Evening star., 1941-03-30

OF the 240 prints on view, the ma
tority represent the work Of con-
temporary American and European
printmakerS during the past 100
years. but a sufficient number of
works by the early masters are in
cluded to illustrate the history of
the graphic arts and tie the collec-
ton in with both the paintings and
the prints in the National Gallery.
For example. here are engravingS by
Martin Schongauer, Durer. Lucas
Van Leyden and others of the late
18th and early 10Th centuries, to-
gether with etChingS by Rembrandt
G606-69 whose work in this field
has never been eXcelled. Both Durer
and Rembrandt were very great
painters. as their works in the Ma
tional Gallery evidence, but they
were also masters of line, and their
genius is as plainly manifested in
their works in the one medium as
In the other. In fact, no one could
fail to detect in the works OF the
early German and Flemish engraV-
ers the same gentle spirit Of rever-
ence in the rendering of sacred
themes that is to be remarked in
the paintings of like character by
their forerunners and colleagues.
Gifts to Library.
The majority of the prints in this
exhibition come from the Bradley.
Freer, Hubbard and Pennell COL
lections given to the Library of
Congress over a period of years
since the organization of its Print
Division under the late A. j. Par
sons. but some of the masterpieces
on display are from the collection
assembled by Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Woods Bliss now on deposit as a
loan in the library Among the con-
temporary works are to be found
many recent additions made through
the inStrumentality of the Pennell
Fund, established through bequeSt
for this purpose by Joseph and
Elizabeth Robbins Pennell.
In the American section. four
distinguished printmakers OF our
own time and country are especially
well represented. These are Joseph
PenneI. Donald Shaw Mclaughlin,
Charles H. Woodbury. and Childe
Hassam of whose works the Library
of Congress possesses comprehensive
collections, given either by the
artists or the executors OF their
estates. Two of these one-man COL
lections, the Hassam and the Wood
bury. have been received during the
past year.
The selection of prints for this
exhibition has been exceedingly
we'll made; not only are the examples
chosen representative, but the Sc
uuence in which they are displayed
Is critically provocative. engaging,
by contrast, and indicative of con-
tinuity at a high level Indeed, no
one can study this collection with
out being impressed by the fact that
contemporary printmaklng has stood
the test of time, as we'll as withstood
the onslaught of modern life, far
better than has the sister art OF
painting. The gap is certainly mar
rover between the printmakers of
yesterday and today than between
the painters of the Renaissance
and those of the present century.
Possibly this is because all the finer
print methods require of the print
maker complete control Of medium,
knowledge gained through the
discipline of apprenticeship of tech
nique.
Printmakers al Best.
For those who find delight in fine
prints, what pleasure this exhibition
offers! Rarely are so many covet-
able works found together. In
almost every instance, the print
makers are seen at their best. There
are five SeaScapes, typical of the
Maine coast. by Woodbury., as well
as a landscape, not grandiose but
intimate and vital. MacLaughlan,
who was at times little dry and
heavy, although always competent,
is handsome and imposing in Fields
of Asolo," Lauterbrunnen" and
The Conciergierie." Duveneck, who
was painter as well as etcher gets
into his etchings of Venice re-
markable sense of color as we'll as
strength of line. Charles Platt,
architect, painter and etcher, is here
with most lovely picture, delicately
but firmly etched of the Brooklyn
Bridge, seen across New York Bay,
Joining. as by a cobWeb, Manhattan
and Brooklyn.
From the sound. nomely but sim
cere figure etchings by J. Alden
Weir, in whom seems to have been
combined Puritan rigor with Latin
sensitivity, one passes abruptly to
prints by men of the French school,
headed by that almost incompara-
BILE master, Meryon, who saw beauty
where many would have passed 1T
by-and made it manifest to all.
Here are three of his best-known
plates in brilliant impressions, lie
Morgue,' lie Stryge" and lie
Galerie Notre Dame" And with
these masterpieces are shown
works by Bejot, Buhot, Beurdeley,
Bracquemond, Legros, Lepere, Le-
lame, Millet, Daubigny, Carrot
what a galaxy! To say what it is
that makes the works of these men
great is difficult--as difficult as to
define that exquisite charm OF a
piece of music by master COM
poser. There is a sense of right
ness. a sensitive perception OF
subtleties of light and shade, of
atmosphere, the decorative quality
of design, all brought together in
a well-nigh perfect whole. Without
actual color, without motion or
sound, there is that which deeply
stirs the emotions and satisfies the
craving for beauty in harmony.
The French school is also repre-
sented here by Robert Nanteuil,
distinguished portraitist and mas
ter engraver of the 18th century.
No less than II of his more than
200 portraits are here, engraved,
for the most part, from pastels
and drawings which he made from
life. How remarkable they are in
craftsmanship, modelling, charac-
terization and design; more than
remarkable-matchleSs. And from
these sound and profound portraits