Evening star., 1948-09-26
Art
American Graphic
Review at National
Gives Each Artist
Proper Emphasis :.
By Florence S. Bsrrymon

American graphic art from the
18th century to the present day is
surveyed In an engrossing exhibition
recently opened at the National Gal
lery Of Art, to remain through Octo-
ber. Selecting from the vast re-
sources Of the Library Of Congress,
the Smithsonian Institution and the
National Gallery OF Art was no minor
undertaking. David Keppel, curator
of prints at the National Gallery.
was responsible for the historic pan
Drama OF approximately 80 drawings
and prints which occupies the large
ground floor gallery, and Elizabeth
Mongan, curator Of paintings and
other arts, selected the 40-odd COM
prising the younger contemporary
artists, both conservative and expert
mental, filling two additional gal
lerles.
Introducing the exhibition are two
books, taking US back nearly 400
years: THE New World" In which
are reproductions Of the water-color
drawings made by John White who
was sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to
be the second governor Of the Ill
fated second colony Of Roanoke
Island, and made IS such iliustra-
tions, of the land, the Indians and
their life, and Thomas Hariot's "A
Brief and True Report of the New
Found Land of Virginia" with en-
cravings by De Bry after Whites
water colors. This second book was
published in Frankfurt in 1890.
This early graphic representation
Of life in the New World published
in the old was characteristic OF
much American art that was to fol-
low. American artists were con-
cerned with the factual representa-
ton OF the American scene until the
end of the 10Th century.
Some Rare Engravings.
A few rare engravings from the
18th century include such important
items as mezzotint of one of Peale's
portraits of George Washington,
1887; an etching of Harvard College
published in 1889 (Which carries in
one corner among other interesting
data, statement that between 1912
and 1889, there were 1896 gradu-
ates): Paul Revere's famous engrav-
ing of The Boston Massacre" made
in ITO, and two large engravings
made from historical paintings by
Benjamin West, which present al
contrast to the little genre etching
by Charles Wilson Peale depicting
the accidental destruction of a pie.
One of several outstanding virtues
Of this exhibition is the fact that
instead of being a mob scene" of
a hundred or more artists, each rep
resented with one item, 1t concen-
trates Tin the historical section) on
a few masters with enough work by
each to give the observer a we'll
rounded idea of his particular gifts
One bay is impressive and colorful
with eight superb large-folio birds
by Audubon (hand-colored aqua
tints).
Eight outstanding Autographs by
N. Curr1er and later Currier g. Ives,
turn another bay into a magnet for
the visitor. This group includes
such covetable items ranging from
1847 to 80 as"Adam Naming the
Creatures" adam and Eve in the
Garden" and large colored litho-
graphs made from the paintings of
several gifted artists employed by
the firm: Fanny Palmer CStaten
Island and Narrows," 1860, Arthur
TAFT Qife on the frontier) and
George H. Durrie cWinter in the
Country: a Cold Morning." 1889.
One of the canoeists in Tait's
American Hunting Scene" bears a
striking likeness to Abraham Lin
coin.
II Prints by Whistler.
Whistler is beautifully represented
with II prints, demonstrating his
mastery of etching, lithography,
drypoint and lithotint. These are
famous items. including "The Black
Lion Wharf" and other London
subjects, as well as several of
Venice and few figures.
Mary Cassatt, our first great
woman artist, and the only Ameri-
can closely associated with the I'M
pressionists, is also seen in II prints,
drypoints, aquatints and etchings,
some printed in colors. All depict
women and mothers and babies.
Joseph Pennell sometimes seems
to have submerged himself in his
admiration for Whistler. Five prints
by Pennell, including his superb
etching Tracks. Oberhausen," re-
mind us how great he was in his
own right. Mr. Keppel thinks Pen
nell was the first to invent the
industrial subject, or at least to
fully exploit its possibilities. Deli
| rate etchinps nv Weir and HaSSam