Project Gutenberg's The Best Portraits in Engraving, by Charles Sumner

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Title: The Best Portraits in Engraving

Author: Charles Sumner

Release Date: September 11, 2007 [EBook #22574]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE BEST PORTRAITS IN ENGRAVING.

BY

CHARLES SUMNER.

_Fifth Edition._

FREDERICK KEPPEL & CO.

NEW YORK,
20 EAST 16th STREET.

LONDON, PARIS,

3 DUKE STREET, ADELPHI. 27 QUAI DE L'HORLOGE.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by

FREDERICK KEPPEL,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

THE BEST PORTRAITS IN ENGRAVING.

Engraving is one of the fine arts, and in this beautiful family has
been the especial handmaiden of painting. Another sister is now coming
forward to join this service, lending to it the charm of color. If, in
our day, the "chromo" can do more than engraving, it cannot impair the
value of the early masters. With them there is no rivalry or
competition. Historically, as well as aesthetically, they will be
masters always.

Everybody knows something of engraving, as of printing, with which it
was associated in origin. School-books, illustrated papers, and shop
windows are the ordinary opportunities open to all. But while creating
a transient interest, or, perhaps, quickening the taste, they furnish
little with regard to the art itself, especially in other days. And
yet, looking at an engraving, like looking at a book, may be the
beginning of a new pleasure and a new study.

Each person has his own story. Mine is simple. Suffering from
continued prostration, disabling me from the ordinary activities of
life, I turned to engravings for employment and pastime. With the
invaluable assistance of that devoted connoisseur, the late Dr. Thies,
I went through the Gray collection at Cambridge, enjoying it like a
picture-gallery. Other collections in our country were