Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-30
IN HONOR
Of BUDDING ARTISTS
Students of Corcoran School Place
Work of Year ON
Exhibition.
Address by Principal Messer, II
Which He Takes Occasion to Cri-
icise Fashion Idolatry.

lC1Se Z dSQlOu
More than six hundred persons attended
| the reception last evening in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art given TO the stu
dents of the Corcoran School and their
friends. Not only was the work of the
year displayed. but the entire gallery was
thrown open and there was music and
general sociabiity of an informal char
acter.
The doors of the gallery were opened at
$50 O'Clock and precisely at O'Clock all
in attendance were summoned to the
grand staircase by a bugle call. There,
| on the main landing had assembled Mr.
Mcclure, the director of the gallery; Mr..
Mnnegerode. assistant director: Gen. Will
son, representing the board of trustees.
and Mr. Messer, Mr.. Brooke, Miss Critch-
er. Miss Bertha E. Perrie. Miss Messer
and Mr.. Tolman members of the faculty
Of the school. Along the sides of the
staircase. leaning over the balustrades.
and in a throng at the foot were those
who had come to see the exhibition and
to witness the presentation of the annual
awards. Mr.. Mcclure made the announce
ments and Gen. Wilson the presentations.
AS the fortunate winners had been pre-
viously announced. there was not the
stress and strain this year in connection
with the presentations that there has
been in past seasons. hence the atmos-
phere was entirely that OF Joyous trl-
umph. AS each name was called the sue
cessful competitor stepped forward ana
assembled the stairs in the midst or a
vertable storm of applause. In making
the presentations Gen. Wilson had some
appropriate word to say to each.
Winners of Premiums.
The winner of the much-coveted gold
medal for the best work done during the
year in the life and antique classes was
Frank w. Myers, an employee Of the bu-
reau of engraving and printing, who at
tends only the night classes. The bronze
medal for the same class of work was
awarded to Miss Gertrude Heilprin, and
honorable mention to John P. Zerocostas
The other awards were as follows: Por-
trait class, silver medal, Florence Eliza
beth Harris; honorable mention Ruth Os-
good Draped life class. silver medal,
Felicie Waldo Howell: honorable mention,
Lucy Lee Offutt. Still life class. silver
medal Felicie Waldo Howell; Honorable
mention, Margaret Brennan Hauze. Com
position class. silver medal. Kimon Ntco-
ladies. jr.: honorable mention. Mabel
Jones' Water color class, silver medal,
Mrs Grace NJ. Harding: honorable men
ton, Mrs. Myron A. Cole.
Mr.. Messer's Address.
Before the prizes were given Mr.. Nc
CURE introduced Mr.. Messer, the princi-
pal of the school, who made a brief adj
dress. Referring to the personnel Of the
school. Mr.. Messer said that in all the
eleven years that he had been in charge
never before had the average Of merit
and capacity been as high. He also paid
high tribute to the memory Of the late
James Henry Moser, who, for fourteen
years. was instructor Of the water color
class and whose absence upon this occa-
sion was sadly to be remarked. The trus-
tees of the gallery were unusually for
tunate, Mr.. Messer said, in having Sc
cured Miss Bertha E. Perrie to fill the
vacancy occasioned by Mr.. Moser's death,
Miss Perrie having those qualifications
work where Mr.. Moser had left 1t and to
carry 1t forward successfully.
Referring to the trend Of American art
at the present time Mr.. Messer said in
part as follows:
There is certainly a kinship in the art
of all the advanced races. There are
temperamental differences localisms, re-
sulting from special conditions. but II We
observe closely the art of different ma
lions and different times we shall find 1t
IL d
mental principles that have neither be-
ginning nor end, but are eternal laws.
1t is because one race or one period has
clear comprehension of these laws that
its art is greater or more enduring than
the art of other races. Here lies the
supremacy of the art of the Greeks.
Back to Chaos.
In the Armory exhibition of the ultra
IN MAJ Of
told by an exponent. or disciple. OF one of
the radical phases shown there that the
painter of the canvas before us started
out by denying everything that had hith-
erto been accepted as a canon of art. He
proposed to go back to chaos. depending
on a personal fiat to establish new
creation-rather a serious undertaking, II
would seem. but not unprecedented prob
ably, in alienists' records. Law has al
WAYS been a disturber of the peace of alb
normals.
when one loses the lockstep Of civiliza-
ton he sees no way out but In the de-
struction of all the rhythms Of the uni
verse. New. as a fair-minded man, am
ready to admit that civilization in its
methods and results is open to criticism.
We have undoubtedly evolved artificial
conditions that are unrelated to eternal
justice. to eternal normality. I am ready
to defend the valiant knight who sets his
lance in rest to joust against artificialities
Of any sort, as philosophical fallacies. po-
litical fallacies or art fallacies. We are
not dealing with philosophical fallacies in
this paper. but we contend that an art fall
lacy can be detected as we would detect
a false current coin: the true coin rings
true: the true art principle is in harmony
with the universe. The world does not
wrangle over great art, but over minor
or unrelated phases. We know that Phid-
las and Michelengelo are great artists:
we may be uncertain as to the status Of
Monet or Whistler. because they stand
for unrelated or seemingly unrelated seq.
ments of truth.
las representative of an art acad-
envy l have felt it incumbent upon me
to face certain faliacIes and peace-dis-
turbing evolutions since reputable critics
and serious magazines hold them in dis
cussion.
Very Advanced Art.
Some of the opponents Of very 'ad-
| vanced art are undoubtedly serious! In
| some instances this seriousness Is
pathetic. live spirit struggles under
the debris of wrecked or shaken life.
1t is true that genius Is sometimes allied
to madness. and manifestations Of that
| sort are often interesting. but shall we
turn to the imperfect or hampered mind