Evening star., 1944-08-20
By Leila MechHn.

Nearly 200 prints by contempt.
$ fary printmakers have been acquired
during the past year by the Library
of Congress through the j. and E. R
Pennell Fund, bequeathed to the
library by the former with the con-
currence of the latter in 1926 fol
the advancement of the graphic
arts.
These acquisitions include works
In various media, etching, engrav-
ing, wood cutting, Autographs. etc,
chosen by an expert jury consisting
of John TAYLOR Arms, etcher; Stow
Z Wengenwroth, photographer. and the
acting chief of the division of prints
Alice Lee Parker. Thirty-five were
selected from the second annual
r. exhibition of prints made during
the current year held at the Library
during the past May and June, eight
came through subscription to print
societies, such as the PrintmakerS
of California, the Woodcut Society
and the Miniature Print Society;
while lat were selected from out
stAuding exhibitions and private
submission. The object has obVi-
ously to secure wide and superior
representation.
Among the prints purchased from
miscellaneous sources is a group OF
16 dry points by Muirhead Bone,
British etcher of today, who has
been declared by a leading critic
1.-The supreme master of dry-point
and one of the great etchers in the
history of art, comparable
even to Rembrandt in the handling
of this medium"
British Prinfmakers.
Another notable group consists of
six prints by Sir David Y. Cameron
of scenes in his own beloved Scot
land and abroad, which give him
place not only among the best OF
our day but of all time.
Other British printmakers repre-
scH.ed. and vel, are Brangwvn,
CYiggs, McBey twhose Dawn. the
Camel Patrol" sold at auction in
New York during the past season
at sl.25Oo, Blampied, Copley and
Strang.
The French school likewise was
not overlooked. Five examples Of
Forain's inimitable works were ac-
ouired. as well as two by Degas,
two by ToulouSe-Lautrec, and the
same number by Buhot, besides one
each by Charles Jacque and Al
phones Legros. One of the prints
by Degas was of Mary Cassatt in
the Louvre" and Miss Cassatt her
self is represented by two of her
dry points entitled identically
Mother and Child
Of course, it should be under
stood that the bulk of the prints
purchased are the work of Amer
lean printmakers; but the field of
art is wide and in spirit at least
international. Of this it is per-
haps well to be reminded. The
French, the British, Italian and
Scandinavian schools each have ma
tional characteristics. through which
and their diverse skill international
contribution has been made to the
graphic arts. We in America have
learned from our confreres abroad
but wisely we have not stopped to
copy them. Each has a message OF
his own, or, in aggregate, their own
This is well.
The american Section.
In the American section one
finds certain purchases evidencing
a desire to strengthen repre-
-sentation, such, for example as
Bathing Beach" bv Bellows: foul
tree subjects by Ernest Haskell;
THE Sea Is Making by Charles
Woodbury-none of whom IS now
living. Additions have been made
also to the groups held in posses
sion for some time, as. for instance
those of the works of Frank Benson
Alfred Hutty. Martin Lewis, Rock
well Kent, John w Winkler ano
Mahonri Young. How broad the
field is the recent exhibition OF
current American prints amply
manifested.
AS the foreword to the catalogue
of the first national exhibition helc
under the Pennell Fund correctly
stated: mo artist ever loved prints
and printmaking more than JOSEPH
Pennell, he himself an indefatigable
etcher and photographer as well az
illustrator. Equally devoted as
writer and in promotion of the
interest of the graphic arts was
Elizabeth Robbins Pennell, his wife
When their term of creation drew te
a close! they decided to leave theil
entire estate. representing theil
joint accumulated earnings to tht
Nation for the upbuilding of &
treasury of prints and the stimu'
lation of effort among those of sue