Evening star., 1947-12-21
Art
French Contributions
In Prints and Books
At National Gallery
By Florence S. Berrymon


Widener collections in the National
Gallery, with books from the Rosen-
valid collection in the Library OF
Congress, which combination gives
it extensive scope and exceptional
quality.
Eight centuries of graphic arts are
represented, as the exhibition is in
troduced by two large Bible pages
written and illuminated in the 18th
century. These are fine examples
Of the miniaturists' art before the
use of the printing press or the en-
graver's block. In France, the pro-
duction of beautifully illustrated
books has always paralleled the his
tory of print-making. In these
fields, said David Keppel, curator of
prints, France offers perhaps the
richest and most complete pano-
rama of changing spirit and chang
ing form that the history of the
graphic arts has to show
Anonymous christmas" Works.
French graphic work of the 18th
century is very rare. Most of it
was done by anonymous artists.
Among the few colored wood cuts on
view are several of the Madonna
and Child" veritable Christmas
prints" Outstanding in the 10th
century section is small group OF
engravings by Jean Duvet, the first
French engraver definitely iden-
titled.
The 17th century is distinguished
for the lively work of Jacques Callot,
master etcher, the serene landscapes
with figures by Claude Gellee Gor-
rain, and the superb etched and
engraved portraits by NORM, Mas
son, Drevet and, greatest of all.
Nanteuil These portraits are not
only noble works of art, but, in
many instances, they depict great
personalities in literature, science
and politics.
Prints of the 18th century best
represent the France of popular
conception. They are marked by
light, sometimes frivolous subject
matter, graceful design and in
definable charm. Many Of them are
after works by such masters as
Boucher, Fragonard and Lancret.
From the standpoint of appeal for
the public, this section is foremost,
because of the many prints in color,
made from series of plates, carefully
registered. Those by Debucourt
were engraved from his own de-
signs; Janinet and others worked
from the designs of painters.
Modern Times Represented.
The 10Th century produced new
group of masters: Ingres, Delacroix
Daumier, artists of the Barbizon
school, and the Impressionists, and
great individualists such as Degas
and Toulouse-Lautrec. The exhibi-
ton includes a representative Sc
ries OF Autographs, both political
and social caricatures by Daumier,
who made some 1000 in a period of
II years Q832-1844), an almost in
credible achievement.
The exhibitions last section COM
prises works from the impress
sionists to the present School of
Paris: Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gau-
guin with a comprehensive group
which was part of the Gauguin ex-
hibition at the National Gallery last
spring., Braque. Rouault and
Picasso. These and others, more
famous for their paintings than for
their prints, which deserve to be
better known, combine to make an
exhibition of exceptional interest,
and a special attraction for holiday
gallery visitors.
Landscape Club Annual
The 32d annual exhibition of the
Landscape Club of Washington, on
view at the Arts Club through jan
uary 2, has familiar look, although
most if not all the works are making
their initial public appearance in
Washington. The show has the
usual quota of pleasing, conservative
landscapes, an equal number of ur-
ban scenes, about half as many har-
Dor and marine subjects and a few
outside these classifications. Nearly
30 members of the club are repre-
sented in this annual, five of them
with two works each. Although the
show ranges from naturalistic to alb
stract work, it is definitely right of
center.
Awards were made by Herman
Maril, Baltimore artist, and Thomas
M. Beggs, assistant director Of the
National Collection of Fine Arts.
First prize, a silver medal, went to
sgd Browne of New York City, for
his lithograph, Winter Evening"" a
snowy urban scene. Mr.. Browne has
another work in the exhibition
which seemed to me more impressive
a large painting, Northern Cove"
we'll composed, with well-balanced
areas of light and dark and a feeling
of intense cold and loneliness. He is
on the art faculty of the Newark
IN. j. Museum of Art.
Second and third prizes, bronze
medals, went to Samuel Bookatz and
Howard E. Chapman, respectively.
Mr.. Bookatz's Aftermath" an oil, is
done in soft grayed colors, with a
few bright accents of leaves and
has the effect of an abstraction.
Mr.. Chapman's gouache, "Bulwark
Never Falling" is a fresh-colored
scene of a country village with
church supplying the theme
Two honorable mentions went to
Omar Darlington (president of the
Landscape Club for his Nostalgia"