Evening star., 1914-10-31

T7HERE will be no large or i'm
portant exhibitions in Wash
ington before the opening of
Corcoran Gallery's biennial
exhibition on the 18th of De-
ccmber, but as the days pass interest
In this exhibition increases. BY No
| vember IL all the entry cards must be
in and very shortly thereafter the pic
lures will be collected. Any artist Is
at liberty to submit painting for this
exhibition. and If adjudged worthy by
the jury of selection it will be accepted
and hung.
The jury this year is to be composed
of Edward W. Redfield. chairman; Ed
mund c. Tarben of Boston. Ralph
Clarkson of Chicago, Robert Henri of
New York and Emil Carlsen of the
same CITY. These men are all artists of
distinction, and. representing different
tendencies in current productions.
should form a broad-visioned and fair
minded jury.
A good deal of discussion has taken
place within the past few months of
the methods employed by various Or
saniza tions and institutions in assem-
bling exhibitions, and no little COM
plaint has been made of the practlce
of art museums inviting pictures 10 a
so-called open exhibition IL Is
claimed by those who make the com
plant that when numerous pictures
are invited very little opportunity re-
mains for the acceptance OF WoIkS uy
the Jury, and that, therefore. despite
an open door and lnvitatioh TO sn.1. ht
| the way is actually closed. No doubt
there is some truth in the statement
and some grounds for the complaint,
hut this refers only to mediocre work.
and not in any instance TO paintings VI
real distinction.
Juries have been known to make Serl-
Gus blunders, but it is more often IN
admitting unworthy works than IN
keeping out good ones. Obviously, even
with impartial juries, name means
something and carries Weight-one
who has a record of accomplishment is
naturally regarded more respectiully
than one who has not. And there are
physical limitations. After having seen
a hundred or more pictures in varying
KEYS and different styles, the hardest
| Judgment may become jaded and seri-
ously impaired. But on the whole those
who grumble are. as a rule, those VINO
have not yet attained AS a class,
painters are extraordinarily generous
| to one another even in matters OF crlt1-
ctsm.
On the other hand, however, the rea-
son why an art museum like the Cor
| coran Gallery cannot leave the selec-
| tion of it's exhibitions solely to jury
| passing upon contributed works. but
| must at the same time resort to 1nvf-
tation, is that the present demand for
| paintings for exhibitions is almost
| greater than the supply, and to insure a
! high standard direct application is
i necessary. An exhibition which had no
| standard would certainly be d sad af-
I fair, and one in which the standard
was left to choice might prove scarcely
\ less felicitous. Furthermore, an art
museum has responsibility to the
public as we'll as to the painters-it has
! an educational mission, and it must up
! hold a certain amount of authority.
That a picture has been hung in the
Corcoran Gallery carries with 1t assur
ance of merit, and so it should be.
The fact is that the Corcoran Gallery
| spares no pains to continue its en-
| viable traditions and that as a result
| d brilliant and successful exhibition in
| December is already pretty well as
sured. Mr.. Minnegerode. the assistant
| director, has been in Chicago and New
York this week. comforting with the
| chairman and members of the jury, as
| well as with artists and others. Each
| member of the jury has also been on
but the fact remains that any work OF
! equal merit submitted to the jury by
| any artist, known or unknown. will find
! acceptance, admission and display. AS
is always welcomed by the weary
watchers with enthusiasm and joy. It
is for this reason that in the long run
so many false prophets are mistakenly
| taken in.
IN the hemicycle hall of the Cor
coran Gallery of Art there have been
displayed this week sketches made by
the students of the school during the
summer vacation without instruction
| 10 ~ioll
for the benefit Of the students, that
they may profit by comparison and
criticism.
| is quite feeble and timid, but some of
| ii is extremely clever and promising.
| Miss Corine Cunningham and Miss
| Felicie w. Howell show groups of
sketches in colored crayons, which have
assured merit and sincere individuality.
A. H. o. Role, a student in the mems
night class, likewise exhibits some out
door pen and pencil drawings which
indicate talent and merit remark. The
! road of art Is long, and of all who
travel thereon but few reach the great
goal-but the travelling is pleasant,
and there is. many claim. reward all
along the way. even when 1t is most
rugged.
1.-THE first of the seasons art talks
will be given at the Corcoran
School Of Art Monday afternoon at :15.
Tho subject will be "The Present Out
look for Art"
1.-THE Society Of Washington Artists
will hold its annual meeting next
Tuesday evening at the residence OF
Mr.. and Mrs. H. K. Bush Brown. There
: will be the usual election OF officers
, and the planning of work for the com
r ing year. Some time in the spring the
) society will hold an exhibition as
{ usual. but the subject to be given chic
} consideration at the coming meeting