Evening star., 1944-07-09
By Leila MechHn

BY Leila MechIin
The exhibition Of American battle
prints which opened in the Library
of Congress simultaneously with
that of American battle paintings
In the National Gallery of Art Cre-
viewed in these columns last week.
comprises nearly four times as
many items as the latter-approxi-
mately $50 in all-and is concerned
more definitely with actual combats
but covers approximately the same
ground
1t too begins with the French
and Indian War and concludes with
World War I, covering pictorially
meanwhile the Revolution. the War
of 1872, the Mexican War. the In
dian Wars, the War Between the
States and the Spanish War. The
exhibits in both instances are for
the most part the work of eye
witnesses, made for military pur-
poses ard often by those with mill
tary training. 1t is rather aston
fishing to find how general in the
early days of our Republic was the
practise of drawing, not primarily
as an art but as useful medium
Of expression.
The battle paintings which the
National Gallery is showing were
almost all lent by other museums
and by private owners. whereas the
prints on view at the Library no
less generally we're found in the
Library's own files and without de-
pleting them. Of course thare are
exceptions. The President has
lent important and engaging prints
from his Hyde Park library and
from the White House, while for
other rare examples the Library OF
Congress is indebted to Yale Uni
sersity, the Peabody Museum, Salem,
the United States Naval Academy
Museum and the Maryland His
torical Society, not to name all.
Historical Emphasis
Quite naturally the Library of
Congress places chief emphasis on
the historical rather than the
artistic side of the story, set forth
chronologically, at the same time
holding quite rigidly to the subject
as announced-"Battles." And GER
tainly after viewing the exhibition
from that side one could not fail to
accept and confirm Gen. Sherman's
definition of war as the counterpart
of Hades.
The major portion of this great
collection occupies the entire North
Gallery. which formerly was devoted
to the display of historic manu-
scripts. but by way of introduction
or prelude. prints chosen from each
section as representative have been
arranged in cases in the central
hall, or atrium, epitomizing the
whole. The visitor who is not in
terested need go no further but
the majority will.
1t is in this introductory showing
that are found excellent engravings
of Vests famous painting The
Death Of Wolfe" and of Trumbull's
painting Of The Battle of Bunker's S
Hill" both very close to the orig
inals and admirably rendered. Prints
from other eras follow in sequence
and. in addition, space is given to
groups as "asides" - showing in
black and white and color the uni
forms worn by American soldiers
and sailors and their officers in the
several wars in which our country
has participated. Much more pic
turesque were those in the past
than now but far less practical.
Music also has its section and
representation. Here are the music
and words of songs and marches
which have quickened the spirits as
we'll as the steps of those following
In to combat our national colors.
The preliminary display concludes
with drawings by we'll known artists
and illustrators Of our own day.
Military Maps
Unique features of the exhibition
as whole are military maps which
In some instances served vital pur-
poses. The accuracy and skill which
these display is indeed remarkable.
These should be Of especial interest
because of the attention paid to
map drawing today, by the several
branches of our armed forces, such
as the designation OF targets and
the location of historic monuments,
the former to be destroyed the lat
ter, if possible, spared.
In few instances illustrated
books are shown, among them a
very early edition of a little drill
book used by Won Steuben when
fighting for our country in the
American Revolution. Obviously
some of the early wood cuts are
crude, but on the whole they are
better than some Of those more am
bilious which came later. The early
steel engravings are particularly
fine and show the engravers to be
masters Of their very difficult tech
nique as well as skillful interpreters.
There are most interesting and
excellent naval prints from the time
OF our quasi war with France
when French privateers were doing
more damage to our merchant ma
rine than the infamous Barbary
pirates, through the War of 1912