Evening star., 1949-09-18

the most Imagination and sub
jective interest in emotions and
abstract ideas. He deals with So
cial themes such as "Slum," {"
emotions cSorrow") and fanciful
notions as expressed in The Last
Clipper" (ship), which adds its bit
Of evidence to the theory that
many men dream secretly of mer-
maids.
This show will remain through
October II.
The Dignity of Labor
Country craftsmen and their
work are Of outstanding interest
to Stanley Anderson, English
printmaker, q group Of whose re-
cent portraits" Of these highly
skilled and wise people Is on view
at MIR. Fowler's, through Septem-
Der.
Mr.. Anderson. Royal Academi-
clan and member Of the Royal
Society of Painter-Etchers, Is well
known in the United States as
well as in his own country. Now
in his mid-60s, he has ex-
hibited in many of our important
exhibitions, and is represented in
the Library of Congress, one Of
his craftsmen subjects having
been among the 80 Or so pur-
chased in the 1948 Pennen show.
Examples have long been in the
British Museum. Victoria and Al
bert and other public galleries in
Great Britain and on the CONT
nent. Mr.. Anderson used to be
active also as a painter and por-
trayed Lord Irwin for the Ma
tional Portrait Gallery. London.
The artists career covers about
four decades. Born in Bristol,
1884. he was educated at the Mer-
chant Venturers' College there,
also at Goldsmith College of Art,
and the Royal College of Art,
where he won q scholarship to the
British Institute of Engraving.
Adept at etching and drypoint as
well as line-engraving, he used to
work in all three: but lately has
concentrated on the last.
Human beings are Mr.. Ander-
sons major interest; but in his
plates he never sights their sur
roundings. Every detail Is rem
dered with sharp-focus realism,
which, with the ingratiating char
acters he depicts. and their pic
turesque, ancient occupations
make his engravings more than
ordinarily appealing.
Included in the present exhibi-
ton are prints depicting not only
such well-known crafts as lace
making. but also such little known
ones Ito urban dwellers. at least)
as hedge laying. hurdle-making
and willow-lopping.
Mr.. Anderson shows other sub
jects, too. among them q delight
full capture Of q eve and lambs.
In fact. the only item in the show
I would pronounce q failure. Is
False Gods" allegorical Of today.
1t is a melange Of skull. hammer
and sickle and other fearsome
symbols and monsters, technically
as well done as all the other en-
cravings. But from the bulk Of
his work, and also from his writ
ing. one gets the impression that
Mr.. Anderson himself is q gentle
and humane person, and simply
hasn't got it in him to stand any
ones hair on end. It takes Goya
to make really horriflc prints.
Corcoran's Print Acquisitions
For many months now, the Cor
coran Gallery has been refurbish-
ing its individual galleries. and
reopening at intervals, as renova-
tions are completed. Most recent
ly. it has inaugurated its new"
print room on the first floor, with
an exhibition Of IS American
prints, constituting a rapid sur
vey from 1850 to the 1920s. The
large majority Of these prints are
acquisitions Of this year. through
the Mary Maxwell fund. Out
standing items were illustrated
and described In the Corcoran
Gallery's May bulletin (Which was
reviewed in these columns June