The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-01-09
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

oY Ed nGn Unit FIiN WIZ L.
Industrial conditions do not lend
themselves to artistic exploitation.
That is, their opponents are not con-
vincing on canvas unless they are de-
tached from their environment.
And become pictured types.
This is illustrated in Work" in the
current exhibition in the public art
galleries.
In which there are some splendidly
drawn figures of laborers on their way
to their daily tasks.
The dominant one that of i negro.
This is a stunning thing-the mus
cular development, the color, the inter
probation of character, of type, of So
cial conditions-all in one superb en-
semble.
And herein lies the picture.
But not that you see within the
frame.
The figures dominate-but in the
distance is their theater of operation
the factory district of a great city.
This, naturally, lends verisimiitude
to the composition.
Accentuates the latter's motive.
But minimizes the real picture-the
human element.
And, pictorially, is anomalous.
Notwithstanding, this is one of the
finest things, for several reasons, to
be seen in the current exhibition.
Its creator is Thornton Oakley, of
Philadelphia.
Who has another picture of the
same characteristic is, the exploita-
the skyscraper-called From the
Depths to the Sky
Singularly-and yet not so singular
ly-the most convincing picture is
that which confines itself to the ex
ploitation, to the accentuation, of one
object or set of objects or those Of
kindred relation.
1t is only the great masters who
! can venture on combinations.
And they rarely do.
Corot can put nymphs into a land
scape.
| And relate the two.
But rarely can an American accom-
plish this.
Unless obsessed with the continent
| tai attitude or stepped in paganism.
Illustrated as said the other day, by
the Summer Evening" of Duffner in
the current exhibition.
A delightful landscape in and of it.
self but rendered anachronistic
through the introduction of unrelated
nudes.
There is a deal of charming color in
this exhibition, however
| OF the vivid, brilliant, compelling
sort.
Animadverted upon the other day in
this column-especially in the Breck-
enridge pictures.
Color is the soul of the painting art
as melody is of music
And color can be melodiusly express
ed.
There are lyrics in color
And symphonies.
, Poems.
Riots of color, dreams, orgies and
Nightmares.
The Futurists perpetrate the latter.
According to the layman, who wants
what he thinks is a picture.
The Futurists do not translate at
first hand They record their impress
sions on canvas. Their product is that
of the studio. They might be termed
the psychologists of the painting art,
They walk down the street
With no particular object or aim.
They are receptive.
Open to the passing show.
They stop to look on at a street
6ght-to admire a grand dame in her
coupe or limOuisine-to catch a
glimpse of a sunset between tall build
.ings or through the trees in the park
they get a glimmer here, a glamour
there, the mirror-sheen from a rain
puddle on the asphalt-the color of a
young girls eyes-the despair on the
face of the outcast-the glisten of a
| lady's jewels-the flash of figure in
a doorway rything-nothing-
Then they return to the studio, place
the canvas, pull out the palette, stir
their impressions up with the stick of
memory-and-you have a Futurist
picture
Or, rather, a composite expression
) of series of impressions.
Some deny this is art.
1t may or may not be.
That is governed by the human me-
dunn through which it is filtered.
| To return, however.
There is delightful color in two
small pastels by Louise Wright Wood,
one The River" the other The Mead
ow," with alluring out-of-door spirit,
autumn tints. technically striking and
nicely handled.
Pastel lends itself to lucious color
effects.
Or at least in this exhibition.
A certain John F. Dull bellies his
name in two brilliant little landscapes
in this medium highly decorative with
odd. tapestried effects.
And there are other small land