The New York herald., 1920-12-26

was a persistent rumor that the then
Pavlowa would attend
and possibly do a pas Seul. There was
something that captivated the New
York fancy about the thought of
watching the great dancer at work in
the Intimacy Of those two by four
rooms. and so the entire population
attempted to attend and only the most
muscular succeeded. Pavlowa herself.
by the way, was not among those who
managed to get in; but that is neither
here nor there; the event was a mon
strous success Just the same.
But the Roerich works Of art have
had no such preparatory advantages.
The name Roerich is not a household
word In America. Yet the Kingore
G.leries, where the exhibition Is being
he'd, was jammed as never before, at
the private view on Saturday. Some
say 1000 were there. 1, myself. can
testify that six liftfuls we're waited
aloft to the reception before / man
aged to get myself translated thither,
and that once there 1t was impossible
to see anything but the tops OF the
tallest picture frames. One heard all
languages. including American. and
the general impression seemed to be
that It was a great day for art. Ger
tainly visible success IN an art gallery
could go no further.
How was 1t done? How we're all those
people brought there9 I'm sure don't
know. but Il is a matter that all the
rival art galleries should look into. II
people can turn out once they can turn
out twice, and It Is nonsense for our
entrepreneurs TO bury their napkins and
sulk Just because the public has shown
a tendency 70 be coy in these hard times.
II people cannot buy, at least they are
willing 20 look-to look and yearn-and
to look and yearn is to buy later. Sc
1t behooves all managers to see to II
that art is an entertainment--else their
clients viii lose the gallery habit en-
tirely.
Although American was spoken at the
private view there seems to be ground
for suspicion that the number OF Russian
enigres IN town Is increasing and thai
Il was from them that Prof. Roerich
drew his support Certainly. on the
days following the opening. the~roomS
at all times contained individuals. OF
foreign aspect who took almost pain
full interest in the pictures. as though tho
atmosphere they generated was almost
more than could be borne What SEN
timents we're passing through their
minds II would be difficult for ar
American to surmise It's wise
American who knows his Russia now
An acquaintance with the "Freres Kara
masof" the Dead Souls" the Sym
phonie Tathetlque." or "Anna Karenina'
Is but OF the slightest use. All Of us
It appears. will be obliged TO begin over
again But possibly some Of these In
tense students OF the Roerich paintings
would be the very ones to aid US In
fresh orientation.
What is to become Of all these emigres
and their artists is a curious problem
What use shall we make Of Prof Roc
rich? His art is almost too vivid for
our academy. vAt home in Petrograd
Prof Roerch WIS an academician OF the
Imperial Academy. but apparently there
Is a vast difference between being ar
academician I'm Petrograd and being ar
academiclan In New York. on the stage
one never can be too vivid. and tho
opera. doubtless. ls the ideal field fol-
this artists talents. To be sure another
Russian, Mr.. Anisfeld. seems to hav,
adopted the same feld and to have beer
adopted by II. but perhaps there is room
for two. At any rate. the opera Is no
the only stage in town. and although
both the movies and the Broadway stag,
seem strangely slow I'm evolving dramas
Of the Russian cataclysm. one feels tha
they are imminent. Americanized Rus
sia, however, would be too trivial
theme for Prof Roerich. who S essen.
TALLY a serious man. But on the Other
hand the opportunity for the adequate
doing OF such things as 'Tsar Saltan,
"Sadko'' and Prince Igor may be Ions
In coming.
Prof. Roerich. like Bakst has not beer
content with the wide horizons OF hi,
native land and has looked beyond then
at strange etylistlc gods. Bakst wal
enamored OF cosnopolitanism. but Roe
rich looked In one direction oniy--towarc
the East There were things IN IN,
sacred Chinese and Indian paintings tha
so caught him that ever afte- he incor
porated these things into his own work
Even the japanese prints taught him thu
trick OF smoothly washed skies, ant
mountain peaks vanishing sharply be-
hind clouds. Prof. Roerich Ia a llttlo toe
fond Of tricks. But on the whole his
work is rugged and truly Russian.