University of Virginia Library

University Gets Original Art Exhibit

Picture Above Is One Of Many On Sale In Newcomb Hall

Art Exhibit Offers Prints For Sale Ranging From $5 to $5,000

For more than thirty-five years
Ferdinand Roten Galleries, Inc. of
Baltimore, Maryland has pioneered
in bringing original art to colleges
and community museums
throughout the nation. Yesterday
they brought the exhibit to
Newcomb Hall.

In collaboration with the
University art department, Roten
Galleries has worked to extend art
education by providing students
with the opportunity to get
acquainted with a variety of fine
graphics.

One-Day Showing

The galleries send more than
400 exhibitions to art centers,
museums and colleges all over the
country. The showings last for one
day in each locality. The Roten
graphics collection is one of the
largest touring the country.

The exhibition is all originals,
with prices as modest as $5 and as
immodest as $5000. According to
the galleries, by pricing most of the
paintings under $100, they are able
to introduce to young people the
joys of collecting.

The Roten Galleries collection
of original graphics includes a broad
range of artistic styles and
personalities. Included are
manuscripts, incunabula, as well as
works by Durer, Rembrandt,
Piranesi, Goya, Daumier, Renoir,
Picasso, Chagall, Baskin, Peterdi,
and Rauschenberg.

Original Print

In the University exhibition was
a Picasso print from the Vallard
Suite series priced at $5,000.
According to Gregory Murphy,
director of the exhibit, "original"
prints are ones done by the artist
without any mechanical aid. It does
not necessarily mean that it is the
only one of its type. When an artist
produces a one-of-a-kind it is called
a unique print; however, when
many are produced alike, they are
all original.

The best way for a buyer to be
sure he is getting an original and
not a reproduction is to know who
he is buying from, according to Mr.
Murphy. The integrity of the dealer
is one's best assurance of a fair deal,
he said.

The galleries were founded in
1932 by Ferdinand Roten. Mr.
Roten arrived in the United States
in the early 20's and was so
successful at selling the print
collections consigned to him by
needy immigrant friends that he
began to import and sell the works
of key expressionists - Kirchner,
Nolde, and Kaethe Kollwitz.

Famous Artists

Among the now famous artists
whom Mr. Roten helped to
introduce to the American public is
Kaethe Kollwitz. In 1933 the
galleries arranged the first American
museum exhibition of her works at
the Worchester, Massachusetts
Museum.

Recognition of a growing market
for and interest in American
artists has involved the galleries in a
constant search for outstanding
graphics.