The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16

SCrlption is from press agent. IiSsS
agents i'm art are the very latest:
james w Il. Reynolds. mural
painter. whose third exhibition is
scheduled for early in April at the
Knoedler Galleries, has many interest
ing theories of stage decoration which
have been given expression in the cos
tunes and scenery he designed for
Stuart Walkers production OF Dun
sany's "The Tents of the Arabs" at
the Punch and Judy Theatre. This Is
Mr.. Reynoldss FIRST work for the stage
and It has been most successful, win
ming him not only much favorable
comment but several portrait commits
sions, including one for Mrs. Thomas
Mellish. a Cincinnati society woman.
who was impressed by Mr.. Reynolds's
handling of line and color.
THE problems of the mural painter
and scenic artist are similar" Mr..
Reynolds points out "A room needs
no other decoration than a mural--if
the mural justifles itself; but the
painting must keep its place as a fat
decoration and not compete with the
occupants of the room. Similarly a
ordinate to the characters-and their
costumes should not contain anything
strong enough to hold the eye for it
self.
"A scene Is really an animated
mural, and in it lines have more
meaning than color, Thin, pastel
shades can express more solidity by
proper placing than brilliant colors;
thin materials when placed in sculp-
tured folds can express more than the
heaviest stuffs. For example-straight
lines that do not break suggest
strength; folds or broken lines express
various emotions. Draperies that take
long. sweeping curves suggest languor.
Joyous lines are perky. The color black
cannot express great grief as potenuy
as gray or bun that falls in long deep
folds which give the impression of
dragging or hanging heavily.
"a simple rule for securing cos
tunes that will blend or compose is
to select your background and then in
troduce some of this same color into
most OF the costumes. A cloak. a
scarf, shawl, a fan-any means that
are not too apparent Set off this
color by bits OF black-this heightens
the color and makes It seem sharper
than the background, although 1t may
be the same. Then as the drama is
played and the various characters ap-
pear in groups. they cannot help but
tie up into compositions.
Though but % years old. Mr.. Reyn-
olds has already executed some impor-
tant mural commissions, including the
decoration The Bringing of Helen to
Troy in the clubroom Of the Yale
Dramat,' the dramatic organization OF
Yale University; eight panels done fol
the Princess Noureddin Vlora and now
in the salon OF her Paris home: a sci
of four decorative panels of Tatar-
Chinese inspiration in the drawing.
room of Mrs. Edwin Wilson; and g
triptych in the library of J. Franklin
Walls of New Haven. named Apes
and Ivory suggested by Alfred
Noyess poem of that name. This trip
tych will be exhibited in Mr.. Reyn-
olds's showing at Knoedler's.
Destined by his family to be law
yer, young Reynolds is practically
self taught--with the exception of a
wyn, the we'll known English mural
| painter, until he came to the attention
of Albert Herter a couple of years ago
Mr.. Hertcr has said of the young mar
that along with classic feeling. on
which the art OF the mural is based
Reynolds has exceptional flair for line
and color An architect OF the Yale
| faculty after seeing his Bringing of
Helen to Troy called the work a tour
/ de force in line, color and pure dec
orative pattern that is destined to live.
Mr. Reynolds is of British ano
! American ancestry. was born at War
renton. Va. and is Erlndnephew OF
| Gen. Warren Of civil war fame. lie
was sent to school at Harrow, Eng.
land"
! To have been born in Virginia, tc
have been educated at Harrow, and tc
have exhibited at Knoedlers, all with
in the short space OF twenty-three
years is indeed thrilling.
On March 20 will be sold at the An
derson Galleries a collection of forty
three original drawings by Aubrey
Beardsley. These have been consigned
by Frederick II. Evans of London, III
whose possession they have been since
they were made II was to Mr.. Evans
| that Aubrey Beardsley first showed
| his drawings and it was he who per-
suaded his friend j. NJ. Dent to give
Bcardsley commission to make the
illustrations for the "Mortc dArthur.'
Beardsley drawings are very rarely
! M fnt Ia L., hnI . ,o,