Evening star., 1915-03-21

canvas will be found of individual in
terest subjectirely. and the display is
one which no lover of art or of nature
should be willing to miss 1t will con-
During the past week Mr.. Foster has
been in the city and part of the time
in attendance at the gallery.
IN the Moore galleries there is now on
view a collection of paintings by
Gfno Perera, an Italian artist who is
at present residing in the United States.
These are chiefly Italian landscapes
and are painted somewhat subtIy,
with pleasing feeling. In Mr. Perera's
paintings there are no strong contrasts
of light and shade nor vigorous de-
markatfons of structural composition,
but the effects are pleasing and in
some instances quite impressive. The
collection now on view has recently
been shown in Chicago and other cit
les.
This exhibition will be followed the
week of April by an exhibition of
garden pictures painted by Miss Mary
Helen Carlisle of New York.
*
NV EDNESDAY evening of last week
of the distinguished painter, gave an
illustrated lecture on costume before
the Washington Society Of the Fine Arts
in the auditorium Of the National Mu-
scum. Mrs. Alexander has for some
years designed the costumes for Miss
Maude Adams plays and she has made
thorough study of the subject. She is
not, however, a professional lecturer
and her address had therefore all the
charm which fullness of knowledge, en-
thusiasm and complete naturalness of
expression can give.
What she had to say was exceedingly
informing and the way she said it made
1T enjoyable as well. 1t must be con-
feSSed.~ however, that review of the
dwellers to that of our own time Is not en-
couraging nor fattering-a chronicle of
change regardless of art and comfort.
The fact which Mrs. Alexander pointed
out that most of these fashions from
early days until now have been man
made seemed to carry with it little con-
ISOLATION, especially with what would
seem to be an almost inevitable return
to crinoline and hoops looming threat
eningly in the near future.
Mrs. Alexander Interestingly traced
the evolution of fashions in accordance
with the conditions and demands of the
times and pointed out the superiority
as historical documents of the paint
ings of the several periods over the
costume books to which as rule resort
is made for information. In short this
lecture was as whole with Its numer-
Gus illustrations from paintings, stat
ues and fashion books not only illumi-
mating. but very thought provoking.
In conclusion Mrs. Alexander told
briefly of the interest and difficulties OF
costuming on a very large scale. de-
scribing graphically the preparations
for the great pageant of Joan of Arc
which Miss Adams gave some years
ago in the stadium of Harvard Univer-
sity. not only to show how such things
were done, and with what care and at
tention to detail, but in order to re-
mind the audience that Miss Adams
was one of the first to encourage re-
vival of pageantry and to demonstrate
in this country its artistic possibili-
ties.
The next lecture in this course Will
| be on the subject of pageantry and will
| be given by Joseph Lindon Smith. un-
der whose direction the st. Louis pa
geant was given last year.
1rHE Society of Washington Artists
| u will hold it's annual exhibition in
the hemicycle of the Corcoran Gallery
| of Art early next month. The pictures
| for this exhibition will be received a,
the gallery the last of this week
LEILA MECHLIN.