Evening star., 1914-04-11
.HE SOCIETY OF WASHING
TON ARTISTS annual exhibi-
tion, which opened with a pri-
vate view and reception in the

TON ARTISTS annual exhibi-
tion, which opened with a pri-
vate view and reception in the
-hemicycle of the Corcoran Gal
lery of Art Wednesday evening, is gener-
ally conceded to be we'll up to the stand
ard of past seasons. Undoubtedly 1t COM
pares favorably with exhibitions OF a
similar character held in other cities.
There are perhaps no sensational paint
ings listed in its catalogue. but, after all.
genius is rare. and 1t is only from time to
time that great works are produced. Fur
thermore, it is not these alone that give
pleasure-the lesser poets are probably
even more read than are those who have
been accorded highest rank.
The Society of Washington Artists ex-
hibition comprises many pictures of pleas
urable quality and meritorious character
some excellent portraits and figure paint
ings, quite a number OF delightful land
scapes and marines, not a few engaging
still-life paintings. One sees in the works
exhibited traces of the various tendencies
of the day as wei. as the influences Of the
past. There is food for thought There
is an inclination today to cast aside the
traditions Of the past, to disregard law,
to set at nausht those things which we
have long considered most precious; there
are some who go so far as to claim that
art is dead and must needs be brought
back to life by violent measures. And
yet we all know that art cannot die and
we find that what these pessimists de-
clare to be art is unlovely and uninspir-
ing 1t may be, however. that they do no
great harm. for at least they awaken
thought and cause. discussion.
What art needs most for its development
is just this. 1t is well to have a reason
for ones convictions. to follow closely
the trend of present endeavor and to
note in which direction the stream is
flowing. And it is more interesting be-
cause there Is a current. We are not
standing still. In this little exhibition in
the hemicycle of the Corcoran Gallery
bizon painter. the tonalists. the impress
sionists. Each has made an impress and
has added something worth while.
The pictures themselves. as pictures.
will moreover be found to have inherent
interest. The themes Transcribed are ex-
ceedingly varied and in most instances
well chosen There are some well known
names from out Of town and some very
meritorious works by artists whose
names have not been as yet frequently
enough catalogued to have become IA
nliliar. OF course, there Is more than
little which may be adversely criticised
IL one is eager to find fault, but there is
also a good deal to praise, much which
, frankly declares 1tStll as dOOV6 Gle
average in accomplishment Those who
have seen and known the best in art are,
as rule, the most lenient critics. and
by no other standard than the best can
any work be judged. This is, it should
be remembered, a current exhibition, the
output of the past few months, and not
selected exhibition set forth for the
edihcation of the public. Regarded in
this light, it will be found not only inter
esting, but signifcant-and it does un-
dn1rt tod roa uvf he
open to the public until the first of May
on week days from Q am to 4 Pm,
Sunday afternoons and Friday evenings.
IN the Hall of the Americans, in the beau
l tiful building which is the home Of the
Pan-American Union. is now on exhibi-
ton collection of twenty-eight paintings
of the Panama canal by Jonas Lie. Two