Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-07-27
OAR. Shows
Engravings
Designers
Historical Aspect
Held Superior
To Artistic
By Florence s. Berrrman.

-
Signers of the Declaration of In
dependence, in engraved portraits,
constitute the latest exhibition at
the museum of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. Memorial Con-
tinental Hall Emphasis is on his
torlcal rather than on artistic aspects
of the works shown. but all of the
D A. R. exhibitions have had esthetic
appeal in some degree.
The 18th century American en-
Eravers responsible for some of these
portraits are little known to us,
despite their signatures. Nor do the
explanatory labels, an admirable
feature of the D. A r, museum eX-
hibitions. cast any light on them in
the present instance One must
search for them in publications dat
ing from so years 10 more than a
century ago.
All signers are represented in the
exhibition and are arranged in State
groups. so that various examples by
single engraverS are scattered 1t
could not be otherwise. for engrav-
ingS Of many signers are lacking.
Nearly half of the present exhibition,
in fact. comprises photographs of oil
portraits of the Signers, and in one
instance, of an equestrian statue.
The engravings too. reproduce oil
portraits and miniatures from life,
or likenesses made especially for the
engraVers The portrait of Bartlett
of New Hampshire in the pl lsent
show. for instance. was done from a
painting by John Trumbull, but the
engraver did not sign his work.
Many early 18th century engraverS
did not regard themselves as artists,
any more than do our news photog-
raphers. Not a few American en-
graverS today, producing plates for
postage stamps. bank notes. Defense
bonds and other items, are generally
unknown to the public. It is difficult
to understand why these engraverS
should be anonymous. since the neat
little vignettes of public buildings
on our bills are much more attrac-
tive to the average person than
many signed etching or Autograph.
Among the best of the earlier
artists represented in the D. A. R.
exhibition is James Barton Long
acre. born in Delaware County.
Pennsylvania, in 1894 He seems to
have taken much pride in his work
for he gave his portraits vitality,
force and richness, despite the te-
dunn of engraving so many of them
on the resistant metal. In associa-
ton with James Herring. Longacre
published The National Portrait
Gallery of Distinguished Americans"
which was important in raising the
standard of engraving in the United
States. In the production of this
work from 1884 to 39p which has
LAT portraits of officers and states
men with their biographies, the best
engraVerS in this country were en-
ployed and as there were too few
Of them to complete the work in a
reasonable time. others were brought
over from England and Europe. The
portraits are good examples Of
stipple engraving dots, which was
much used between 1900 and 1910.
Longacre engraved "a of the plates
himself, after his own drawings and
also from life portraits by earlier
artists and he made many drawings
which were engraved by others.
Longacre's Work.
In the D. A. R show, examples of
..-5acre's excellent work. faithful
to the originals and beautifully exc
cuted. are Samuel Huntington Of
Connecticut. James Wilson of Penn
sylvania, Philip Livingston. New
York, and George Wythe. Virginia.
During the quarter century when he
was craftsman and engraver for
the United States Mint, beginning
In 1874, Longacre designed and made
the new coins of that period, double
eagle, three dollar pieces and gold
dollar
Still other engravingS in the
D. A. R. exhibition. were made from
Longacre's drawings of portraits by