Evening star., 1920-02-22

- TIE exhibition of paintings and
7ithographs by Birger Sandzen at the
Arts Club, 2o17 I street. is distinctly
out of the ordinary and exceedingly
worthy Of attention. Because it is
different, IT may be misunderstood.
and because it Is strong, some will
dislike II.
The oil paintings that are shown
IRE very broadly rendered, the paint
being laid on in patches. heavily. de-
eisively. The colors used are rather
vivid. but they are superb and the
work has the bigness of the country
(which Is represented. Curiously
enough, seen at close range land they
Kan only be SO seen in the cluoroom
kallery), these paintings have the APP
magnifying glass. The technique Is
peculiar, very individual and quite re-
narkabie. but the paintings are strue-
kuralIy fine. The great hills are sol
IDLY built up and tower against the
sky with real majesty. The trees
grow out Of the ground and are not.
hs some painters represent them, root
aess, and they stand as apparently
they have stood for ages, defying the
elemeuts. There is not note OF
Weakness in a single one of the COM
positions.
! Furthermore, the colors, while vivid.
ere perfectly Sattune and their values
kre nicely related. The effects, while
startling, are intensely Significant, ana
the illusion of light and atmosphere
Is admirably set forth.
The kind of simplification that one
Finds In these canvases is what the
modernists have apparently sought.
but have mp to the present time Sc
eured only clumsily. 1t is the SIM
.plification of big nature with broad
H. n - troA n
1t has the basic qualities IN common
tvith all great art. 1t is true that one
ef these big canvases painted in this
fashion would not mae a pieaSur.
eble everyday companion In small
room. but a painting of this sort is
pointingsin the right direction and is
koing to bring fine results. 1t is mod
ern, 1t is cptemporary, it Is essen
fially American, it breathes the spirit
Of the west and it opens new visions
One may not care for it and yet one
saust admire IT.
1T has long been said that the hope
Of art was in America and it has long
been thought that some day out OF the
great west would come new impulse
which would uplift the art of the fu-
ture- Birger Sandzen may not be the
prophet that is awaited, but his work
gives promise that the hope is not in
vain.
Mr. Sandzen's Autographs are in the
same style as his oil paintings. They.
TOO. are individual in treatment, bold,
forceful. big in suggestion. not inti-
mate in kind. but admirable. and they
can be better understood because they
are reduced in size.
The water colors are perhaps most
Interesting of all, .or at least most
understandab1e, most closely allied to
tradition. They are of the same fami-
ly as the water celors by Winslow Ho-
mer. almost savage in their strength,
yet very complete as interpretations.
neer, descendant of the Vikings. an
explorer in art, one loving adventure.
He finds delight In big solitudes and
In the force of the elements, There
IS nothing little or petty about his
work; his Is a large, stern vision. His
art is the most virile sort He is not
one to stop on the threshold of accom-
plishment and one may feel convinced
that the style that he has developed
and carried so far will be carried still
further and, though 1t may gain in re-
finement, it will not lose in strength.
Here Is. q painter who Is worth re-
membering and whose experimental
tions must be regarded with the ut
most respect.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
win celebrate the fiftieth anniversary
of it's establishment this coming May.
ut which time 1T will supplement its
regular collections with notable loans.
will put on gala dress and will gather
together, as far as possible; those in
terested In museums in all parts OF
the country. not with the purpose of
receiving congratulations. but of add
fnE stimulus to the establishment and