Evening star., 1937-08-14
Rv Leila NPrhHn.

print collecting, for a caper on which
the print rooms Of The Library of
Congress offer almost unsurpassed op-
norrunity. To collect ANYTHING wisely
and we'll one must have knowledge.
and that kind OF knowledge which
.ornes from irs1 -ha nd experience. OF
course, pursuit and capture lend zest
- the sport, but unless one knows
what TO pursue and why, mere sc-
QUESTION becomes a favoreSS desert
The best Wav in print collecting 10
obtain knowledge, which leads to dis
examination, is by contsct-by seeing
pr,ntS-bv nosing out their particular
nerts--hv personal exploration and
discovery -by sleeping oneself in the
hest and measuring ones reaction
thereto. 1t is This opportunity 10
browse IN rich pastures that the print
collection Of the Library OF Congress
provides in generous measure.
This means, of course, not merely
fhe prints which are on view in the
cases. on that section of the secono
hoor of the library building assigned
TO the department of fine arts, but
those stored away behind locked doors.
but carefully and conveniently cata-
ioeuNd, and always available 10 PRINT
lovers for inspection and study, of
which the former are but an lnfinites-
lmal part
The print collection of the Library
~ Congress had lis inception in ex-
ampleS obtained through the opera
non Of The copyright law through
which instrumentalitv great vol
Time OF material has been sccumu-
lated. some of which is of great m
tereSt and value, such for instance as
works bV our early American en-
craVerS and complete set of Currier
and Ives prints. But such acquisition
rs Of necessity purely haphazard, and
s1nce the print division of the Library
NJ Congress was .set llp IN l897-When
incidentally Inc new building was
completed and first occupied-rhe lp-
huldln2 Of The National print collec-
ton has been in accordance With a
well ordered. though scantily fina need
plan. Prints have been bought. as far
as mAa ms would permit Vaha BILE loans
and elftS have been made From
practically MI the collection has grown
TO such respectable proportions that
there is TO-DAY scarcely a branch OF
period Of print ma king unrepre-
EAnted and e8empiitied in it,
HIS does not mean an aggregation
Of collectors pieces for in such
this collection is not ricn. The lue
of these is almost entirely dependent
'lpon raritv, and is determined bv The
covetouSneSS of an individual 10 DOS
seS. something which no one else has.
For This reason a FIRST state of 40
etching. which the etcher has dis
rarded as interior and of which only
two or three proofs have been pulled.
m perhaps only one. brings greater
cr'ce thai a subsequent state" which
has met with the ptchers approval.
To me student rerv little difference
would he dlScernible. If laid side bv
Hne. between the Two impressions OF
no Hundred Guilder Print Christ
Hea linz the Sick" bv Rembra ndt. one
n which sold This past season, for
1l0.5O0. and the other for $3.50
The print collection of the Library of
Congress, is essentially study col
lection, purpoSed primarily for STU
oents
The FIRST bead Of Lhe print division
~ rhe Library OF Congress was the
late A. j. Parsons a man of inde-
pendent means; like Jefferson, an
enthusiast on The fine arts" a great
lover ot prints The organization Of
this division came 10 him as oppOr-
iInlty for service along the lines of
his faVorlte aVocalion md was well
comed gladly Under him The founda-
t'nns of nur National Print Collection
were ably laid. What is more, his :
en- huSlaSm was contagious He in
iereSted others and obtained va l,Ia Bile
gifts and IoanS-among the former The
Gardiner Greene Hubbard collection,
which is still, so 10 speak. one of the
Jewels in the collections crown, and
among the laIter the Garrett coliec-
non, which has in recent years been
wi hdraWn and given 10 The Balti-
more Museum of Art Both Of these
collections are rich in works by be
old masters, Dioerer. Rembrandt and
n1hers. II one would discover for
himself the charm and merit OF
buoerers wood cuts. so Sklllfully
mane, 70 naive in conceptio it is
only necessary 10 ask for he privi-
'nee Of examining those which Mr.
Hrhbs rd collected and, in accorda nee
with his wish, were passed on 10 the
Library OF Congress by his WIDOW for
perpetual reference Nothing could
he more ENJOYABLE than a morning so
spent.
Later on The National Print Coliec-
ton was enriched by gifts from France
and from Italy of comprehensive
groups Of prints derived from The
vohlminons portfolios of their re
spNctive Cha Geographic Museums, the
one in Paris and the other in Rome i
These consist Chiefly of engravines in
line and Stipple and mezzotint bv the
greatest of the engravers. printed
from their original plates. preserved
In these museums. Especially rich is
the French collection in enera we'd por-
traits alter the great eighteenth CEN !
turv painters. Here, then, is ma
'erlal opening many inviting vistas
Tor the lover of art and OF prints, 10
say nothing OF the student OF history
Interested in personages outstanding /
n its making
1>HE collection OF prints which the
late Crosby S. Moves. then editor
~ The Evening Star, brought back .
from Journey 20 Japan, still bulks !
,Akee. In the estimate OF connoisseurs>
as \ unit in the National Print Col .
lection. In them The now famous
school Of Ukivove- color wood block |
prints mirroring .he passing world I
:, most admirably represented From
a careful survey Of this collection, 50
generously given to the Nation. one
ran acquire very fair estimate of
The distinguishing merit of each OF /