Evening star., 1922-02-19
Notes of Art and Artists

4 unique and exceedingly interest
ing group of sculpture of African sub
jects by Herbert Ward has become
the properly of the National Museum
and is nov being ipstalled.
Mr.. Ward was ar Englishman born
i'll London i'll 1863. His father was
distinguished naturalist, and from
/ i'm lie inherited a love Of adventure
ard a great interest in the works of
nature. When scarcely more than
lad he set out to explore unknown
lands. and by the time he was twenty
one he had been three times around
the world He tried his hand at many
things. Finally he found his way to
Stanley. On his own Initiative, dis
covering that Stanley needed men to
carry provisions on his famous trip
across the continent. MIR. Ward organ
lied party of 4UU natives with whom
he constituted a rear guard for the
expedition. He was a survivor of the
Stanley expedition.
1T was while he was in the Kongo
that he began making a collection of
African handicrafts, spears and other
interesting in form and because of
their decoration. This collection, COM
prising over $500 items, is included
in the gift to the National Museum.
and will always be shown with the
bronzes Of his own production.
Ebert Francis Baldwin, in an en-
gaging article on Herbert Ward and
his sculpture, recently published in
The Outlook, says that MIR. Ward
once remarked to him that people
asked him why he did these ugly
sculptures, and that his reply was
that II he did them and knew what he
was doing some day a man would
come along who would understand.
because he is the unspoied son of
nature. He is without what you might
call modern vice. He may be cruel. he
may be childish, but he learns this
This Is all seen in his sculpture.
As Mr.. Baldwin truly said. ''Mr.
Wards sculpture is expert sculpture"
II is the result of profound study as
well as unusual SKILL.
1t will interest many to know that.
according to Mr.. Baldwin, Mr.. Ward
was the Monsieur Herbert" of Hop
kfnson Smiths armchair at the Inn,''
that delightful character who, 'tsince he
was fourteen years of age. had been
everything a man could do to make
his bread-and he a gentleman born,
with his fathers house to go to when
he pleased. Yet he has been farm
hand. acrobat, hostler. sailor before
the mast, newspaper reporter, four
years in Africa among the natives,
and now one of the great sculptors of
France with his works in the Luxem-
bourg and the ribbon Of the legion in
his buttOnhole! And one thing more;
the good heart and the fine manner of
the gentleman"
** x
The Washington Water Color Clubs
exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of
Art is not attracting the interest or
the attention that it deserves, partly
perhaps because of the fullness of the
and the fact that no private view. en-
phasizing the opening, was held. It
IS an exceedingly clever and delight
fIl show. made up of works by some
of the foremost American water COL
orists, works full of bright color, ar
look upon and well meriting pur-
chase. For the most part they are
moderate in price. and the prices are
frankly given inIthe catalogue. Such
an exhibition as this ought not only
to be seen. but largely sold out during
tags indicating purchase are extreme
1y rare.
No true artist ever painted a pic
ture primarily TO sell, but sales are a
tangible evidence of appreciation. and
production wk8th .is not appreciated
or apparently desired. To paint pic
lures which no one cares to own is
like lecturer heypetuaIly talking to
empty seats, q distinctly discourage
ing and uninspirsnE business. All local
effort In the artistic line is not worthy
of encouragement, and support, but
here is an exhibition eminently worth
while, and those who do not give 1t
heed are losing an opportunity both
for personal pleasure and the ad-
Of art in this our national
city.