Evening star., 1922-11-05
Notes of Art and Artists

| textiles in this exhibition both
| woven and decorative, purposed for
| use and for ornamentation, all show
ing admirable designs and the most
skillful workmanship. In some m
stances various methods of decora-
tion are employed in the same piece
needlework with block printing, cut
work and lace.
| Bookbinding is also one of the old
arts and. with the sister art of illu-
mination. makes an interesting de-
partment OF this exhibition.
In such an exhibition as this stain
ed glass can be but poorly shown.
, though through the insertion of up
right panels in screens four exam
Piles included herein can be fairy
| judged. They are all by well known
glassworkers, each of whom draws his
| or her inspiration from the Gothic.
III art OF this order is to flourish
appreciation but patronage. The ma
terials with which the craftsman
works are in most instances precious
and necessitate considerable working
capital Furthermore. work of this
! sort can only be satisfactorily pro-
duced to meet demand. and articles
which the craftsman turns out are
primarily for use, and, as a rule. ma
their way directly from the workshop
| to the home The majority of the
dEllCleS III Lne current eAnlDlllOn are
| for sale, though they may not bt
withdrawn until the close of the ex-
| hibition. and it is hoped that many
| will show their appreciation Of the
work that is being done by making
purchases, thus substantially testify
| ing to their appreciation and lending
| Encouragement to further develop
ment.
The exhibition will remain in Wash
| ington, on view daily in the National
Gallery. until November rs.
X X X X
THAT George Bellows is an able
and accomplished artist every one
knows, but why he desecrates his
! talent to devote it to the interpreta-
J tion of vulgar subjects, such as are
set forth in his Autographs now on
= view in the Corcoran Gallery of Art,
| is hard to understand. There is no
/ doubt that If ones perception is suifl-
4! GENTLY acute beauty may be discov-
! cred in almost any theme. In all hu-
! man beings there is the spark of the
I divine, but Mr.. Bellows works claim
! admiration because of their technical
| excellence rather than because of any
! inherent manifestation of beauty.
| He seems deliberately to choose for
| Interpretation those things which are
| most unlOvely, or. to use stronger
| and perhaps better word. most ugly.
! The people he has chosen to portray
are not simply those of the under
| world capable of better things, but
| inhuman beings. products of deSen-
| cracy evidencing decline in ciVllza-
| tion. He does not set his subjects
/ forth as did Hogarth, with deliberate
| intent of calling to the attention OF
| the people condition in society
I. 4. 10
| as facts in which he has found inter
| est. They are, indeed, ugly facts.
| and they have been set forth with
| such consummate skill that they are
! the more startling.
! Solitude" pictures the lovemaking
of vulgar people in public PARK
| after dark There is picture of a
| prize fight. one of the participants
| having fallen in a forlorn heap at his
! antagonists feet. Another sets forth
| the Introduction of Georges Carpen-
| tier to the throngs who have come
20 witness his fight for world cham
! pionship. fourth shows an un-
| inspired chaplain preaching to
| benches of men, mostly negroes. IN
convict garb. Yet another shows
| degenerate children, some clothed.
! some not. on the waterfront of the
[ great city. The nudes he sets forth
are not beautiful: they have no grace
| of line nor beauty of form, they are
naked vulgar. repulsive. And yet
they are done with SO much artistic
| skill that they are the more impress
! sive They halt the attention.
In a few instances the vulgarity Is
not observant and in these MIR. Bel
| lows exceptional artistic gift has full
sway and rises to great height
One is portrait of a little girl.
Jean H.: the other is a portrait Of
| his own mother
ttnv,
view in the Corcoran Gallery of Art
| is Mr. Bellows famous lithograph o.
Edith Cavell descending the steps
after her night of terrible trial. not
merely into dungeon. but out to her
| execution. 1t is a tragic theme. and
Mr. Bellows has rendered 1t dramat!-
cally: but he has portrayed Edith
| Cayell disheveled and showing physl-
cal fatigue. not as martyr. as
woman Of dauntlesS courage, but as
| a forlorn creature passing to her doom.
In many instances Mr.. Bellows. to
| emphasize effect, has exaggerated To
almost caricature: hand. foot, an
! arm. has been so enlarged that II
forces itself upon the attention OF
the observer and through over
/ emphasis gives pronounced signifi-
canoe.
Mr.. Bellows cleverness is amazing.
| but it could better be put to other
use. His is indeed a notable talent.
and might well, if he saw fit SO to
employ it, add incalculable and i'm
perishable beauty to the world. The
pity is that it does not.
X X X
10y special invitation, a collection
of 100 paintings of wild flowers
| bv Mrs. Charles D. Walcott of this
city is to be shown shortly in the
( Art Institute of Chicago. ,Irs. Wal
colt has made special study of wild
flowers and has successfully set forth
many different specimens that she