The New York herald., 1921-02-20


Of interest to artists as well as int,ior
decorators.
Mrs Harry Payne 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
to the public IN the Arden Galleries on
February %.
Nfr Rosse Is a native Of Holland. an
architect. painter and decorator Of in
ternational reputation. who Is the author
OF a 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 indi-
viduality
The early period or Mr.. Rosses work
is TO a great extent eclectic; later h.
was ablc 70 shake or outside influences
and hts style took on highly original
individual characteristics. so much so
that his work has been fayorably COM
pared with Bakst and Gordon Craig, and
the Dutch critic De Boer says OF him:
"TIe is certainly one Of the most gifted
designers Of scenery Of the younger gen
Grafton"
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 tilng.
Recognition Of his ability as a decorator
led him 10 be selected by the Dutch Gov
ernmeut to take charge Of the decorative
installing of the Netherlands section OF
the 1915 exhibition. in san Francisco.
where ne not only admirably fulfilled his
official duties but also executed import
ant commissions ia ana about San Fran
cisco and the decorating Of the Orpheum
Theatre in Salt Lake City. Summoned
i from California to Chicago to take
B charge OF the Department Of Decorative
7 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 or his designs the original
use or color and lighting and the effec-
tive manner In which he adapted the un-
usuollv shallow stage ~ the Auditorium
made this notable performance
The scenery and costumes Of Mess
ayers Mime Chrysantheme." designed
for the Chicago Opera Company was
( another Of Mr. Roses important con-
] tributions 10 the art Of the American
4 stage.
The Arden Gallery presents Mr.. Rosse
\ primarily az a designer for. the stage
and not as a painter. because NJ this
\ way one phase Of his versatile talent can
be most completely exemplihed Several
\ Of llis decorative masks attracted much
attention in Arden Gallery during a
January exhibition and later II Is to be
hoped group Of his paintings win be
shown IA New York. The group of stage
designs assembled In Arden Gallery has
n +ft= ah fF
this exhibition resulted IN an invitation
to cooperate with Herman Heyemans in
tho production Of Nine Roland Holsts
I tragedy. Thomas More" and scheme
for remOdeling the Circus Carre In AM
sterdam into a theatre
Thoroughly equipped for his task. Mr.
Rossc Is able 10 express his IDEAS III
comprehensive pictorial language. His
desire 90 acquire knowledge at first hand
has lcd him far afeld FOR Its training
Ms Jaaau. China, Java, British India
Egypt Greece aad Turkey. ard this in
tersive cultivation ~ exceptional nat
ural gifts has furnished him with an
unusually substantial technical back
ground. 50 that ~ All artist Tor the the
atre he speaks with authority
! He is convinced that a designer for
the stage must be something more than
/ the mere producer Or beautiful pictures
that he must know how to coordinate
his pictorial art with the other arts that
go TO mako ~ a theatrical performance
Mr. Roses designs effectively demon
stratc this theory az their aim Il to
bring each ~ tho contributinr arts
under thc sway n one controlling
rhythm. welding music color mass aud
lighting into one unified ensemble lie
has both tile spirit and tho taste 10
effectively demonstrate tho infinite pos
siblities such 4 theory opens and brings
% the solving II his problems n surpris-
ingiy rich imagination.
The exhibition Il held under the aus
pices of the Netherlands Committee for
Arts, Commerce. Science and Friendly
4 Relations