Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14
A R T N O TES.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art reopens to
the public next Friday after a recess of
over two months. Owing to the numerous
acquisitions made last winter at the time
of the contemporary exhibition of Ameri
can paintings, no additions have been made
since the gallery closed, but the collections
have been thoroughly overhauled and to
some extent rearranged. And after all
while acquisitions of the best type are
perennially interesting and welcome. it is
the long-tried and familiar exhibits which
are most gladly greeted and through which
interest is permanently sustained The
value of a sincerely good work of art lies
in it's eXhaustiess power to give pleasure,
and the test of painting is whether or not,
by those who are astute and sympathetic,
1t is found to wear we'll" The Corcoran
gallery possesses one of the best collections
of modern paintings in this country, and
though Its purchasing committee has not
proved itself all wise. 1t has been both
judicious and discriminating in the matter
of selectfon the pictures enumerated in its
catalogue are chiefly of the king which not
only attracts but holds attenti6n-not per-
haps in every instance notable examples.
but worthy ones possessing patent charm.
And the permanent collection of the Cor
coran gallery is delightfully."- supplemented
at present by the Evans National Gallery
collection. the Clark collection and various
individual loans, such for example as the
tor Wetmore, the Sargent portraits of Gen.
Leonard A Wood and the late Secretary
Hay. Indeed, it Is doubtful If ever before
it has set forth a better array. Passing
through the galleries successfully from end
to end one will be surprised by the strength
of the showing as well as by Its compre-
hensiveness and variety. Ample oppor-
tunity is given by means of the Clark col
lection to compare the work of the old and
modern masters. and through the Evans
collection to trace the development of our
native art. No one school is profusely il
Illustrated, but each, 1t would SEEM finds
representation. The ascendency OF one
over another will always afford material
for discussion. but a study of the charac-
teristics of each must prove Illuminating.
And differences are to be noted not merely
between the old and the new, the foreign
and the native, but between that which is
comparatively recent and exclusively
American. Standing in the atrium. in a
certain position, it is quite possible to see
at one and the same time the Niagara"
painted by George Inness and the tran
scription of the same subject by F. E.
Church, which hangs the east wall Of
the north gallery, the former an impress
sionistic Interpretation, the latter a mas
terly attempt toward realistic rendering.
The observer may prefer one or the other,
but none can fail to give both paintings
homage. OF special interest is this Inness,
included In the Evans collection, not only
on account of recent remark, but because
more definitely than the majority of this
~
gard of tradition and vigorous individual
ity. But this is only an aside-the whole
collection invites and will reward attention.
X X
1t has been said in regard to painting and
sculpture that American productions were
most highly esteemed abroad but it was
scarcely to be thought that the old world
would take cognizance of us as city-build-
ers. L'Art Public, an elaborate maya
zine published In Brussels, gives. how
ever, in a recent issue considerable space
to an Illustrated article on the Artistic
Development Of American Cities" by
Mr. Glenn Brown, the secretary of the
American Institute of Architects. After de-
scribing briefly the manner in which An
napolis, Md: Williamsburg, Va: New Or
leans and Buffalo, were laid out in the
early days, Mr.. Brown passes to consid-
GRAFTON of Washington and tells at length of
the park commissions plans for its future
development. The report of the park
commission" he says, was spark which
lighted fire of enthusiasm that has spread
north, south, east and west. In this move