Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06

Gerrit A. Beneker, WHO, Will HiS
colleague, Frank A. Desch of Prov
incetown, Mass, is exhibiting at pres
emit at the Arts Club. came to wash
ington last June as an expert ala OIL
the Navy Department, assigned to
work on the big job Of constructing
the Army and Navy buildings in Po-
tomac Park, now nearly completed. he
is probably the first artist who mas
ever had such an assignment.
The task assigned him was equally
unusual. 1t was to help get the mes
sage over to the $500 worklngmen
who were putting up these buildings
to make them realize that they. one
and all, through their work, were ma
terially helping to win the war ne
was to speak to the men through the
direct and universal language OF art
to visualize the message. to put II III
such form that none could ran 10
comprehend. And this he has done, as
the reproductions of a number OF ms
posters in today's planogravure sup
plement of The Star go to show.
These posters have been reproduced
by the Navy Department and have
been issued to the men. folded in be-
tween the pages of their work paper.
ton of the working man to the fight
ing man and give definite indications
of the dignity of labor. They are dra-
matte, yet simple. forceful and i'm
pressive., The originals of the post
ers, with the consent of the artist,
have been passed over by the Navy
Department to the Department of
Labor and will probably be reproduced
in full color, large size, for distribu-
ton throughout the country: A group
of them are now being exhibited un-
der government auspices in the Mad
ison Square Garden exhibit. in New
York. and one, it is understood. is be-
ing reproduced, small size. for wide
distribution in an edition of 100000.
Mr.. Beneker has also made illuStra-
tions for The Mixer, has made sketch
eS of the men on the work and has in
every way related his work-art to the
life about him-to the big job, and
through it brought elementary facts
to the attention and comprehension of
the workingmen.
Mr.. Beneker had had some experience
in this field before. 1t was, in fact, be-
cause of the excellence Of certain illus
trations that he had made of industrial
life that induced his appointment by the
Navy Department. All his life he has
studied the industrial figure, the work.
ingman. He has spent hours. days,
weeks, climbing over skyscrapers.
bridges of New York, visiting steel and
other kinds of industrial plants. 1t is
his desire to make this work a speciality.
to go into the coal mines, the steel
plants, munition plants and lumber
camps and live with the workingmen-
be one of them, follow their emotions.
know and paint them. 1t is a great
need and splendid opportunity; in fact.
it is through such channels as this that
art today is finding it's real place in the
world.
In the Arts Club exhibit. which OPEN
ed about ten days ago and will continue
until October 90 are approximately
thirty-five oil paintings by Mr.. Beneker,
the majority of which were painted at
Provincetown. Mass, and are of scenes
in that vicinity. Seven are of the same
motif, the old wharf not far from his
home, but under different conditions
winter, sunshine, rain, etc. His pictures
are very typical of the place. The col
lection also comprises several portrait
studies. among which are two of work.
| ingmen. one entitled "Noon Hours the
other merely "A Workman
| Mr.. Beneker is perhaps better known
as an illustrator than a painter, his
! illustra tions having appeared from
time to time in some of the leading
magazines. He has also been sue
cessful in his magazine cover designs
these chiefly of industrial subjects
He has, however, a fine sense of color
and this added to his good drafts
manship and dramatic instinct lends
value to his posters.
x x
The Corcoran Gallery of Art opened
| last Thursday with a special exhibit
| ton of original drawings and studies
| for mural decorations in the Pennsyl-
vania state capitol and elsewhere by
Miss Violet Oakley, A. n. A, LIT. D., of
Philadelphia.
| This comprises studies in red chalk
| charcoal, oil and other mediums
iabout liz exhibits in all. Twenty
/ four are studies made for the William
Penn series in the governors recep-
i tion room, Harrisburg, Pa; fifty-one
iare for d series in the senate chamber
in the same building, ten are for a Sc
ries in a Cleveland public building,
seven form a decoration in the house
! of Charlton Yarnall, Philadelphia, and
| the last represent THE Building OF
the House of WISDOM" whereas twen-
ty-two are miscellaneous.
! The series for the senate chamber al
| Harrisburg, entitled, THE Creation
and Preservation of the Union, ano
PENIS Prophecy of Peace" is very in
! teresting. Beginning with Washing
| tons famous appeal at the constitu.
| tional convention, Let us raise g
standard to which the wise and honest
l can repair. The event is in the hand
of Cod they continue the pretoria
| history from epoch to epoch.
! This exhibition of studies and draw.
| ings gives an unusual opportunity tt
see the work of mural decorator IL
| the making.
/ Miss Oakley received this commits
! sion to decorate the senate chamber
i and the supreme court from the state
of Pennsylvania in 1911, because OF
| the great satisfaction given by hel
| first series in the governors reception
| room, q great frieze entitled THE
! Founding of the State of Liberty Spir'
itual"
! Another exhibit of especial interes'
! in the collection is rich and brilliant
| cartoon for stained glass wlndo"
owned bN Robert Collier. The subject
| is the "Divine Comedy of Dante" ano
\ in it the artist has pictured Dante
spiritual ventures through the inferno
and purgatory up to the tentn heaVei
of the paradise, where Beatrice snow:
him the great white rose-the circle
| of the blessed This window received
the medal of honor at the Panama
Pacific exposition. san Francesca
| Likewise of unusual interest are
poster representing Italy. Guardian
| of the Worlds Most Precious Heritag g
of Beauty and a portrait in red chall
Of Nine. Amelia Cali Curci. the re
| nowned soprano. both of which hav'
! teen reproduced to sell for the bene
! fit of the Italian auxiliary OF tn
i American Red Cross.
| This exhibition of Miss Oakley:
| works will continue until the 23d
after which it is to be sent on cir
! emit of art museums under thu
/ AUSPICES of the American Federation
| of Arts.
| The Washington Arts club Will non
or Miss oakley with a reception Mon
day evening.