Evening star., 1947-05-04
A\rt
and
Artists
Exhibition of Prints
Opens in Fine Arts
Division of Library;
Quality Is Excellent
BY Florence S. Berymon

The Fifth National Exhibition OF
Prints, just opened In the Fine Arts
Division of the Library of Con-
eress, south hall, second floor, is a
feast for print lovers which the
average person can digest In an
hour. due to the fact that 1t Is
much smaller than previous edi-
tions. These were yeritabIe hippo
potami. running to 467 prints in
1943, 375 In 1945 and nearly as
many last year.
The present show has 1873 prints,
representing 154 artists, 20 of whom
are showing two works each. The
exhibition was winnowed from
l,400 entries by a jury of distin-
guished printmakers. FREDERICK
Caste)lon. Samuel Chamberlain
and Fritz Fichenberg. The se-
lected prints have come from artists
living In 2s States. also England,
Mexico and Argentina. Only one
local artist is included, prentiss
Tavlor, whose home is in Arlington.
The show Is truly contemporary:
prints are restricted to those done
within the current year. Further
more, 1t includes MANY viewpoints ;.
and ranges from s,Ich stanchJy
conservative items as Asa Cheffetz's
superb wood engraving Vermont
Landscape" to complete abstrac-
tions. such as Charles Writes color
etching and engraving. Fabric of
Lost Time expressed in vertebrate
and other bone shapes In close
harmony OF citron, warm grays and
earth red.
Technical Proficiency
This exhibition. like its predeces-
sors. Is notable for the technical
proficiency manifested. Fifteen
different graphic mediums. various
combinations of them, and a good
proportion of works printed in COL
ors, provide VARIETY in this aspect.
as well as in subject matter and
esthetic approach.
The exhibition as whole Is more
modern in character than the group
OF So prints which will be, added to |
the Pennell collection, in the Ii
brary of Congress. These comprise
three which were awarded prizes of |
500 each from the Pennell Fund. |
and 33 others, selected for purchase.
The Jury award and selection is the |
Standing Committee for the Pur-
chase OF Prints on the Pennell Fund. |
composed Of John Taylor Arms and |
Stow Wengenroth, eminent etcher
and photographer, respectively, and
both National Acamedicians, and
Alice Lee Parker. head of the Fine
Arts Division, Library of Congress.
The s100 prizes for outstanding
prints in each of the graphic media
--intaglio, relief and photographic
went to Douglas Gorsline of Blau-
welt, N. Y; Rockwell Kent of Au-
sable Forks N. Y. and j. j. Lankes
OF Hilton Village, Va. Mr.. Gorsline's
etching, Where Next?" seems to |
typify something of the confusion
and bewilderment of modern youth.
Ine central figure, a young woman,
Is solidly modelled.
Rockwell Kent,s "Weltschmerz." a
lithograph depicting a world-weary
woman leaning against a doorway.
with barren hills and a dead tree
In the background, is a work of vel |
vety tones and clean-cut execution.
typical of this artists work. in all |
the media he uses. Julius Lankes'
winter" wood engraving. is q
beautiful, peaceful scene of a vii t
lage under snow.
Representation Factor /
Probably every visitor will wonder
why some of the 80 selections for
purchase were made in preference
to others In the show, not chosen.
put which may seem superior or
more interesting. One factor in
choices is representation. The COM
mittee wanted to add works by GER
tain artists not heretofore included
In the Pennell collection.
There is much variety among the
SO purchase selections, however. t
both as to medium, subject and
character. Incidentally, some of
the artists are familiar to WASH
ington, through previous one-man
exhibitions here. BY Russell Linn
bach of Middletown, Conn, for in
stance, there Is a beautiful snow
scape, winter" made since his
show last autumn In the Division
of Graphic Arts, Smithsonian
Building. ]. Jay McVicker of Still