American Etchers Abroad, 1880-1939
Exhibition Overview
The exhibition and accompanying catalogue-written by Anderson and published by the Spencer thanks to the Marilyn J. Stokstad Publications Fund at the KU Endowment Association-combine to present a critical examination of the etching revival in America. The exhibition addresses nearly 50 years of artistic production and showcases the works of such notable etchers as Mary Cassatt, Joseph Pennell, and James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Equal attention is given to lesser-known masters like R. Swain Gifford, Otto Bacher, and Herman Webster. Issues explored include the motivations of the artists for working abroad in this era, as well as how these works fit into existing definitions of American art.
Guest curator Reed Anderson, a doctoral student in art history, organized this exhibition of etchings by American artists, most of which were selected from the Spencer’s extensive print collection.
Organized by the Spencer Museum of Art. The accompanying publication is made possible through the generous support of the Marilyn J. Stokstad Publications Fund.
American Etchers Abroad, 1880-1939 is an exhibition of sixty-five etchings by thirty American artists chosen from the Spencer’s extensive print collection. The exhibition will examine the exciting revival of etching in the United States at the turn of the last century. Spanning almost fifty years of artistic production, it will showcase the works of such notable etchers as Mary Cassatt, Joseph Pennell, and James Abbott McNeill Whistler while also giving attention to lesser-known masters like R. Swain Gifford, Otto Bacher, and Herman Webster. The exhibition will explore the motivations of the artists to work abroad in this time period, how their works fit existing American definitions of art, and their discovery and use of etching as a medium of artistic expression.
