Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-02-26

we'll AZ In dress and q thoughtful OBJ
server at the Corcoran Gallery OF Art
cannot fail to notice one marked
change that has within the last forty
or fifty years taken place In the Held
Of art. It Is the almost complete dis
appearance Of genre. or subject pic
lures, pictures which tell story at
the same time that they reveal beauty.
The Corcoran gallery's permanent col
lection was assembled for the most
part at time when pictures OF this
type were extremely popular and
therefore, for this reason, has rather
An uncommonly large number OF ex-
amples of this type.
For instance, there are two excel
lent subject pictures by George Henry
Boughton. THE Heir Presumptife.
and the "Edict of William the Testy.
Both hang in the first American room.
The former harks back to England,
the latter to the Dutch occupation OF
New York, and both obviously Illus
trate a story. the former. any story
which one may wish to weave about
it. the latter a particular story OF
historical happening set forth in lrv-
ing's "knickerbocker's History OF
New York"
Across from Boughton's painting of
old New York is Frederick Arthur
Bridgman's picture of the PROCESSION
of the Sacred Bull Apis-Osiris." paint
ed not a little in the style of Alma
Tadama, and opening the door of vi
sion to the past in genuinely ensas-
ing and memorable way. When the
ancient Egyptians found black and
white bull marked with a triangular
spot in the forehead and a cross on his
back they believed the animal con-
tanned the spirit of their god Osiris,
and was held sacred. The picture. as
the cataiog tells US. represents pro-
cession in honor of this god, the bull
being the principal feature.
At the far end of this same room
hangs the late Richard n. Brooke's
painting entitled A Pastoral Visit.
showing the interior of a negro cabin,
the family gathered about the table,
the pastor parta king of hospitality
a charming and truthful representa-
tion of phase of American life which
is in every sense worthy of remem-
brance because of its genuine kindii-
ness and simplicity.
a picture somewhat in the same
spirit in Henry Mosler's Saying
Grace" given to the Corcoran Gallery
of Art by V. G. Fischer twenty-five
years ago.
Douglas Volk. who was represented
in the recent exhibition of the Cor
tative portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
and who W, $ selected to paint the
portraits OF the King of Belgium and
Gen PerShing for the great national
collection. is represented in the Cor
coran Galiery's permanent collection
by subject picture recalling the
Puritan days in New England. a pic
ture entitled Accused of Witchcraft."
And then there are the still earlier
pictures to he found now in the
fr9tr -
Cromwell and Milton The Trojan
Horse" by Henri Paul Motto: THE
Fete of St John in Dalecarlia. Swe-
den." by Hugo Frederick Salmson.
painted not a little in the style of
knaus, and others of the Dusseldorf
school.
Pierre Edouard Frere is admirably
represented by picture entitled
Preparing for Church." and by How
ard Helmick there is a most graphic
and touching picture entitled The
Emigrant's Letter. which tells it's
story.
In a number of instances there is a
little touch of humor in pictures of
this type, as. for example, The
Schism," by Vibert. while in He'll
buth'S On the Pincian Hill. Rome,'
one gets an agreea BILE glimpse of for
eign life.
What has become of the story-tell-
ing picture? Kenyon Cox once said
that it had fallen into disrepute be-
cause painters had attempted to tell
stories that were too frivolous or had
told their narratives feebly. Certain
ly, pictures of this type. when they
are we'll done and do interpret beauty,
engage more interest than the pic
lures that only make esthetic appeal.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art has re-
eeived from an anonymous donor a
no Nf, 1tNkI
me picture represents child of six or
seven years of age sewing, her hands
heid together pressing the needle and
terest
Miss Cassatt is without question one
OF the foremost of the woman painters of
today. She was born in Pittsburgh. but
LOT many years has resided in Paris
she studied under Manet and was un-
doubtedly influenced also by the work
f OF Monet; using almost Invariably high
Keyed color schemes and following the
lead OF the French impressionists
MISS Cassatt has long made a spe-
cialty of mothers and children and is
SAID to have interpreted "snubnosed
babies with an almost cruel realism.
but the children that Miss Cassatt has
painted are real children. not dolls. and
they are as she has seen them In every
day life rather than dressed up for an
occasion. There is something appealing
IN the sober seriousness of the little girl
who has come to dwell permanently in
the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the
trustees of the gallery feel that in the
acquisition of this painting they have
made definite gain.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art had al
ready characteristic and nota BILE work
by Miss Cassatt purchased some years
ago. picture of young woman seated
on the balcony of house in Paris. In
the National Gallery Of Art is to be
found painting by Miss Cassatt en-
titled Mother and Child" a more re-
painting has been generously lent by the
National Gallery of Art this winter to
the American Federation of Arts for
travelling exhibition of pictures Of chill
dFen which. under the auspices of the
national organization. has been shown
In Roanoke, Va; Savannah, Ca, and
Charleston, S. c.. and is later to 20 to
Richmond and Norfolk
y *
During the. last few years many
collections of paintings and other
works of art by foreign artists have
found their way into this country
and Travelled from city to city, from
museum to museum. But there is
only one place in the United States
where truly international exhibi-
ton Of art is regularly held, and that
is in Pittsburgh. at the Carnegie In
stitute. These exhibitions during the
world war were discontinued. but
last year were resumed. and a new
exhibition of this order, including
France, italy, Spain. England and
Scandinavian countries. placed side
by side with the works of our own
foremost American artists. will open
the last of April.
The Carnegie Institute of Pitts
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