Evening star., 1920-01-04

An exhibition of sculpture by Paul
Manship was opened yesterday in the
Corcoran Gallery of Art, where it will
be on view for some weeks The col
lection has been set forth in the sculp-
ture gallery at the south of the build
ing. which has been entirely redecorated
for this occasion
Mr.. Manship is one of the most dis
tinguished and individual of cotempo-
rary American sculptors. He has not
only extraordinary talent. but talent of
a very exceptional kind. and his work
is along lines not heretofore taken by
= Others
/ He was born in St Paul. MINI. De-
,}cember "a, 1886. In 1909 he won a fell
lowship in sculpture in the American
Academy in Rome and was in resi-
dence there for three years During
that time his work developed rapidly
and acquired those characteristics for
which II is now SO highly esteemed
Not only was Mr.. Manship profoundly
- impressed by the classical sculptures
which he saw for the first time in the
. originals in Rome. but the works of the
Nearly sculptors, the Egyptian. the As
syrian. held great charm for him and
their influence is plainly evident in his
work But Mr. Manship is by no means
a copyist. He has gone to the source
of inspiration and has drunk deep from
the spring of art which is perennial,
Thus he has combined tradition with
modern feeling and has rendered truly
cotemporary work in the spirit of the
past He. more than any of the modern
sculptorS has realized the value of de-
sign in sculpture, the importance for
permanent interest, of decorative quail
ity and effect.
equally interesting viewed from all
sides. For the most part his works
have been small He has not gone in
for monumental things nor has he
wasted time over competitions. His
art has a precious quality and his
modelling is done with infinite pains and
unmeaSured care With the most nat
uralistic themes he combines conven-
tional treatment, but with a freedom
which shows his mastery of medium
Shortly after he returned from his
three years in Rome an exhibition of
| his sculpture was held at New York.
AHerbert Adams. president at that time
Vow president of the National Acad-
emy of Design, himself one Of our
foremost sculptors, was so impressed
by the showing that he sat down and
wrote the following letter to c.
Grant La Fargo. secretary of the
American Academy in Rome:
My Dear La Fargo: l have just
been looking at some small bronzes
(which Mans<>p has recently complet-
'ed, and l am Tery much impressed by
them. 1t seems to me that here is a
man who, if given chance to work
out his natural bent, may do Ameri-
can art an incalculable good.
Just at present we are suffering so
severely from the painful conse-
quences of the beautiful morceau,'
the clever sketch and various forms
OF eccentricity or ignorance handed
out to US as new art, that we need
, tremendously the influence that Man
ship has brought to US. l do not re-
Ter to the archaic or archaistic spell
to be noted in some of his work, but
rather to his ability and skill in de-
sign and execution. Some of his lit
&. tie bronzes seem to be absolutely
complete-real objects dart in the
best sense. They show great tech
nical address, backed by sound
ecuted with loving care which
means the expenditure of time and
thought upon them.
Don't let the architects ruin him
by giving him lot of big work which
must be hastily executed. I believe
ne snould be encouraged in the other
direction, which think he would nat
urally follow. 1t is not impossible
that this man alone may be worth
20 American art all the effort the
american Academy in Rome has cost.
Who can tell?
Il hope you will see these little
bronzes. They are to be shown at
the coming academy exhibition. Look
particularly at the Centaur group and
the Persian vase. Have we in this
country ever had such beautiful
workmanship backed by artistic
knowledge? Faithfully yours,
HERBERT ADAMS"
That was FIVE years ago. Luckily
the architects have not ruined Mr..
Mansnip by giving him a lot of big
work which had to be hastily exc
cuted." possibly because they esti-
mated his talent correctly, possibly
because Mr.. Manship himself would
not accept such commissions. What
rs more. the early characteristics of
his work, while continuing. have not
degenerated into mere mannerism. as
many feared
The Centaur group and the Persian
vase mentioned in Mr.. Adams letter
Corcoran Gallery, as are also his won
derful little bronze entitled Play
rulness, a woman dancing an infant
on her knee. amazingly spirited yet
neautlful. rhythmical in line and fine
in composition-and the same subjects
differently posed. Little Brother
Here. too. Is his Indian" and Prong
horn Antelope" novel and most
charming group: to say nothing OF
the Satyr and Nymph" and those
other NEUROLOGICAL subjects, which
show charming play of Imagination
Most delightful of all, however, a
+ work which Mr.. Manship may scarce
1y hope TO excel. is the portrait OF
his own little daughter Pauline Al
the age of three weeks. a panel which
might well have come straight to us
from the italian renaissance. The
treatment of this little portrait, OF
the drapery. the wonderful and Low.
ing care put on the decoration, the
Joyousness of the whole, are worthy
Of note and full of pleasure for the
Initiated.
So great has been Mr. Manship'.
vogue that it is almost impossible
now 10 secure copies of his bronzes
and in almost all of the leading mu.
seums he is already represented.
4 \
IN one of the exhibitions held in the
old hemicycle of the Corcoran Gal.
iery OF Art under the auspices of the
| Society of Washington Artists a goot
many years ago there was shown
portrait of child, entitled Grand
mothers Boa" which few who saw
that exhibition will ever forget 81
charming was II subjectively and q
admirably rendered. This painting
which is privately owned in Wash
irgton and was loaned for that occa
sion. was by Mrs. Anna Lea Merritt
Philadelphia by birth, but who 70
many years has resided in England.
Mrs. Merritt is to spend this entir'