Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-05
.HE Society of Washington Ar
lists, at a meeting held in the
studio of Mr.. and Mrs. Carl
Smith last Tuesday evening,

Smith last Tuesday evening,
completed arrangements for
a special exhibition and sale for the
benefit of the Belgian sufferers. This
exhibition is to open on the 18TH OF
December and to continue Tor Two
weeks. 1t will be held in the gallery
on 18th street, adjacent to the Arts ana
Crafts Studio, which is owned by the
Corcoran Gallery, and loaned Tor the
occasion. All local artists will con-
tribute, and besides pictures there Will
he examples of handicraft, pottery and
other art objects.
The artists in all parts OF the United
States have given most generously to
the several funds raised for the rel1et
of the impoverished artists and their
families in the countries now at war.
A short time ago an appeal was sent
ont by a group of artists In New York
To all the artists in the United States
asking aid for the families Of artists
In France, ana as a result a fund
amounting to several thousand dollars
wa. almost Immediately raised. From
all sections generous response came,
despite the fact that in this country the
artists are themselves among those
who suffer most from the financial de.
preston caused by the war. But that
the need is great da none the can accounts count of
conditions in Belgium and the other
warning countries.
To paint or to produce other creative
work is at present Impossible IN
France, Germany and Belgium, and
certainly no one is buying pictures:
Even in England everything in the art
world is at a standstill. Sir George
Frampton. the distinguished sculptor.
after trying bravely to keep to ms
mod cling, finally gave it up and offered
his services to the government He Is
now acting as a drill master Tor re-
cruits. having been well drilled MN
self during a period of early service
Joseph Pennell, the etcher, writes from
London that the only kind of paint
ing any one will soon be doing there
is house painting. From Paris has
lust come the news that Lucien Simon 8
son has been taken prisoner, and the
nephew of Cottet killed at the front.
Miss Elizabeth Nourse, the American
artist, who has lived SO long in France,
tells in her diary, kept during the past
August and September and recently
published in Art and Progress, of the
complete cessation of work in the
studias and the entire absorption in
other matters, such as hospital service,
providing for the refugees, etc. the
need is indeed desperate. "A curious
little incident which occurred lately
gives emphasis to what has already
been said concerning the present condi-
ton of affairs. The Carnegie Institute,
Pittsburgh, held, according to its GUS
tom. an international exhibition last
summer, the close of which came be-
| fore the declaration of war. In due
course the majority of the pictures
were packed and shipped to their re-
spective ports. Then came the war.
And now after adventurous journeys
these pictures have been returned and
are again in the Carnegie Institute
pictorial refugees. Some went to
France and were returned from Havre
| because there were no trains to take
them to their destinations and because
their owners were scattered. Others
were on a vessel captured en- route and
have been returned by a prize court.
Europe today is no place for pictures
| or for their production. To the ex-
hibition to be held here by the Society
| of Washington Artists each donor will
contribute of his best, even though 1t
low in order to encourage purchases.
and 1t is hoped that a fair sum will
be realized as the result.
THE question as to whether this war
l will bring forth great works of
art is being constantly asked and is, of
course. timely. There are some who
are inclined to think that group of
gifted painters of battles will rise up
from the very scenes of destruction.
But there is very little grounds for
such conviction. II the accounts one
hears from those who have been on
the battlef1elds Of the present war are
correct, warfare today Is by no means
picturesque. In the first place there is
a pretty general use of smokeless
powder, and in the second place most
of the lighting is done at long range
and under cover.
What is more. the painter today is
not required as an illustrator. There
| is no need for the special artist at
the front. He has been supplanted by
the camera During our civil war
weekly papers like the Harpers' sent
such men as Winslow Homer to the
scene of conflict to furnish them with
illustrations. The half-tone process
| had not then been invented. But now,
with the aid of the camera and the re-
imarkably line reproductive methods at
present in vogue, veritabl mirror of