Evening star., 1917-01-18

and especially as to the awards which
have been made by the committee. The
public has just been given an oppor-
tunity not heretofore extended to ex-
press by vote its choice of the one most
popular picture, and the result prob
ably will not be without value.
Yet there are perhaps good reasons
for believing that the selections OF the
committee are open to grave question
irrespective of the popular judgment
In raising this question for the con-
sideration of those who have devoted
some attention to the study OF PIC
torial art it is, of course. quite essen
tial that the grounds for an adverse
opinion be given.
1t is unfortunate that at this time
the true meaning of the word art has
been overlooked and rather applied to
which upon careful analysis are with
out such merit as to entitle them to
be given a place of high honor, or per-
haps even to Justify their inclusion in
creditable and representative exhibit
This means no controversy with any
proper school or with impressionism OF
modernism, provided the work in ques-
tion possesses that merit which stamps
it true art.
But any art must have one essential
attribute, without which the reason for
its existence fails, and that is the
element of beauty. True the essential
element of beauty may be expressed in
many varying ways, but it must never
theless be really expressed and not left
to the imaginative guess of each be-
holder.
Any marked or predominant elements
of beauty in either of the four prize
pictures. except to a degree in Mr.. Law
sons winter scene, are somewhat diff
cult to discern. Therefore other grounds
must have governed in these awards
and must be sought. The successful ex-
preston of the idea of the artist in
pictorial art is gained through certain
recognized essentials of method, as
drawing, composition, color and tech
nique. Properly understood good
work cannot be produced without in
some degree approaching excellence or
perfection in each of these. These are
the means to an end and in good work
each is good, in poor work sore or
all are bad. They each have changing
characters and differing values at the
hands of men of different periods anc
schools, yet they must exist and it Is
reasonable to suppose that picture re-
ceiving an award from among 400 com
petitors must possess these essentials
some or all, to a considerable degree
or else that the many others are lacking
to greater degree.
1t is, l think. quite unnecessary to
attempt to define in what these essen
tials consist, but we all recognize them
in Corot or an Inness or a George
or F. Hopkinson Smith, or selecting at
random from among our cotempara-
ries. William Sergeant Kendall. Irving
Wiles, Carl MelcherS, Z. w. Redfield.
the earlier work of Robert Reid and
many others.
Realism we may entirely disregard in
the present case; it has not been in
consideration, did it deserve to be-
1t is then reasonable to ask what of
these several qualifications do the
awards possess. Or what do they pos
sess in comparison with many other
pictures in the exhibition, in which real
does definitely and distinctly appear
The conclusion is forced upon US that
the awards are not sound, not justified.
and that we of the present day are
sorely in need of saner, more conserva-
tive and better standards than are now
prevalent. r. H. HIGGINS.