Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-05-23
By Florence S. Berrymon

By Florence S. Berymon
The sixth national exhibition Of
prints, which opened at the Library
Of Congress last week end, to re-
main for three months, has q large
representation Of excellent tradi--
tional work, which will please the
public, and a comprehensive selec-
ton of abstract and nonobjective
work, which will interest the avant-
garde and others of progressive
tastes. Between these two groups,
there are smaller numbers Of ex-
pressionistic and other prints in
modern idioms. In other words, the
exhibition seems strongest at the
extreme right and left.
The jury Of admission which Sc
lected this Pennell show, as 1t Is
popularity known, included Carl M.
Schultheiss of Kew Gardens, N. Y,
engraver and etcher; Cecil Butler of
New York City, wood engraver, and
Prentiss Taylor, photographer. a
Washington artist (of Arlington,
Va Each of these men is distin-
guished in one of the three princi-
pal print media: Intaglio, relief and
photographic. From total of 1851
prints submitted Gall made during
the past year,, they selected pa
prints by 236 artists.
Judgments Are Difficult.
Three prizes of 500 were awarded
to artists of the print adjudged best
in each Of the three principal media,
and 80 other prints were purchased
for the permanent collections of
the Library of Congress. Awards
and purchases we're made by the
Standing Committee for the Pur-
chase of Prints on the Pennell Fund:
John Taylor Arms, etcher; Stow
Wengenroth, photographer, and Alice
Lee Parker, curator Of fine prints,
Library of Congress.
The high technical level in these
Pennell shows must make awards
and purchases a peculiarly difficult
task. In many instances, visitors
will prefer other items to some Of
those honored. But visitors should
keep in mind that in making pur-
chases, the committee not only looks
for distinguished examples, but also
endeavors to acquire prints that will
round out the permanent collection.
OF the three prize winning prints,
Charles M. Caps aquatint land
scape, Into the Hills" is most ira
ditional in handling, technically ex-
quisite, with beautiful and serene
subject. Benton Spruance's large
color Autograph, Eyes for the
Night" is the most modern; the
somewhat angular seminude figure
of woman holding an owl is ad-
mirably composed with beautiful
color scheme, and a curious charm.
Lynd Wards wood engraving,
"Clouded Over" is vigorously done,
seeming to emphasize the age-old
permanence of the trees, and the
ephemeral character Of the children
playing in the grove.
Two Prints by Taylor.
Prints by the artists on the jury
of admissions were among those &C
quired for the Library's permanent
collection. BY Prentiss Taylor, one
of the few artists represented by
two prints in the show, is very
fine Autograph, BLACK on Black,
Pittsburgh" with exceptional mas
terry of tone. His lithotint, Daphne
and Chloe Suite" is lighter in mood,
imaginative and humorous. one of
his interpretations of musicians.
Cecil Buffers wood engraving,
"Radar to the Moon" is a compli-
Gated design of figures, heads and
planets, well fitted into their linn
tied space. Carl Schultheiss' en-
craving, Pastoral H." is a beauti-
! ----=--