Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-11

NOW, SuCu EeSJIIkeS are
too often sold-or at least
bought-as If they were
early impressions made by
or under the supervision of
the artist. At Roten's such
impressions, often Of very
good quality, are sold as
what they are and at ap-
propriate prices.
Original Autographs
Another source Of confu-
sion in the field recently has
been the appearance on the
market Of original litho-
graphs, signed in the stone,
not on the mat, that were
made for magazine or book
illustration and therefore
printed in the thousands.
These again are often entire
ly adequate for one seeking
an image by Renoir or John
Sloan; they are Originals"
right enough. They are not
collectors items at high
prices, not yet. These, too,
can be found at Roten's,
properly labeled and proper
ly priced.
The worst Of current abus-
es in prints is the simple
reproduction, made photo
mechanically. complete with
q screen Of dots easily visible
through q pocket magnifying
glass. These, too, are some
times bought as original
prints. These are not avail
able at Roten's or at any
respectable print dealer.
The great thing at Roten's
Is that the other degrees of
print originals are LABELED
honestly and priced accord
ingly. The prospective print
purchaser can often save
himself q lot Of money by
simply looking at what's
available at such a gallery.
The Kollwitz restrikes are
especially attractive at Ro-
tens. There are dozens Of
them and they tend to be Of
the first class. This is be-
cause Kaethe Kollwitz had
her etching plates steel-faced
in the first place, in order
to accommodate a large press
run. Thus the normal loss
between copper-plate impress
sions and newly steel-faced
impressions does not exist,
yet the price is right.
Doumier Autographs
A special feature at Roten's
is a vast supply Of litho-
graphs by Daumier. These
occupy a happy place in the
scale Of print values. Dau-
mier was q newspaper car
toonist, appearing usually
twice q week In Charivari
and other publications. Since
photomechanical engraving
was still far in the future,
every one Of the prints is an
original Autograph. Although
special editions were run off
on fine paper. the original
originals" on cheap paper
with news stories and ad-
vertisements on the other
side, are more highly priced
by collectors. Yet the editions
were enormous enough to
make the supply to this day
reasonably plentiful. Original
Daumiers begin at q few
dollars and the full range Of
his critical vision Is repre-
sented. including such eter-
nal types as the self-right-
eous minister Of justice and
the artistic con-man.
At q fine print dealer. also,
new developments in the
world Of contemporary print
making are likely to turn UP.
A good example at the mo-
ment at Roten's is the sud-
den appearance Of Jack Lew
Inc as printmaker.
Jack Levine has been ac-
cepted as a masterful painter
since his late teens. His
String Quartet" painted at
Il, hangs in the Metropolitan.
Some observers have long
felt he was a natural for
printmaking. due to the in
cisive bite Of his view Of
society and individuals. Yet,
although his wife, Ruth
Gikow, has been an outstand-
ing American printmaker,
Levine has not made prints.
On General Froneo
Suddenly he Is doing so
and the results are at Roten's.
Among them are two perfect
TRANSACTIONS Of major Levine
paintings into prints. "The
Jailer" is a portrait Of Gen.
eral Franco embodying the
ultimate corruption Of power
in an etching remarkable for
It's tonal affinities TO Goya.