Evening star., 1918-01-20
NOTES OF ART AND ARTISTS

The print division Of the Library of
Congress has arranged in the basement
J and on the first floor of the Library
4 building an interesting and unique ex-
i hibition of art related to war. This
/! comprises a large collection of French.
| English, Russian and American war
posters, a collection of cartoons In tint
/ of photographs made at the front and
Of Photographic reproductions of war
i pictures by French and British artists.
The last are perhaps the most sur
prising, inasmuch as the general i'm
preston has prevailed that under the
present methods modern warfare has
become extremely unpicturesaue and
that no great battle pictures have been
painted In recent days as they were in
times gone by, none having SO far come
to our knowledge.
The most impressive of the war pic
lures. of which Photographic reproduc-
tions are shown in this exhibit, are
Woodville. They cover great variety
of scenes and are in general aspect and
character not unlike the works of De
Melville. One pictures the city of Ant
under Sen ssss the Anohsr sSes
a picture of the trench warfare in one
of the battles Of the Afsne, third
shows Cessacks and infantry making
an advance, fourth is entitled Feed
ing the Firing Line"
Most impressive. perhaps, of all Is the
picture Of a battle in the air, the great
birds Of war attacking high up above
rolling fields dotted by hamlets of the
peasantry. All are excellent compost
tions. pictorial. significant and go to
show how superior after all painting
is when made by a trained and gifted
artist to photograph supposedly pre-
| senting bare facts with absolute truth.
Indeed. these war pictures by Woodville
| give an idea of the great conflict whcih
is going on in Europe that no photo
| graphs nor written words could pessi-
pendeus. As these photographs are all
derived through the department Of
cepyright, It ts probable that the paint
iHgs were puFpesed for reproduction.
So excellent do they appear. however,
inals and eager to know more of the
history Of the artist to whose credit
they stand.
/ -
The posters are also engaging and
foremost artists of the four countries
in which they have been produced.
There are posters in the American set
by Kenyon Cox. Edwin H. Blashield,
tCharles Dana Gibson. Reuterdahl and
Faagg, as we'll as by painters whose
names are less we'll known. In the
British set are posters by Brangwyn
and by Wardle, the latter well known
as q painter of animals In the French
set one finds a poster by no less a
eeiebrity than SteinleR. With the names
of the Russian artists one is less ia
mfiiar. but the Russian posters have
all national flavor and are distinctly
Russian in feeling and style.
Taken all in all, there is no question
but what the French make the best
showing, the French posters being
peculiarly appealing, and at the same
poster obviously Is, as the saying goes.
to get it's message over, to deliver 1t at
q glance and with force. The French do
this and at the same time stir the
Imagination. The British hit hard but
Iare essentially matter of fact. The
leave the observer rather cold. The
tonly explanation is that the art Is less
poignant, that with all our reputed
lcommercialism We have not learned to
advertise artistically. In other words
that we have not as a nation realized
I.
|
-
In this connection Mr.. Reuterdahl,
now lieutenant in the United States
Naval Reserve. told an interesting in
cident at a gathering of artists and
lothers interested in art in New York
mot long ago. Brangwyn, the great
British artist and illustrator. donated,
he said. q war poster to America. This
was put in the hands of an American
sult was an enormous poster fifteen or
isixteen feet In width, on which ap-
peared large hand pointing to the
IBrangwyn poster. reproduced about the
seen at a distance. and, as compared
to the whole. appearing much like q
disnguring postage stamp. For the
credit of America and the COMMITTEES
menstrosity in postermaking was sup
pressed. but it went to show how little
comprehension there was among COM
mereial lithagraphers Of the real value
of art and OF what actually consisted
an appeal to the public.
-.
The French posters for the most part
are extremely simple. They are not
screaminsiy patriotic. but they touch
upon these sentiments ana feelings
which are universal. hence make stir
ring and direct appeal. not to one class
or one kind, but to all.
The British posters are not vastly
more artistic than eur ewn, save in
certain instanees, but they are bold
aRd mere direct, The Rrangwya incl
dent in this country. however. is
matched by report lately received
fvem England that q reproduction OF
Whtstler's painting Of his mether Is
being ussd in England now as q
lpostsr. inducing the purchase Of gav-
eminent bends,
The Russian psstefs saewn at the
y: :as. Ts.f s:etiSs,s
subjects deal largely and rather oddly
With the tyaHepeytatisR ef SUPPLIES.
lputtiR0 the material appeal ebeva the
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