The New York herald., 1921-02-20


of interest to artists as we'll as int,ior
decorators.
Mrs. Harry Payre Whitney makes
possible these exhibitions in Fourth
street. where liberalism and lack of
prejudice and commercialism gives the
younger artists an opportunity.
An exhibition OF the decorative art
work of Mr.. Hermann Rosse will open
10 the public in the Arden Galleries on
February 25.
Mr. Rosse is native of Holland nm
architect painter and decorator of in
ternatioral reputation. who is the author
of series of important decorative paint
ings and designs of an original and per-
sonal note which are the outcome Of the
logical development of a marked ind-
viduality.
The early period of Mr.. Rose s work
is 10 a great extent eclectic; later he
was able to shake off outside influences
and his style took on highly original
individual characteristics. SO much so
that his work has been favorably COM
pared with Bakst and Gordon Craig. and
the Dutch critic De Boer says of him
"EIe is certainly one of the most gifted
designers of scenery OF the younger gen
Grafton"
To this first and more conventional
period belong the fine decorations in the
Peace Palace in The Hague. which in
cludel not only the mural paintings but
also stained glass and decorative thing.
Recognition Of his ability as a decorator
led him TO be selected by the Dutch Gov
ernment to take charge of the decorative
installing Of the Netherlands section Of
the 1915 exhibition in San Francisco,
whore he not only admirably fulfilled his
official duties but also executed import
ant commissions in ana about San Fran
cisco and the decorating of the Orpheum
Theatre in Salt Lake City. Summoned
from California to Chicago to take
charge of the Department of Decorative
Design at the Art Institute he. while
there. produced in its auditorium THE
Drama OF the Nativity and the Massacre
Of the Innocents"
The beauty of his designs, the original
use of color and lighting and the effec-
tive manner in which he adapted the un-
usually shallow stare of the Auditorium
male this notable performance.
The scenery and costumes Of Mess
ayers Nine. Chrysanthene." designed
for the Chicago Opera Company. was
another OF Mr.. Rosse's important con-
tributions TO tho art of the American
stage.
The Arden Gallery presents Mr.. Rosse
primarily as a designer for the stage
and not as a painter. because in this
way one phase Of his versatile talent can
be most completely exemplihed Several
Of his decorative masks attracted much
attention in Arden Gallery during a
January exhibition. and later il Is 70 be
hoped n group Of his paintings will be
shown in New York. The group of stage
designs assembled in Arden Gallery has
recently been shown in Holland. where
this exhibition resulted in an invitation
TO cooperate with Herman Ieyemans In
the production Of Nine Roland Holst's
, tragedy. Thomas More" and scheme
for remodelling the Circus Carre I'm Ann
sterdam into 4 theatre.
Thoroughly equipped for his task. AR
RosHe is able TO express his ideas IN
comprehcnsble pictorial language His
desire to acquire knowledge at first hand
has led him as far afeld for his training
as Japan. China. Java. British india.
Egypt. Greece ana Turkey. ard this in
tensive cultivation Of exceptional nat
ural gifts has furnished him with an
unusually substantial technical back
ground. 80 that as an artist for tho the
atre he speaks with authority.
He is convinced that q design er FOR
the stage must be something more than
the mere producer OF beautiful pictures
that hc must know how 20 coordinate
his pictorial art with the other arts that
go TO make up p theatrical performance.
Mr. Roses designs effectively demon
stratc this theory. as their aim is 10
bring each Of tho contributing arts
under the sway uf Oac controlling
rhythm. welding music color mass aid
lighting into one unified ensemble lie
has both the spirit and the taste 70
effectively demonstrate the infinite pos
sibilties such a theory opens and brings
to the solving Of his problems surpris-
ingly rich huaginatioc
Tho exhibition Is held under The aus
pices OF the Netherlands Committee FOR
Arts Commerce Science and Friendly
Relations