Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-15
GERMAN ART EXHIBIT
Anticipations of Splendid
Showing Not Realized.
LITTLE There TO ADMIRE
Few Paintings Would Pass an
American Jury.
LACK OF APPEAL IS NOTED
Critic Doubts Representative Char
acter-May Be Message Not Dis
cernible. Is Best to Be Said.
LACK OF APPEAL IS MOTEL
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

by the exhibition of contemporary Ger
man art, opened last week with a recep-
ton in the Metropolitan Museum in New
York. To an extent this exhibition is an
international affair.
Six or eight months ago Consul General
Bunz of Germany wrote, in the name or
his government and with the special sane
ton of the emperor, to the board of trus-
tees of the Metropolitan Museum asking
for the appropriation Of space in their
galleries for an exhibition. during the
present season, of paintings and sculp-
lures. which should be representative of
the best German art of today, stating at
the same time that all expense would be
betrayed by the friends of German ART
who were DESTROYS OF seeing it well rep
resented in this country.
This request came at a time when 1t
was possible for those to whom 1t was
addressed to reply favorably. The new
5th avenue wing of the museum was then
nearing completion. There was no DOUBT
that the seven galleries on It's upper moor
would be available for the purpose.
Hence arrangements were speedily made
The trustees of the museum embraced
what seemed to them an exceptional OPP
portunity to bring to the attention or the
people of New York works of art OF
great interest which otherwise might not
be seen.
DISTINGUISHED Men Interested.
While the galleries were being made
ready to receive the exhibit the work OF
assembling and shipping the COLLECTION
was undertaken abroad. A commission,
composed Of such men of distinction as
Theorod Lewald of the imperial ministry
Of the interior, late commissioner general
of the German government to the ST
Louis exposition; Baron Hllmar Won Dem
Bussche of the imperial foreign once,
formerly councillor of the German en-
bassy at Washington Frederick Schmidt,
director of the department OF art and
science of the Prussian ministry of educa-
ton; Wilhelm Bode, director general OF
the Royal Museums Berlin, and the
greatest living authority on works OF
Rembrandt, and Karl MARI. professor and
honorary member of the Royal ACADEMY
Of Fine Arts. Munich, had charge of this
work. Together with Hugo Reisinger OF
New York. who initiated the movement
| and personally betrayed all costs amount
| ing. it is said, to $4,000 they selected
| the exhibits.
This in itself aroused pleasurable an
| ticipations. When in addition 1t was
| learned that the emperor had given i.is
| consent to the loan of fourteen paintings
and as many drawings by the national
gallery of Berlin, and that the Prince Re-
gent of Bavaria, the new Pinakothek OF
|
| the Karlsruhe Academy, the Konigsberg
| gallery, the Grand Ducal Museum OF
| Weimar and the city museum OF Wles-
| baden had been prevailed upon TO ike
wise make loans, there seemed every rea-
! son to suppose that the display would be
| extraordinary-compre representa-
tive, and Immensely interesting.
| Indeed, in view Of these facts 1t seems
| hard to believe that this exhibition can
! be other than all this. The expectant
visitor is at first more apt to discredit
| his visual impression than to acknowledge
| disappointment.
1t had been said that the living art
| of Germany today was practically I'M
known to the present-day American. A
revelation was awaited.
The exhibits came, 21s in all. paintings,
drawings and small works In sculpture,
and were installed with the utmost care;
an elaborate and really beautiful cata-
| logue was prepared and published In
| Germany; international courtesies were
| exchanged; the doors were thrown open
! and an elaborate reception held by the
| officers of the Metropolitan Museum and
| the representatives of the &c man govern
ment. In all respects everything was as
| 1t should have been, except, unhapplly,
| the works of art And herein lies the pity
of it all.
i Americas Need Recognized.
America does need to know more Of the
| cotemporary art of her sister nations.
Such international courtesies are to be
sincerely coveted, and such painstaking
care in the matter Of detail is not to be
lightly esteemed.
But. despite a desire to be appreciative,
it is almost impossible to look upon this
exhibition with respect 1t is to the ma
jority not only a disappointment, but a
distress. though it has some honest ad-
vocates and admirers. Ii 1t is true that II
gives "a concentrated impression of the
directions in which German artists are
now working, then so much the worse
| for German art.
Doubtless much of the painting that ID
set forth is virile and individual. but 1t Is
neither artistic nor appealing Technical
ly. it is brutal or sloven; inherently. II !.
| homely and dull. Probably but small
| proportion of the works shown would have
| PASSED an American exhibition jury
Fewer still would merit permanent pres
| ervatiOn.
1t has been said that these canvases re-
, fleet with peculiar clearness the modern
German attitude Of mind. 1t is possible
! this being true they do not address them
selves to those of different nationality
/ But it must be remembered that art is {
I universal language and invariably inter
I national In its significance.
:, OF course art has many phases. and moi
5 a few of which are ephemeral. The
l French impressionists, whose influence
:. has been largely beneficial. were not, II
/
. tenets of their school were much modified
! before they were generally accepted. So
I too perhaps these modern German paint
ers may eventually be found to have {
. message which at present is not dis
cerned.
Passing from picture to picture in thi:
exhibition, however, the visitor f1nd
n scarcely one which gives even faltertng
Nv. an excuse for existence Art Is sure
n ly something more than a record of dull
U facts. Inherently it has to do will
I beauty. Tolstoi has said 1t is "a feeling
| handed down" Therefore, II painte
II himself feels apparently no emotion, NJ
enthusiasm, what significance has hi
work?
il. And it is this inspiration, this refine
y ment and charm, which is utterly lacking
in the majority of these German pictures
:, | There is such a thing as a beauty il
=, LONELINESS. but even that is not fount
c here. Strength. yes. vitality, perhaps
. skill to a degree, but not spontaneity
: esthetic delight, interpretatve power
: Joy in Horrors.
The French art of the day is undoubted
ly inclined to be self-conscious and super
fetal In neither of these directions d.
:. the German painters err. But stepping
> out of the straight and narrow path" Oh
= the other side, they display extraordinar.
= Iiteralness of mind and particular joy II
- horrors.
- Franz Won Stuck. paints it Is seen. tn
e oJpfarpaI RepiOnsb with CHASTITY realism