Evening star., 1921-10-09

by Bertha Il. Perrie opens in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art today and will
continue for two weeks. This exhibit
ton comprises for the most part re-
cent works. pictures unsold at the
time of her death and now to be reck-
oned as the chief portion of her es-
tate. There are about 100 exhibits,
oils and water colors, all up to the
high standard which her works al
most invariably attained-an excel
lent showing.
Many OIL the pictures are of
Gloucester subjects, fishing boats at
the wharveS, some with bare mastS,
others with flying sails, all interpret
ed with the sturdy realism and sin
certify which yere dominant charac-
teristics of Miss Ferries painting.
She loved the boats, the scenes about
the wharves, and during successive
seasons she became a familiar figure
with her sketching easel and paint
box, and was made welcome by the
wharf owners and fishermen. She
had an adventurous spirit. and the
romance of the sea, of which all boats
SAVIOR. made to her strong appeal.
There are other pictures of
Gloucester in this exhibition. pic
lures of the moors and of the streets
of the interesting old town. There is
also a charming sunny picture of a
street in Provincetown which is
e bound to attract notice and win ad-
miration. There are a good many
pictures of foreign subjects, souv dnirs
of her trips abroad; in some in
stances rather elaborate compositions
showing groups of figures as we'll as
complicated architectural themes,
each, however,. full of the, spirit of
the place.
Among the landscapes, of which
there are not few, is a water color
of two tall trees, one seen against
the other, and both silhouetted by a
breezy summer sky.
Many of Miss Ferries paintings are
broadly rendered, some are almost
gayly colorful- Never was her work
which represent her best are perhaps
those that are gray, reticent, yet
strong and full of honest truth, pic
lures which grow more lovely upon
acquaintance.
She was an excellent craftsman, as
shown by her figure paintings and
her portrait miniatures. OF the lat
ter, ten are shown in this exhibition,
and of the former there is quite a
group. Her rendering in water colors
OF figure subjects are much in the
style of the Dutch school, broad
washes were applied and the subjects
were somber. Her figure paintings in
oils. most of which were done out of
doors. are, to the contrary, direct and
colorful, almost impressionistic in
spirit. and very engaging.
In Sh-s connection mention may
be made of her still life paintings,
several of which are shown at this
time. There Is one of q bowl of
flowers such as come from an old
fashion garden in midsummer, de-
llghtfully decorative and richly col
orful. There are others of a less ems
gaging type. pots and pans, bottles
and vegetables, indicative to the ini-
tiated of comprehensive grasp of
the fundamentals of art and extreme
Iy competent craftsmanship.
The water. colors that were shown
in the Corcoran Gallery last spring.
and at that time attracted SO much
favorable attention. are included in
this exhibition. OF these water COL
painter. Philip de Laszlo. spoke In
the highest terms of commendation.>
Unacquainted with the painter, he
found in the work itself evidence of
extraordinary talent and unusual
mastery of material.
These are, indeed, work which pos
sess both pictorial interest and great
artistic merit, works of which any
painter might well be proud.
X X **
During the summer those in charge
of the National Gallery OF Art per-
fected. the organization of the com =
mission which will hereafter assist
in promoting the development Of ehe
gallery. This commission. appointed
by the regents of the Smithsonian
Institution, consists of five public men
interested in art, five experts five
artists and the secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institution. ex officio.
Special committees, have been appoint
ed by the commission on ancient Eu-
ropean painting foreign sculpture.
American painting and kindred sub
jects, and the executive committee
has been elected. with Charles Moore
as chairman. -. =.
This, puts the National Gallery of
Art on a working, business basis and
assures development along the best
lines, .enlistfng the services of the
leading experts and safeguarding the
collection in the matter of standards.
The greatest need of the National
quate building, and until this can be
secured progress in the matter of
securing: exhibits must Of necessity
be slow. -.
lery. has, however, made plans for
number of small exhibitions during
the present season. in addition to
which there probably will be one or
two, important loan collections set
forth.
When it is considered that the ma
tion has spent nothing whatever for
paintings foF the National Gallery, the
present collection. Is found to be sur
prisingIy. rich. Through the .munifl-
cence of Ralph Cross johnson of this
city it can boast an extraordinary
small collection of masterpieces by
the foremost European painters Of
earlier days. By gift of William T.
Evans of New York 1t may claim one
of the most important collections of
cotemporary American paintings that
has ever been assembled. The Harriet
Lane johnson collection, which was
willed to the, National Gallery. has
lent impetus to its development and
added a number of works Of unique
interest. Moreover, from time to time
the institution receives valuable loans.
At the present time there is on
view with the National Gallery COL
lection in the National Museum an
Interesting group of paintings, among
which is Perugino Madonna loaned