In a career spanning five decades, John Taylor Arms (1887-1953) devoted himself to the pursuit of perfect beauty, a quest that consumed his adult life and placed him among the 20th-century's preeminent graphic artists. Upon his death, at the age of 66, Arms had produced 429 published prints, the bulk of them etchings. His portfolio also includes work in drypoint, aquatint, lithography and mezzotint.

Trained as an architect, Arms took up etching as a hobby. Soon captivated by the medium's beauty, he exchanged the comforts of a succesful architectural career for the uncertainties of full-time printmaking.

Inspired by Manhatten's high-rise profile and Europe's Gothic structures, Arms, with painstaking precision, etched numerous architectural prints, gorging a reputation as an American medievalist as well as a techinical virtuoso. As an author, educator and spokesman, he also was one of the most eloquent advocates for the graphic arts at the time. His dedication to his craft and subject matter belied a deep desire to celebrate the human spirit.

At the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Arms' collection numbers more than 200 prints, making it one of the finest public holdings of work by this unparalleled American master. This catalogue addresses Arms' life and work through the exploration of this outstanding collection.

By Jennifer Saville, 1996. 116 pages, 20 color and 53 b/w illus. Softcover.