Evening star., 1914-04-11

screens covered with gray textile. have
been placed across the hall. either SIDE
of the center. and on these the paintlnss
are displayed. The light is not the best,
the rows of chairs which intervene give
something more than a suggestion OF
transformers to the exhibition, thoush
they serve admirably to keep the public
at a proper distance, yet despite all thls
these pictures are found extremely I'M
pressjve. For some reason they do not
arouse interest primarily as works OF art,
but as interpretations Of great ensl-
neering work in course of consructlon-
it is the thing which they represent Whlch
faScinateS and allureS-
The observer feels that he is standing
on the edge of the great cut looking INTO
the chasnl. and is awed or dehshted as
he would be under such circumstances
, 1t is admirably presented, realistic to the
furthest degree, artfully rendered. There
is very little detail. only the big facts are
set down, but they constitute the story
The artists eye has taken in the essen
tials. and these he has accurately tran
scribed His color is strong and fine. his
values well related-he has painted broad
~, but also we'll One might not care to
remain Indefinitely watching the great
cranes swinging, the buckets ascending
and descending, the trains putting back
and forth. and likewise one might not
find unending enjoyment in viewing one
Of these pictures. But they are virile and
true, and they enbody what is essentially
the spirit of our time. such art Is ROBUST
and looks to larger accomplishment in the
future. A writer quoted in the catalogue
of this notable exhibition says, very truly
I'm these paintings Jonas Lie has at
tempted and achieved two things-to In
terpret the epic quality of the profound
genius and the conquering labor that has
gone into the building OF the Panama
canal, and to preserve pictorial record
of the stage OF it's making which lay be-
tween the plan and the fruitton. As a
\ Il. 80 irx, To n Yr-
torial art in the light of its historical
Importance, of its undying record of facts
concerning our political and social his
tory. 1t has been charged In Austin
Dobson's unanswerable phrase that we
have scant time for arts delays. And
this is never more true in its application
than when We are asked to concern our
selves with that. imaginative quality in
pictures on which all poetry must be
would be a poor thing if it were barren
of historical Importance. Tho sustaining
qualities of Mr.. Lies pictures are that
their epic preserves the greatest work
of labor we have attempted as a nation.
are ours. that We took part in the
making Of them. And thus they enter,
as all great art should, into our national
consciousness and become the people
pictures.
These pictures may be seen on all
week days until April %. from 10 am.
until pm.
*
THE exhibition Of paintings by the late
James Henry NIoser, which opened
Wednesday at 725 18th street, is one
which all will enjoy and none should miss
The catalogue enumerates more than
eighty works which are on view, and both
front and rear galleries are filed. There
are few oil paintings. but the majority
of the works shown are water coiors.
Mr.. Moser had a rare talent and his In
terpretations Of nature give expression to
his own deep appreciation of its loveliness.
There is something very refined and very
uplifting in his transcriptions, which.
however, lack nothing In the way of
strength nor dignity. 1t was subtle eff
fects that he liked best to transcribe-the
cloud on the mountain top. the passing
shower. the delicate tints of spring or the
low-toned splendors of autumn. His me-