Evening star., 1921-05-03
FAMOUS PAINTINGS
TO Be SHOWN HERE
Portraits of War Leaders
Compose Interesting Ex-
hibit to Open Thursday.
ON TOUR OF THE COUNTRY
Works of Art, Gift to Nation, to
Be Placed Here Permanently
Later.
ON TOUR OF THE COUNTRY

picture of the signing of the peace
treaty. 1919. and twenty portraits of dis
unSulShed leaders of America and the
allied nations during the great war,
painted by eminent American artists,
VIII be placed on exhibition in the Ma
t!onal Gallery Of Art, National Museum,
10Th and B streets northwest. Thursday.
This collection will form the nucleus of
the great national portrai; gallery,
comparable in time. it is hoped, to the
national portrait galleries OF Great
biltdIn and other European nations. 1t
Is the gilt of a group OF public-Spirited
citizens representing the several large
cities of the United States. who in the
spring Of 1919 formed a national art
committee with the purpose of obtaining
a pictorial record of the world war as a
permanent memorial at the National
Capital.
This committee. headed by Henry
White, chairman with Herbert l..
Pratt of New York. secretary and
bership Mrs. William H. Crocker of
San Francisco. Arthur w Mcekcr of
Chicago, Charles +. Taft of Cincin-
natl, Abram Garfield of Cleveland,
Mrs. E II. Hartman, Robert w. de
Forest and j. Pierpont Morgan of
Il
this city, guaranteed a fund of $780,
600 to cover the cost of the paintings
and commissioned eight of the lead
ing American artists to paint the
portraits.
These artists went abroad. secured
sittings, through the instrumentality
of the several governments, and in
January of the present year the COLI
lection was first exhibited in the
metropolitan Museum, New York. 1t
has since been shown in Providence
and IhiladeLphia and is later to go
to the art museums in the other large
cities, circuit having been arranged
under the auspices of the American
Federation of Arts. Finally, it will
be returned to Washington and given
permanent place here.
Four Figures at Conference.
Included in this collection are por-
traits of the four great men who play
ed so prominent a part in framing
the peace treaty-PTesidcnt Wilson,
Lloyd George, prime minister of Great
britain: Clemenceau, premier minis
ter of war of France. and Orlando presi-
dent of the council of ministers of
Ataly. 1t also includes portraits of the
great military and naval, leaders. Cen
Pershins and Admiral Sims, Field Mar
shal Haig and Admiral Beatty, Mar
shals Joffre and Foch. Gen. DiaZ, Gen.
Currie and Gen. Leman. Those two
towering personalities from Belgium.
His Majesty Albert l and Cardinal
Mercier. are both portrayed in striking
canvases, the one by Douglas Volk
the other by Cecilia Beaux. Then there
are portraits Of those engaging and
perpleXing personalities, Bratiano,
prime minister Of Rumania; Pashich
prime minister of Serbia, and Prince
Saionji. delegate from Japan. In all,
a striking galaxy of great men. world
leaders of today.
The picture of the signing of the
peace treaty is by John C. Johansen
and is of necessity somewhat sketchy
the great conference having no time
to sit for it's portrait, and the artist
being Obliged to make his studies as
opportunity permitted. But it visual
ICES the historic gathering in a very
remarkable way.
The artists who did these paintings
were given entire liberty as to size
and style and character of the works,
therefore the collection as a whole is
extremely varied.
Various styles Employed.
Mr.. Johansen has introduced in his
portraits both of Premier Orlando and
Gen. Diaz pictorial back grounds, one
presumably of a tapestry. the other of
bas-relief, indicative of historical
events. Edmund Tarbell has painted
Marshal Foch on horseback with a
landscape setting. Marshal Joffre in
the portrait by Johansen is seen in
military uniform, but without his hat
standing before a table in an attitude
of arrested attention.
On the other hand, Premier Clemen-
ceau is interpreted by Cecilia Beaux
as delivering a speech, his gloved
hands on the table before him, his
head thrown back, his eyes fixed upon
an unseen audience. She has painted
indeed, the Tiger" of France in all
his force and with allshis moving per-
sonality.
painted in the cardinals palace at
MaIine, is a no less significant inter-
probation of character and from the
canvas stands forth the marvellous
personality of the great prelate who