Evening star., 1914-04-18

Arthur Hoeber has pointed out he is in
no wise akin to the so-called mOdernistS
the post-impreSsionistS. cubists and fu-
turists, who would turn the world up
side down and try and persuade us that
ugliness is beauty. Troubetskoy's sense
of beauty is very acute, ard no less re-
fined. but having struck the note he de-
sired. accurately and truly, he is salts
fed and wastes no time on external fin
ish. The majority of his little statuettes
are sketches in plaster or wax. and re-
main no more TO the end They are
vital, in fact. full of life, expressive and
personal-in some instances they are al
most insistently vivacious-therefore why
ask more? And yet as charming and de
lightful as these little works are, they
do not completely satisfy beyond the
moment. As sketches they would be
legitimate, but permant works, cast
in bronze, an imperishable material, they
are not entirely justified.
1t is not right that one material should
initiate another. yet SO like are these
bronzes to plasterinc that one must
pinch the metal TO be assured of its
hardness. So charming is the grace, SO
lovely the spirit which pervades these
little figures that one overlooks the rough
exterior, but it frets the ina agination and
holds it in leash. No one will doubt that
this sculptor coiiid have finished with
the perfection of workmanship these
sculptures had he desired, yet lack of
finish is in most instances an acknowl-
edgment of weakness.
Paul Troubetskoy is not feeble crafts
man, all may who view his work
Where he considers finish requisite to
effect he has finished eXquisitely His
judgment may be false. but not his art.
He is master craftsman as well as an
artist endowed with rare and unusual
talent. lie is of those who has
something to say, and no matter how
he may choose to say 1t he will find
ready listeners. In the great foreign
collections his work is represented. and
not a few of the larger museums of
America have secured examples of his
sculpture. 1t is amazingly clever and
emincntly worthy of note.
THE Society of Washington Artists
annual exhibition in the hemicycle
hall of the Corcoran Gallery of Art re-
mains open until the end of the month.
and continues to attract favorable at
tention. the interest growing rather than
diminishing as the days pass. 1t has
indeed much to commend it. and it is to
be hoped that it will be generously pat
roniZed.
THE memorial exhibition of paintings
l by James Henry Moser likewise of
fers much that is of interest to lovers
of art. his pictures being of a type which
gain both by aggregation and through
familiarity. This. too, continues for fully
another week.
A illustrated lecture on japanese
\ architecture was given by Prof.
Warren P. Laird of the University of
Pennsylvania Thursday evening in the
auditorium of the National Museum be-
fore the Washington Society of the
ton of japanese art, Prof. Laird de-
scribed some Of the earliest examples
now existing of Japanese architecture
and pointed out wherein they eNceled.
After exhibiting many interesting eX
ampies OF temples built in the several
periods of development, the lecturer
passed to consideration of the Jap
anese domestic architecture. and showed
numerous and really beautiful illustra-
tions of the interiors of japanese homes.
Just four materials, he said, were EN-
ployed in the construction of japanese
dwellings-wood. plaster. straw and rice
paper-and vet SO well are the rooms
proportoned and admirably adapted
to requirements that they may be con-
sidered works of art and need little in
decoration or furnishing to enhance
tlieir beauty or effectiveness.
Prof. Laird described graphically the
magnificence of the interior decoration
of some of the Japanese temples. aud
he laid special emphasis on the har-
inonious relation of the Japanese archi-
lecture 10 the physical character of the
country.
THE talk which Mr. Messer was to
have given last Monday of Mr.. Mo
ser and his work. taking the form of an
appreciation. was postponed until next
Monday on account of the first date hay
ing fallen on a school holiday. 1t will
therefore be given at 4:I5 in the Corcoran
School, and all who are specially inter
ested will be freely granted admission.
MARY DEL C. JOHNSTON Mrs. lie
AVA Grand johnston has been holding
In her home in Georgetown an exhibition
of her paintings which has been found
very interesting. The majority of the
pictures shown were portraits and figure
studies, but there were also some land
scapes painted quite recently. The work,
while by no means faultless, possessed in
no small measure the charm of sincerity
and the suggestion of something beyond,
of deeper significance which lifted it
above the commonplace.
WILLIAM P. SILVA, who was active
" ly associated with the Society of