Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24

The Corcoran Gallery OF Art, AFTER
having been closed since July, was re-
opened last Friday evening with re-
ception in honor of the American
Bankers Association.
The walls of all the picture galleries
on the second floor, and of the sculp-
ture gallery on the first floor nave
been recovered with sand-colored Dur
lap. the oak woodwork has been re-
finished in dull gray tint, the picture
rail has been removed. the pictures re-
hung and the small bronzes rear
ranged so that the general appearance
is quite altered. Replacing the dark
red and green burlap by light-coiore"
burlap has given the gallery a new
aspect, and made the several rooms
appear much brighter and larger
These changes were made under the
advice of Charles A. Plat, the well
known architect, who is. it will be re-
membered. the architect Of the Freer
Gallery, now nearing completion
With this changed setting the Cor
coran Gallery's collections may be
pleasurably studied anew. The ar
rangement of the exhibits is very
much the same a heretofore. The four
galleries on the east side are given
over to American paintings. the
French paintings occupy the gallery
to the right of the main staircase, and
the loans are to be found In the gar
lery to the left.
The Corcoran Gallery does not pre- :
tend to compete with the great arr
museums. such as those in New YORK.
Chicago and Boston. 1t has never
possessed nor had the funds to ac-
uuire works by the old masters, but it
does possess an exceptional collection
of American paintings, to which 1t Is
continually adding through discrim-
mating purchases.
In the first Of the American rooms
are to be found portraits by Gilbert
Stuart, one of which is of Judge Ship
pen of Philadelphia. an excellent
example comparable with the Gen.
Knox in the Boston Museum; Waldo,
Elliott and others. Here. too. is a
painting by Benjamin West, a land
scape by Ashur 3. Durand. Church s
famous Niagara" and the painting
by Richards of the New Jersey coast.
The painting by Inness. Sunlight
in the Forest one of this great land
scapc paiter's StrogeSt works. hangs
az before. in the place of honor in the
second gallery opposite the entrance
To the left, at a short distance, has
been placed again Wyant's beautiful
landscape of the lake region in north
ern New York.
Neutrality-suspicious. will find it a mat
ter of pride that in this distinguished
company have been placed paintings
by the late E. c. Messer and James
Henry Moser, for many years resi-
dents of this city and leaders in art
circles. Another Washingtonian of
the later generation. one who is not
long past her student days, Miss Fee
licie Howell, is represented here. and
her picture of a street in Gloucester
holds its own admirably with these
fine works by master painters. On
the west wall in this gallery to the
right of the entrance hangs Gardner
Symons' magnificent winter landscape
purchased by the Corcoran gallery
last year. one of the most superb win
ter pictures that has ever been
painted.
the majority of the paintings acquired
by the Corcoran gallery from the BIZ
ennial exhibitions held by the gallery,
or directly from the artists studios,
all contemporary works. Here. side
by side, hang paintings by Frank w.
Benson and Edmund c. Tarbell, in
teriors with figures; the Benson. the
first-prize picture in the last exhibit
ton; the Tarbell, Josephine and Mer-
cie," the painters daughters in the
! living room in their summer home.
The places of honor in this gallery
have been given to Emil Carlsen's ma
| rine and Carl Melchers interior with
: figures. There are two landscapes by
/ Redfield here, Metcalf's prize picture,
| May Night" and Horatio Walkers
beautiful painting of young boy
with yoke of oxen pausing at sun
| set to bow his head in prayer before
i a wayside shrine. In this gallery. too
are to be found figure paintings by
! John w. Alexander, Robert Reid and
! John Alden Weir.
| In the atrium have been placed the
majority of the large canvases which
belonged to the original collection
assembled by Mr.. Corcoran. and which
appeared to the best advantage in
the huge gallery in which they were
originally shown. Among these are
stadt, who belonged to that early
American school of landscape paint
ers who sought out monumental
! themes peculiarly characteristic OF
! the United States. Among these also
are historical compositions, chiefly by
| foreign artists, Representatives OF the
! phase of art which has almost en-
there are fashions. The subject pic
ture which was so popular forty OF
fifty years ago is little sought for to-
day and has greatly decreased in
value commercially. But to the aver
age visitor. representing the genera
public, it will always have interes,
and it would be a pity indeed if the
old storytelling pictures comprised
in the Corcoran Gallerys collection
were ever to be entirely banished
! from it's walls.
In rehanging the pictures the pic
ture line has been placed lower than
; heretofore so that the large canvases
! can be seen to much better advantage
This is particularly noticeable in the
gallery of French paintings with ref
! erence to the picture of peasants in
the field, by L'Hermitte.
It is true that the Corcoran Gallery
has not perhaps a large number OF
great works of art, but the average
maintained is high and some of the
paintings included In It's permanent
collection are of q sort that will in.