THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF PAINTER- ETCHERS AND ENGRAVERS (5A PALL
MALL EAST.) Tax art of etching reaches its highest degree of charm and purity when it is thoroughly co-related with its technical processes. Every medium has a pciint of technical appro- priateness, beyond • which it cannot be exploited without IciSing not only its identity but its very nature. So that, clever as it may beto produce, by an etching process, a result which until closer examination seems to be an engraving, it becomes, nevertheless, a crime against the purity of the medium, and an insult to the taste of the. spectator whose appreciation of the qualities of this fascinating art is directed towards its very chastity rather than towards the possibility it offers for extravagant trickery. Etching is particularly an art of line—an unique kind of line that reached its zenith of expressiveness, perhaps, in the work of Whistler and Rem- brandt. Its character differs specifically from the line pro- duced by means of a graver, a pen, or a pencil ; its quality is obtained from the biting of the acid on the plate. A great number of the etchers of the present day seem to be tripping over each other in an attempt to distort the etching out of all recognition from its origins, and to give to their work a semblance of engravings, wash, or pen and ink drawings, of anythint but etchings. Some of our etchers, too, would clo well- to penetrate the past before they attempt to assail the - future, for they seem to have overstepped themselves as it is, anctlost integrity with the iklemental pii3nciples, of their art. This • criticism, however, does not apply to all the works in • this interesting exhibition, for there are innumerable examples of what I would term pure etchings. I have confined this article to etchings alone, as they predominate in this exhibition. In case any of my readers may think that during my visit I may have confused what were -really engravings with etchings, I can assure them that I took the preeaution of consulting my catalogue to make sure. -W. MCCANCE.
Previous page
