Evening star., 1952-05-11
News of Artists and Exhibitions
Work of 25S Artists in Every Print Medium Included
In PenneN Exhibition at Library of Congress

." S"HsS" - ANsbs1HS
The Library Of Congress
opened May /. the 10th in its
series of National Exhibitions
of Prints, made possible by
Joseph Pennell's bequest to-
further his desire to encourage
art and artists" according to
Luther H. Evans. librarian of
Congress. This latest Pennell
show, installed in the south
gallery, second floor, main
building, was selected by a jury
of three printmakers, Fiske
Boyd. painter, wood engraver
and etcher: Douglas Gorsline.
etcher and illustrator, and John
A. Noble, photographer. 1t is
composed of 258 prints made
during 1851 by as many artists,
winnowed from a total of 1,245
entries from $40 artists from
38 States, the District of Co
lumbia, Hawaii, Canada and
Mexico. Every print medium is
represented in the show, va
rious metal-plate intaglio proc
eSseS, woodblock and linoleum,
Autographs, serigraphs and
monotypes. Nearly one-third
Of the prints shown are in
color.
With the single exception
from Mexico the exhibition is
American, as have been earlier
shows in the series. Prints are
welcome from any country, but
to date there have been very
few from beyond our borders.
The display represents 1913 cit
les of "a States. the District of
Columbia, Hawaii and Mexico.
At first glance the geographical
distribution appears to be ex-
tenSive. Actually, more than
one-fifth of the show is the
work of artists in New York
City and Brooklyn. Chicago Q8
prints), Los Angeles 90, Mad
ison. Wis. (9), and Philadelphia
CD are the only other cities
with more than S. The great
majority Of cities and towns are
in by virtue of the residence of
one artist. There is probably
no sensational conclusion to be
drawn from these figures, mere
ly the small one that good ar
lists are widely scattered.
The aspect which surprises
me in this Pennell show (as in
most of the former editions)
is the large number of print
makers whose names are un-
familiar Cat least outside of
their own regions) and con-
versely, the absence of many
nationally known. Yet the ma
jority of the prints are tech
nically competent, obviously
made by experienced artists.
Among the odd Masters
The presence OF such "old
masters" as Ernest D. Roth
(etching, "Rockport. Mass.").
Leo Meissner (wood engraving,
Sugar Maple. New Hamp-
shireD, Aaron Bohrod Qitho-
graph, Reflections in a Shop
Window. John E. Costigan
cold Trees"), Alan Crane
("Spring Willow"), Eugene Hig-
gins cPoor Women"), Armin
Landeck c'Restaurant"), Robert
Nisbet ("Willow Lace~, Carl
Schultheiss con to the Pas
ture'O and a number of others,
indicates that the jury was not
prejudiced against long-estab-
lished regulations and techni-
cally adroit handling of natural
ism.
However, the general effect
Of the show is that work in
contemporary idioms predomi-
mates. Stanley William Hayter
and Mauricio Lasansky, whose
influences have radiated from
New York City and Iowa, re-
spectively. are missing. but
number of their disciples are
present, with experiments in
textures and unusual, intricate
designs, done in expressive and
often exquisite line. Then there
are prints by those who Git
seems) approach block Of
wood in grim mood and with
great muscular strength, hack
out their subjects in coarse
angular gashes. Those who
cover a vague abstract motif
with murky tone. others who
pull their subjects into painful
distortions, also the neo-primi-
tives, the exponents of social
consciousness and still another
group, which goes in heavily for