Evening star., 1918-04-07

Tho exhibition Of war posters now
set forth in the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art. under the auspices of the pictorial
division of the committee on public
information. demonstrates the fact that
we are beginning to learn how to talk
with pictures.
This Is an art that France and other
European nations long since mastered.
but one in which the United states
has by no means excelled. Our posters
and advertising signs have for the
most part, up to the present time, been
not only banal. but stupid. attracting
attention through sheer aggressive
ness, but not really carrying convfc-
tion. And they have possessed little
or no artistic quality.
There is big difference between
picture painted to hang on wall
either of a house or a gallery. mural
decoration, a magazine illustration and
a poster. The last. to be effective. must
hit hard and deliver its message at a
single blow. 1t must even do more
than this; 1t must at q glance SO I'M
press the passerby that 1t Is indelibly
fixed In his or her memory.
10 Dc peTISCLly nOucotp tuCIC "Oho 2
comparatively few artists In this coun-
try at the time the war broke out
who had had any amount OF training
or practice in this art. American ad-
vertisers had not realized up to then
the advantage of securing the Coop
Grafton of artists.
An impressive poster shown In the
present exhibition is one drawn by Mr..
Brangwyn, the distinguished British
painter and photographer. a gift from
the artist. 1t measures Ave or six feet
in width and shows a boatload OF men,
women and children escaping from a
torpedoed liner seen sinking in the
distance. Terror and distress are on the
faces of all and intense suffering ts ap-
parent. But there is something splen-
did in the evident courage and hardi-
hood of the men at the oars. one Of
whom addresses himself to the Ameri-
can people and says: will not you
help us to stop this?" These words are
printed across the top of the poster
and at the bottom is the appeal. Enlist
in tho United States Navy"
II we are not mistaken, this Is the
poster which prior to the appointment
Of the pictorial division Of the commit
tee on public Information was put in
the hands of a firm of commercial litho-
graphers. The poster was to be sixteen
feet in width and the photographers
were to decide upon the general char
acter Of the reproduction. The result
was most astonishing. A large hand.
the forefnger extended, occupied most
of the space. The Brangwyn poster. to
which attention was directed. was re-
duced to such an extent that 1t could
not be seen at q distance. The public
was urged to take notice, but the real
meaning was utterly lost. Fortunately,
protest was made and the proposed re-
production abandoned.
This little incident goes to show,
however, how little even those who
made business OF producing advertis-
ing signs really comprehended what
constituted value.
Large reproductions of two OF Joseph
Pennelrs Autographs Of war work In
America have been used for posters. an
nouncing exhibitions of war films made
under the direction of the United States
Signal Corps and sent out by the COM
mfttee on public Information. These
are effective and admirably suited for
their purpose.
There are other posters of many de-
scrfptions, some in color. some in black
and white. one announcing addresses by
the "Four-minute Men," others making
an appeal for the Red Cross. others
putting before the people the need OF
food conservation. There is an excel
lent poster appealing for books for the
soldiers. an admirable one ptcturing the
starving people Of Belgium-an appeal
for their needs.
The latest in point of date are in
almost every instance the best, hitting
harder, carrying conviction and show
ing more skill in execution than those
earlier issued. 1t is satisfaction. more
over, to find some Of these by artists
whose names are by no means well
known, a fact that goes to show that
the demand is bringing out ability. The
power OF visual appeal is tremendous
and In no way can the people be reach
ed better than through the pictorial
medium. There is no fear. moreover
that the progress of art Will be inter-
rupted by the cultivation of this form
of expression. Quite to the contrary.
The weakness of contemporary art has
come through inertia on the part of
the artists or through an evident lack
of demand. Art as a luxury cannot
long survive; art as a factor in civilfza-
ton, as an inherent part of life, as a