joseph Pen
nelrs etchings were, in many cases,
made as illustrations for Mrs. Pen
nell's Writings. An etching by Mr..
Arms. Anglia Antigua" has just
been published by the California Print
Society for distribution to its asso-
ciate members.
Stow Wengenroth is younger man,
born in 1906 in Brooklyn, and hence
has briefer record of achievement.
He studied under Wayman Adams,
John Carlson and others; is a member
OF various professional organizations
and is represented in some of the
leading print collections. To him.
this past year, at an exhibition of
lithography held in the Philadelphia