Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23

HAT the exhibitions OF con-
temporary American paintings
and of works in sculpture by
the late Augustus Saint eau
dens, recently held in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art, were eminently sue
cessful goes almost without saying. so
patent its demonstration. During the five
weeks these exhibitions We're in progress
they were visited by no less than fifty
thousand persons And as time passed
interest increased rather than waned. The
first Sunday afternoon that the ex-
hbition was open not many more than
two thousand visitors were admitted,
whereas last Sunday, the closing day, de-
spite uncommonIy bad walking, over four
thousand were recorded.
In the matter of sales also the retro
spect is gratifying. twenty-one pictures
aggregating in value about $4,000 being
sold. From the standpoint of figures this
is, perhaps, not as good record as was
made last time, but in reality it IL more
enCouraing showing, for the Corcoran
Gallery in 1907 was the principal pur-
chaser, and at this time patronage has
been widely distributed.
Indeed, it will be learned with salts
faction that quite number OF the PIC
lures purchased from this exhibition Will
remain in Washington homes. Mr.. {. {.
Glover procured for his private collection
The Snow Bearers" by Willard l.. Met
calf. charming snow picture and mas
terly painted; The Island by Edward
w. Redtield, to which the first Clark prize
and Corcoran gold medal We're awarded,
was acquired by Maj d. c. Phillips, as
well as THE Window" by Irving r.
Wies, delightful genre; j. Francis
Murphy's admirable landscape, Summer
Time" was purchased by Mr.. William j.
Father; William keith's Gray Day. San
Ramoan Valley" and w. l.. Lathrop' 8
Twilight After Rain by Mr.. Henry H.
FIather, and Clark c. Voorhees, De
cember Moonrise" to Mr.. Fred III. Brooke.
And in addition to these, as specifically
local gain, must be reckoned the paintings
by Mr.. William T. Evans for the National
Gallery collection and those procured by
the Corcoran Gallery. The former &C
QUESTIONS are three in number, Eros and
the Muse" by Henry Oliver Walker;
Christmas Morn" by VIII II. Low, and
My Day at Home" cattle picture by
William H. Howe. The Corcoran Gal
be increased to eight. Before the ex-
hibition opened announcement was made
of the purchase by the trustees for the
permanent collection of Z. c. Tarbelf S
Josephine and Mercie," Walter Mac
Ewen's AN Ancestor" Sergeant Ken
dalTs "Narcissa," Robert Reds open
Fire" and W. Elmer Schoffelds Morn
ing After Snow" and within the first
fortnight Leonard Ochtmans December
Morning" was added to this list. FL
nalIy, as the exhibition was about to
close, it was determined to procure the
Woman and Dog" by Mary Cassatt,
provided the painter was willing to ac-
cept in part payment the woman and
Child acquired two years ago-thus eff
fecting an exchange and inSurlng bet
ter representation. And again, after the
exhibition had closed, Monday morning,
the board Of trustees decided, upon the
earnest recommendation OF certain critics
and connoisseurs, to obtain, if possible
Robert MacCameron's mastery but
gruesome. painting of three degenerate
Parisians, entitled "a Group of Friends
OF all the purchases this will undoubt-
eddy call forth most comment and be the
least favorably regarded by the avera ge
lOoker-On. 1t is, without doubt, horrible
picture and it is hard TO comprehend how
any painter could have given to such a
subject the requisite amount of time and
study. And yet. admittedly, it is re-
markable piece of painting-its story is
superbly told-in it's rendition is consum-
mate skill. Some may say that art put
to such use is desecration-that its pur-
pose is to manifest beauty, to uplift-
but 1t may have another mission-tO re-
fleet Iife-as has literature. But, be that
as 1t may, the business Of a public gal
lery is to collect and preserve works of
art-masterly paintings-and of these the
trustees of the Corcoran Gallery are con-
WINGED this is one.
* X
TT is interesting and often helpful to get
an outsiders viewpoint-to note an i'm
preston made upon wholly unprecedented
mind Last week Mr.. Royal Cortissoz,
the art critic of the New York Tribune.
whose Judgment, being both trained and
logical, carries much weight, visited the
Corcoran exhibitions and wrote of them
as follows:
When the trustees of the Corcoran
Gallery resolved to fill their spacious
building every two years with an exhibit