Evening star., 1920-03-14

holding. at the ArtS Slup' SVl'
street, what might be called an i'm
promptu exhibition.
Plans are being made for an i'm
portant exhibition under the auspice
of this society next autumn In the
Mems City Club. which will by that
time, it Is thought, be in its new build
ing. Rather than omit the exhibition
this season the members Of the society
of Washington Artists decided at Al
most the last minute TO get together
little show comprising recent paint :
ings and limited to the works OF resi-
dent members.
The collection is set forth in the two
clubrooms on the second floor and
hung in a double row. The walls are
gray and rather unsympatne'ic anu
the light from side windows Cohse
quently the pictures show TO the leas'
advantage, and, as the majority are
sketches. the impression which the
casual visitor receives is less favor
able. perhaps. than should be.
Considered individually. there are a
number of very worthy and interest
ing examples. Such. for instance, as
a charmingly rendered study by Miss
Bertha Noyes Of little succeed farm
house at the foot Of great hill. or
landscape by Capt. Cline, or PIC
lures OF Gloucester boats by Miss ber-
tina +. Perrie.
Any of the exhibits considered sepa-
rately will doubtless find admira ton.
but collectively the exhibition is dis
appointing. To the art student un-
finished work is interesting. to the
general public it has small attraction
and is little understood.
1t is question whether or not an
organization advances its interests by
acter. whether on the whole more is
not to be gained by persistently up
nolling the highest standard. never
letting down. And yet it should be
remembered that there is no way in
Mnlch an artist can SO well measure
ms or her skill as by putting his or
her work in competition with others,
and that the annual exhibition by a
group or professional artists such as
TINS not only affords such opportunity.
but is in the way of an annual report
and should so be regarded
Inc great exhibitions held by the
National Academy Of Design in New
York are not of as high a standard for
lnis very reason as the exhibitions
"hlch the Corcoran Gallery of Art
holds IN this city. The first are largely
maze up of members works: the sec
ond are TO a great extent invited ex-
hibitions.
The Society Of Washington Artists
mas held some notable invited exhi-
oitions. but it. is questionable il its
members have profited as much by
tnese as by such a modest showing
OF thelr own works as the present
Inc Corcoran gallery now supplies
lhe need Of exhibitions of works by
out. town artists. therefore it is
perfectly right and reasonable that
the Society of Washington Artists
should confine itself to the display
OF purely local work. One would
wish. however. that there was a bet
ter place for its showing than the
rooms of the Arts Club. attractive as
they are for CLUB purposes.
The print division of the Library of
Congress added last week to its
recent accessions exhibit collection
OF more than 200 engravings and lith-
ographs likewise acquired during the
past two years. The majority Of these
are works by the older masters. mas
much as there is little engraving or
mezzotinting done today of conse-
Quence.
Included in the collection. however.
are some color etchings by such well
known etchers as George Sensenay.
and some Autographs by Birger Sand
zen. the western artist. a collection Of
whose paintings has lately been on
view at the Arts Club
This exhibit takes the place of the
mezzotint portraits which have for
some months occupied cases in the
long southwest hall.
From Frederick Z. Partington of
this city the print division of the
Library of Congress has recently re-
ceived valuable and interesting gift
of 300 British commercial posters,
chiefly of the London underground
railway. designed by many of the
best British artists, among whom may
be named Brangwyn. H. S. Hartwick.
T.. r. Way, George Clausen. Charles
Pears and F. Ernest Jackson. The
subjects include London sights and
shrines. London amusements. natural
history Of London. the humors Of Lon
don. London parks and gardens. coun-
try roads and villages and historical
portraits.
This is perhaps the best set of
posters ever executed, and establish
es standard in poster work both in
color and in design.
The collection admirably supple
ments that presented to the library
about year ago by Miss Amelia De-
fries, an English art critic. who was
at that time connected with the Brit
ish embassy.
A large portion of the collection will
be placed on view almost Immediately
library.
The question Of poster billboards
is creating a: good deal Of discussion
today among artists and others. On
the part of some there is an ardent
desire to do away entirely with this
form Of advertising others claim that
the billboards are the peoples pic
ture galleries and that"if posters are
well designed. real works of art. they
will go far toward educating popu-
lar taste. There is something to be
said on both sides.
Billboards can undoubtedly be ex-
tremely offensive and so placed that
they will destroy the beauty of both
city and country vistas. On the other
hand, if their emplacement is prop
erly regarded they may, il well de-
signed. lend something Of charm in
decorative effect and coiorful quality
Maxfeld Parrish has designed some
excellent posters which have not only
proyed good advertising. but delight
full as works Of art. The fact Is. how
ever. that there are not great many
artists in this country at present
capable Of designing posters OF TINS
type. During the war this was pain.
fnily demonstrated for though there
was Improvement in the posters de-
signed for war purposes ana some ex-
ceilent posters were issued under the
auspices Of the special committee on
publicity. still many OF the posters
could boast but little IN the way OF
art. This is partly due 10 lack or
nroper training and partly TO a lack'
WI, recently. on the part OF the bill
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