Evening star., 1941-06-15
Reginald Birch and Charles Dana Gibson Are Featured
In Exhibition of Illustrations at Library of Congress
Artists Have Been
Outstanding for
Half Century
By Leila MechHn.

Leicester b. Holland is Chlel, Jne
Library of Congress set up Cab
met of American Illustration with
the purpose of preserving original
works by our foremost American
illustrators and through occasional
exhibitions, keeping them in re-
n1embrance. Through gifts of il
Illustrators, publishers and friends,
the collection comprised in this
cabinet has grown rapidly, and now
the 18th exhibition drawn there
from has been opened This con-
sists of drawings by Reginald Birch
and Charles Dana Gibson, both OF
whom have been outstanding in
this field for half a century, and,
happily, are still living.
Mr.. Birch was born in London
In 1856 and got his art schooling
in Munich-a good combination,
the British being stoTy-minded with
a leaning toward the pictorial, and
the German school being insistent
always upon craftsmanship. He
was Is when he came TO this coum-
try, and his career as an illustrator
did not begin until the early 80s,
when he found employment with
the Century Co. of New York, il
lustrating for the Century Magazine
and especially their childrens' pub
hcation. ST. Nicholas. 1t was in
his work for the latter magazine
that MI Birch eXcelled, for his
mind was delightfully."- whimsical
and his sympathy with young people
very keen.
Childs Classic.
In 1886 st. Nicholas serialized
Little Lord Fsuntleroy,' by Fran
ces Hodgson Burnett. then of Wash
ington, we'll known novelist. wife of
Dr.. S. M. Burnett. distinguished
oculist-a work which was destined
to become an American ChildS
classic. Birch was the illustrator
of this beguiling story and. as such,
sprang directly into enormous pop
ularity which, had he been less
an artist than he was. might have
turned his head and affected the
quality of his future work, from
which twin calamities he was saved
by his respect for his art and mate
sincerity 1t has been said that
Birch created the Little Lord
Fauntleroy' of fame quite as much
as Tenniel created the immortal
Alice" but if truth were known, it
would, in all probability. be found
that achievement in each instance
was the result of author and illus
traitor working together with perfect
sympathy and understanding The
Fauntleroy of Birchs illustrations
is none other than the Cedric Enrol
whom Mrs. Burnett set before us
in her well-told tale-a happy.
spirited, loving little boy, who made
friends with a bootblack and
grocer. as we'll as with the stern
Earl whose heart had been shut
and locked against kindness until
his grandson found his way into it
by belief in his kindness.
Those were the days of black
stockings for children as we'll as
their elders. and Fauntleroy's black
stockinged legs were used by Birch
to give accent TO his delicate pen
and-ink drawings. There are none
of the Lord Fauntleroy" illustra-
tions among the Birch drawings now
on view at the Library of Congress. .
but there are other works in similar
spirit such as With Pony and
Cart" an illustration for Rhyme
of the Two Little Browns" and two .
for Master Skylark." .
by John Bennett, all three published |
in st. Nicholas. The black stock
ings find here counterpart in the .
ribbonlike decorations in tall /
piece for Black Douglas" by Annie .
Robson Brown. while the illustra- |
tors own whimsicaity is charmingly .
manifested in the illustration of a
merry verse. An Educator, written /
by himself for st. Nicholas, which .
runs as follows:
In learning, proudly said the
birch,
Tue long played quite part,
Whenever little boys are dull
Why, I can make them smart.
Lightness of Touch.
The drawing represents school,
master. with birch rods for upstand-
ing hair, glaring at a group of little
boys, quite dull, Shivering in their
boots.
With only one exception. wash
drawing entitled ""Iis Pie. Your
Majesty-An Apple Pie" all the
work by Reginald Birch in this eX-
hibition is in penand-ink, a me-
dium which he handled with great
delicacy and understanding. His
line is both fine and vital: his works
have animation and yet show light
ness of touch, knowing and cunning,
as artist and technician.
The 80s and COS were the hey
day of illustration in this country,
and there was plenty of work for
the illustrators of proved ability.
During the last double decade, how
ever. things have been different
though Mr, Birch has gone on, and
every now and then one has come
across an illustration with his we'll
remembered signature. In 1887. so
years after the publication in book
form of Little Lord Fauntleroy,"
there came from an American press
a series of four booklets. in boards,
consisting of four stories. novelettes,
of "Old London" in Gregorian,
Victorian. Mid-Victorian and Ed
Wardian daVS. bV E F. Benson, with