Evening star., 1921-01-23

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painted by eminent American artists
for the national art committee, Wnlch
opened last Monday in the Metropoh-
tan Museum of Art. New York, cans
attention to the subject OF ornc,al
portraiture. This collection IS pur-
posed as the nucleus of a great ma
tional portrait gallery in washington.
1t is both war memorial OF UNIV .
character and great historical vaiue
and first step toward the asseitip,i its nf e
of such a collection of PORTRAITS OF
great men and women as is 70 oe
found in the National Portrait Gallery
in London. Primarily the purpose Is
to preserve likenesses of those OF our
own times who attain greatest ois-
tinction in various fields of activity
In this instance this activity is in the
line of craftsmanship and the con-
duct of a great war for liberty. Later
on it is to be hoped that added to the
Collection will be portraits of those
who have excelled in other walks OF
life, men and women who have be-
.ome pre-eminent in the arts and SCI
! ences, in letters. in other. branches OF
uplifting and peaceful occupations.
| When the time arrives for the as
sembling of this collection it will be
found that despite the fact that many
official portraits have been painted by
incapable artists, there are already In
government ownership not a few por-
traits Of great men by great painters
which may well dignity the national
objection.
Take, for example, the official por-
traits at the Capitol. Many. alas, are
,ut mere travesties, caricatures, but
some are works Of the foremost i'm
portance. There are two portraits OF
Washington by Gilbert Stuart now
hung in the Capitol, which, in the
auction room would bring fabulous
sums. There is portrait of Wash
ngton by Charles Wilson Peale, who
was one of the founders of the Penn
sylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
and who painted our first President
from life fourteen times. A Wash
ington portrait by Gilbert Stuart was
purchased about two years ago by the
late Henry C. Frick of New York for
$4,000, and a miniature Of Washing
ton by Peale recently sold in Phila-
delphia for $500. There is in national
ownership fourth portrait OF WASH.
ngton by Rembrandt Peale, son OF
Wilson Peale.
Earlier in date is a portrait of
Henry Laurens painted by John Sim
gleton Copley. who. it will be remem-
oered, was born in Boston in 1887 and
died in London in 1915, and whose
i works are said to constitute badge
of aristocracy for those who own
them.
There is a portrait Of Thomas JEFF
ferson painted by Thomas. Sul1y, one
of our earlier American painters, a
pupil of Benjamin West, whose merit
| as an artist is being much more high
" regarded today than heretofore.
both Daniel Webster and Henry Clay
were painted for the government by
John Naegel, who married step
daughter and niece Of Thomas SHlly
and who was director Of the Pennsyl-
vania Academy OF the Fine Arts from
1880 to 1891.
Chester Harding. one OF the most
interesting characters in the whole
history Of American painting. is rep
resented in the Capitol by portrait
Of Charles Carroll of Carrollton.
Harding was born in 1872. the son of
pioneers. In the war OF 1872 he serv-
ed as q drummer boy, afterward be-
coming a peddler. and ;he practiced
cabinet making. His first efforts in
art took the form of sign painting.
He Travelled about the. country get
ting orders and executing them at an
exceedingly modest rate, but his por-
traits are admirable. His portrait OF
lery of Art is comparable with the
best that have been produced in this
country.
Coming down to later times. there
is an example of the art OF Sargent, a
portrait Of Thomas B. Reed, and por-
|
director of art in the West Point Mill
tary Academy. and father of the late j.
Allen Weir; by Ellen Day Hale and
others.
| The exhibition Of portraits now or
view in New York, is attracting wide
attention. There was a large attend
lance at the opening and among those
present were Henry White OF
committee; Herbert Pratt. its secre-
tarv and treasurer; Albert Gelsey
architect of Philadelphia; Charles
Id. Walcott, secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institution; 9. Powell
Minnigerode, director of the Corco-
Douglas Volk, John c. Johansen end
irving Wiles, all of whom were
represented in the collection. besides
well known art critics and conno's-
seurs as well as art Iovers. The spa
cious gallery was thronged by inter.
| ested visitors.
| At one end. hangs the portrait OF
Cardinal Mercier, painted by Cecilia
Beaux; at the other end hte portrait
of President Wilson, by Edmund G
'rarbell. Mr.. Tarbelrs portal. OF Gen
Fcch, representing him on horseback
has the place Of honor on one of tine
long side walls, while opposite i:
Mr. Johansen's group paintings OF the
peace conference.
The entire collection will be shown
in Washington in May at the Nationa
Nfnseum, under the auspices of thu
l American Federation OF Art.
-
While the finished protraits OF the
peace conference Representatives. arr
on view at the Metropolitan Museum
of Art, an engaging little exhibition
| is being held at the Arden Studios
Ion Fifth avenue, Of the sketches made
by the artists preliminary to thu
lexecution of the canvass. AS In mos
instances, the artists had to snatch
| the sittings when they could. SO thes;
preliminary sketches are of specia! In
terest and significance and go to show
mot only what difficulties were nc
AMI surmounted, but also the artists
way Of working It was an excel1cn
idea to show them simultaneously
with the finished works.
X X X
The Society of Washington Artists
thirtiett annual exhibition closes thu
last Of this week and will be re-
placed on February 4 by the Wash
ington Water Color Clubs twentieu II
annual display. Exhibits for the lat
ter will be received at the New Yorl
avenue entrance Of the Corcoran Gal
lery OF Art Friday and Saturday O.
this week between the hours of
and 4. January 20 and 20. =,
II II + \
The New York Water Color Club 1
holding. at the present time, its thir
{ lty-drst annual exhibition in the gal
lerfes OF the American Fine Arts So
ciety, New York. and on February