Evening star., 1945-08-05
Bp Florence S. Bergman.

The Corcoran Gallery OF Art
inaugurated in September, 1914, 9
continuous special exhibition OF
works by contemporary American
printmakers, in accordance with Its
permanent objective Of serving lv-
ing art, and with the added purpose
of keeping on view pictures suitable
for the home and within reach OF
collectors of modest means.
The first 10 months results OF
this experiment have been gratlty-
ing; they might have been foretold
bv the success of the 10-years-older
continuous exhibition of small works
by contemporary American sculp-
tors. which is still on view and re-
newed from time to time.
The gallery takes no commission
from the proceeds of sales and
eschews aggressive salesmen's meth
DDS. The works are labeled with
title, artists name and price. Pros
pective customers can browse over
the cases interminably if they wish
without .being disturbed. If they
fall In love with print they are
directed to the gallery's office, where
they can purchase it.
Best Sales Method
Certainly this would seem to be
the best sales method for an art
gallery. Probably most OF us at
some time have had the annoying
experience of being intimidated into
acquiring something for which we
had not the slightest need or desire,
and thereafter we resented the
salesman, the object and the place
where we got it. But the Corcoran
Gallery is not trying to push sales
for its own profit. 1t is endeavoring
to bring together art lovers and OBJ
jects worthy of their affections.
That its methods produce results
Is attested by the fact that In the 10
months this unpretentious exhibi-
ton has been on view, 56 prints have
been sold, for an amount totaling
nearly $1,000. And some OF the
prints cost as little as $3.50.
The exhibition as now constituted, |,
has changed considerably from its
original makeup 1t comprises at
present 80 prints by IA artists rep
resenting several States and the Dis
trict of Columbia. Artists were in
vited to send prints after considera-
ton by a number of people, includ-
ing John Taylor Arms, president OF
the Society of American Etchers.
His own exquisite etchings of Gothic
architecture and two panoramic
views of ancient English villages
have been one of the two largest
selling groups in the exhibition. He
is currently represented by several
different subjects from those he
showed last autumn.
Earnest D. Roth, also included at
the outset of the exhibition, like
wise has three different etchings on
view: "Segovia," in which the ca
thedral towers in grim majesty
above the town; "Old Street in
Rouen." the charm and desirability
OF which print have been unhappily
enhanced by the bomb destruction
of that lovely old cathedral city a
year ago, and "Camogli, Italy" a
fascinating place with a waterfront
that recalls Venice, and town that
rises abruptly to breathless heights
All these subjects are done with a
line that is firm yet caressing.
Thomas Nason's Engravings
The wood engravings which repre-
sented Thomas Mason in the first
weeks of this continuous exhibition
have given way to other equally
beautiful examples by him, copper
engraving of Boats, Penobscot
Bay" and Country Road" an en-
craving on wood which has captured
the serene beauty of rural New
England in summer
Richard Lahey, director OF the
Corcoran School of Art, has con-
tributed an etching of a New Eng
land village, 'Piermont," with
charm of subject and delicacy OF
handling, offering interesting con-
trast to his other etchings in the
collection: Strong, dark-toned tran
eCIlpOlOllS VI q iildl lllCs I1ChNy SCd
Outskirts of Paris" and a view oi
Lower Manhattan" apparently
done from the top of skyscraper
incidentally, Mr.. Lahey doesn't
mind working from precarious
perches He was observed on the
roof of The Evening Star Building
for instance, the morning of Gen
Eisenhower's arrival, painting the
crowded scene below.
Three of Arthur w. Heintzel.
mans sensitive portraits OF, types
In etching or drypoint, make a dis.
tinguished group. Three figure