Evening star., 1918-02-03

Carl Melchers. an exhibition Of whose
paintings opened yesterday in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art, is one OF three
American painters who have been ac-
| corded by France the medal of honor.
The others are Sargent and Whistler.
The picture for which this great
prize was given was THE Communion
| and is included in the present exhibit.
1t represents a scene in Dutch church
and comprises in it's composition nine
| teen figures. The pastor in his gown
stands with his back to the observer.
| ministering communion to the simple
Dutch peasants who are gathered
| around, all reverently waiting their
turn to take their places at the Lords
table. Each face is typical and express
sive. Those represented are real peo-
pie and are moved by genuine emo
ton 1t is large canvas, the figures
all being life size, and was painted in
Holland before Mr.. Melchers was thirty.
For seven years the young painter
had been exhibiting in the Salon, and
in 1885 his picture. The Sermon" also
painted in Holland. had been awarded
honorable mention. To the exposition
OF 1883 he sent this painting, an earlier
work. THE Pilots" and "The Com
munion." with little thought. however,
OF creating special notice or receiving
uncommon award.
His friend. the late Arthur Hoeber,
tells in an article published some years
ago how on returning to Paris after
the exposition had opened MIR. Melchers
found letter in his studio ofYfcially
acguainting him of the honor that he
mad received. but thinking it simple
announcement of some sort did not
open 1t for day or so. And when he
did he could scarcely believe what he
read. and hastened about to see if there
was not some mistake
Other awards and honors followed
rapidly, SO rapidly. in fact, that within
two or three years he had won all the
medals he could win in Europe He is a
knight of the Order of ST. Michael of
Bavaria and commander of the
werp exposition of 1894 he had the
medal of honor and at Amsterdam.
Berlin, Venice and elsewhere he has
been given medals, while many art So
cieties abroad have given him menu
bership therein, notably the Royal
Academy of Berlin and the Interna- :
tional Socieyt of Berlin and the Inter
national Society of Painters, EnRrayers
and Sculptors in London
The painting entitled Maternity ex-
hibited in the Salon of 1895, was pur-
chased by the French government for
the Luxembourg Museum. The Dresden
Gallery has his painting entitled THE
Shiphuilders"; the Berlin Gallery, THE
Family; the gallery in Rome, Man
With Cloak; the Carnegie Institute.
Pittsburgh, sailor and His Sweet
heart: the Pennsylvania Academy OF
the Fine Arts. 1.-The Skaters; the Net
ropoiitan Museum, New York, Mother
and Child"
The Family in the Berlin Gallery,
is an exceptionally interesting work,
showing a young burger standing with
his little daughter clinging, half shyly.
half affectionately. to his baggy trous-
ers. while he looks. pipe in hand
affectionately down on his wife seated
before him with the baby in her lap
AS well known writer has said: These
are not three models posed in picture,
but a glimpse of real life about which
there is Il genuine touch of nature. so
you feel half ashamed to be peering in
on the sanctity of the home"
The Skaters, owned by the Penn
sylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
and THE Sailor and His Sweetheart
owned by the Carnegie Institute OF
Pittsburgh. have both been loaned and
are included in the present exhibition
The subjects in each case are Dutch
peasants. homely. perhaps, but simple
and virile and so presented that the
homeliness is forgotten in the sturdi-
of the work itself The Skaters" with
other paintings included in the present
exhibition, is illustrated in the plano
gravure supplement of The Star today
Carl Melchers was born in Detroit
Mich, in 1860. His mother was OF
French extraction and his father a ma
tive of Germany. 1t was from the lat
ter, in all probability. that Mr.. Melchers
derived his talent. for the elder Mel
chers was sculptor. pupil of Car
peaux. No obstacles were imposed
therefore. when the boy decided to be
painter. and at the age of seventeen
he was sent by his father to Dusseldorf
where he studied for time under
Edouard Won Gebhardt. Doubtless this
first master gave him the sound aca-
demic training apparent in all his
work. for of Mr.. Melchers' craftsman
snip there can never be two opinions.
He is an excellent craftsman. most
competent technician and his works
put to shame those who discount the
value of such training.
But Dusseldorf did not completely
satisfy the young artist and he left 1t
on his own initiative for Paris. where
he studied at Julian's under Boulanger
ands sLefebvre. and later at the Beaux-
Arts.
Mr.. Melchers has always been a tre-
mendous worker and his painting has
furnished him with his chief interest in
life. 1t has not been merely his work.
but his pleasure. and even in these stu:
dent days he preferred it to any form
of recreation. His colleagues. however,
recall nlm at the beginning of the
eighties as IAN attractive figure in the
Latin Quarter in Paris. more than most
men full of the joy of life. with a con-
tagious smile and kindly spirit. one
without aloofness, but with an evident
desire to live and let live"
1t was by chance that Mr. Melchers
tirst went to Holland trip to Italy
had been planned, but cholera breaking
?out in Naples. he turned aside, went
into Holland and discovered a charm
ing little place called Egmond. This lit
tie town spreads itself out over consid-
cradle territory, or, more properly, is
two or three little towns in one. At
Eemond-aan-Zee he established his
studio, at Egmond-aan-den-H -Hoef he