Evening star., 1943-03-28
Four Notable Collections
OF Prints in Washington
Rosenwald Drawings, Latest
Acquisition of National Gallery,
Includes 230 Rembrandt Etchinss

tlnts, engravings, etc, by outstand-
ing artists of this and other coun-
tries. Great impetus was given
both to acquisition and usefulness
by the bequest of Joseph and Eliza
beth r. Pennell, whose entire estate
was Willed to the Library of Con-
gress for the development of the
national print collection along GER
tain lines. The fund thus derived
and designated for the purchase of
works by contemporary printmakers
now amounts to sum yielding ap-
proXimately $4,000 a year-Which is
judiciously expended, under author
lty. by the head Of the division of
fine arts, Leicester B. Holland with
two expert advisers-John Taylor
Arms and Stow Wengenroth-re-
spectively. etcher and photographer.
When the National Gallery of Art
was originally planned by Mr.. Mel
lon, and esta blished by act of Con-
gress. the inclusion of prints was
not contemplated. This new and
already rich public collection came
into existence through spontaneous
private generosity. Shortly before
the gallery was to open very
valuable collection of approximately
300 prints by the greatest masters
was given to it by Miss Ellen T.
Billiard and three anonymous do
nors, gladly accepted and placed on
view. The interest aroused by these
fine prints was quite surprising and
showed plainly the value of their
inclusion.
More lately announcement has
been made of the gift of the Lessing
j. RosenWald collection Of prints
and drawings, famous throughout
the world. AS the collection in the
Library of Congress emphasizes the
kinShip Of books and prints SO does
that in the National Gallery
of prints and paintings Many
visitor to the National Gallery dur
ing the past season has thus found
the key to enjoyment of the one
through the other. Among the
leading printmakers are some of
the greatest painters of all time.
Through their prints come better
understanding of their paintings.
In the RosenWald collection are 23O
etchings by Rembrandt and all of
Van Dyck's portrait etchings.
This is equally true of prints
by contemporary artists, such as
Whistler, whose works can be found
in the national collection at the
Library of Congress, the National
Gallery and in the Freer Gallery of
Art The Pencils were his friends
and biographers and the collection
of Whistleriana which they gave
to the Library of Congress is ex-
tremely comprehensive. Mr.. Freer,
donor of the F'reer Gallery. was also
one of his devotees and the collec-
ton he assembled comprises almost
a complete set of his prints, as we'll
as paintings and pastels. Here the
note is essentially personal but like
wise significant.
At Smithsonian.
The fourth public print collection
here in Washington is that housed
IN the Smithsonian Building and
administered by the division of
graphic arts of the National Mu-
scum, of which Ruel P. Tolman,
himself an etcher as well as painter,
is head. This collection, which now
numbers approximately $4,000 items,
had its inception in 1849 with the
purchase of the Marsh collection
of 5000 prints. Primarily this is
a students collection, the prints
chosen for inclusion manifesting the
best technical methods employed
by the leading printmakers of the
past and present. Emphasis is
placed on technique. Tools and
materials are displayed with the
prints. During the greater part
of the year monthly exhibitions of
successful work in the field of the
graphic arts are shown.
The way in which these four COL
lections supplement one another is
remarkable indeed