Evening star., 1920-02-08


The Charles H. Woodbury. exhibi-
ton. which opened in the Corcoran
Gallery of Art yesterday, Is an es-
thetic delight. Immediately upon en-
| tering the special exhibition gallery
one is impressed by the splendor Of
color and the sustained strength of
presence of master.
On the fiat wall is hung a series of
eight paintings of the sea-four of
fish leaping through waves in mid
ocean, four of women swimming in
shallower waters. The purpose is to
mere gayety-and for this reason the
weight of water, the eternal force be-
meath the sportive waves, is evil
denced. The inspiration for the first
four of this series was found in the
Caribbean sea-for the second four at
stance is deep ultra marine blue-in
the latter a lovely sea green. One OF
these paintings Is owned by John g.
Sargent, who has generously loaned 1t
for this exhibition. The series is pur-
posed for the decoration of a room
and ia still incomplete.
In the place of honor on the semi
circular wall is hung q picture of a
bright red motor boat speeding alona
the shore under the shadow OF the
towering clifs. This was painted
primarily to suggest motion. and it
the boat is obviously dashing for
ward, cutting the water with its
prov. This effect is produced by the
most simple methods. defining accu-
rately those things which ara sta
tionary and losing the outlines of
Of the boatman, the stern Of the boat
and with infinite skill and know
ing.
There are SO many problems. as Mr..
Woodbury. says, one could spend .
lifetime in the solution Of any one.
preting motion which the sea inva-
riably presents. or the problem of
suspended motion and silence which
the snow-covered landscape offers
One Of the most notable pictures in
this exhibition is . painting Of the
in almost silhouette against a family
tinted twilight sky. so big 10 the
manner of Interpretation. 90 sig
nincant OF the scene itself.
1t is interesting to note that in this
exhibition oil paintings and water
coiors are hung in tuxtaposition with
out the least detriment to the latter
in other words that the water colors
have the chafactefistic strength of
oils, and what is more. this is with.
out surrendering any Of their prerogs-
tlves Mr. Woodbury. uses water coloFs
IN broad. forceful manner. laying on
ms pigment in sweeping washes
building up his compositions by the
use of well defined planes. 70 the
technician Mr.. Woodbury's handling
of the medium will in itself attract
! and amaze. and to all the results at.
water colors In this exhibition bearu
notice of two awards. one when
shown in the American Water Color
Society's exhibition, tho other from
the art jury at the Panama Pacific
exposition-and one is not surprised
SO charming is 1t in tone and subject
so reticent and assured its treatment
This Is picture of early evening In
autumn on the high land at OgunQuit
overlooking the sea.
Another notable water color in this
same group is a picture Of Mount
trailing up the sides Of the great
mountain from the streams Of over.
flowing lava. A third is quite differ
ent, representing the curling Of Z
huge wave capped and blanketed with
"spindrift" in one of the high walled
the Japanese and highly decorative in
character.
These are but a few. Each of the
pictures shown is worthy Of study
and of pleasure giving sort. Mr.
Woodbury. is not merely a clever anG
artist and a lover of nature. His pic
lures are not painted haphaxard. art
not mere impressions, but the resui,
of untiring labor and experiment. the
application of principles often tried
| and they are produced because OF in
herent desire not only to produce; bu,
to give expression to that which he
| himself found delightful. This is after
all the only excuse for art and the
only kind of art which has any chance
of being Of permanent interest.
! The exhibition will continue
| throughout the month.
| At the Arts Club this week will
open an exhibition Of paintings ir
! oil, water color, Autographs and woot
block prints by Birger Sandzen. whose
| work has not heretofore been showr
| in this city.
Mr.. Sandzen is one Of the most in.
terestinK personalities in American
art today He was born in Blidsberg
Sweden, in 1871. He grew up there
| in a home where art was loved and
respected: When he was only ter
years old he compenced to tax.
WlHs icSoOhS VI ous
| fatherly drawing master, Olof Er:
| landsson, under whom he studied
! until he graduated from the Colleg.
| of Skara in 1890. That same veal
! he entered the University Of Lund
but, determining to be an artist. HI
| joined the Artists League at Stock
holm, where he came under the in
! fiuence and INSTRUCTION Of Anderl
Zorn. the great painter and stcher
Later he went to Paris ana entsrs<
the ateIier Of Aman-Jean. More thar
half Of this great French master
pupils were Americana, and through
them sandzen became interested IL
In the fall of 1894 hs accepted .,
invitation to become = teacher .
Bethany College, Lindsborg. Kansas
a position which he still holds. Their
on the western plains he has beel
teaching and painting ever since
spreading the contagion Of his owl
love of art and sending out from
his classes many capable younl
teachers. In fact. the influence o
this man is amazingly widespread
Apparently. it Is of a sound and viril
sort. He has become a loyal citizel
of this country and his admiration
for the great unpictured west i
abounding. He is. in the truest sens
of the word. pionesr. and he ha
proved big enough and stronl
enough to stand by himseli. psesiviai
1 Jiftlo funnotna thrAnGk ront rp{<l