The New York herald., 1922-04-30
Futurists Missing
as Exhibition in
Florence Begins
Death of Modernist Movement
Seen-Hundreds of Pic
lures Displayed.

Special Correspondence OF THE New YonK
HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,l
Rome, April 10.
TUTURIsM, born IN italy. has had
r. an early burial in Florence, to
= Judge from tie Exposition of
Modern Art. which opened there on
April 8. In this wide collection of the
works OF several hundred contempo-
rary artists few traces are to be found
Of the spirit of artistic insurrection.
but instead decided trend toward art
which will please at once. and art
which win sell.
The exposition IS a new institution
there, given initiative by the well
known writer and painter, Sem Be
nelli. and sponsored by the F1orentine
Society of Fine Arts. A new palace
near the Porto San Gallo built espe-
cially for exhibitions OF this kind has
opened it's doors for the first time to
welcome hundreds Of American and
European visitors to the "F,lorentine
Spring
The exposition palace is of two
stories, the first lighted artificially,
and the second by windows and sky
lights. There are eighteen rooms so
arranged that they can be subdivided
or thrown together to meet the needs
Of various sorts Of exhibitions.
''Florentine Spring Is charming. but
not profound. There Is none OF the irri-
tating, blatant quality of the Exposition
Des Independents of Paris, far more OF
q taste for the bizarre than in central
European exhibits OF contemporary ar
lists and to striking degree a lack of
the adventuresomeness and desire for
new effects to be found in a modern
exhibit in London or New York.
Out Of the several hundred artists ex-
hibiting only four or Ave showed power
and ability OF the first order. The aim
Of most of the work was obviously dec
orative and this aim was realized with
Italian facility. There was . decided
trend toward the bizarre In some Of the
work, particularly in the sculpture.
which offered frequently an exaggerated
line or distorted muscle. This conscious
grotesquerie is a characteristic of the
exposition. Armando Spaldini exhibits
some pleasing canvases with Renoir-
like richness In the treatment of women
and children. His Portrait of a Girl"
is a study done with tranquility and
charm. One Of the works most repre-
sentative Of contemporary Italian sculp-
ture is the Railway Worker" of Arturo
Dazzi, a production of striking force. A
somewhat more strident realism is struck
by Arigo Minerbis statues, especially MS
Victory" In power and in fine technic
Minerbi shows his cocitizenship with
Michael Angelo, but the modern note OF
distortion Is evident here also in the
treatment of muscles.
There Is not single Futurist nor
Expressionist exhibiting and only one or
two productions suggest rather family
Cubism. In general the exhibition indi-
Gates that the force of the modernist
movement has spent itself in italian art.
which Is now striving primarily Tor the
facile line and the pleasing color.
Almost the entire business life OF
Florence is again centered about the
tourist industry. 1t Is q city of shops.
and buying and selling take the place
of manufacturing. With the exception
of one mill that manufactures cotton
goods. the making Of straw hats Is the
only local industry. This Is carried on
by women. who braid the straw In their
leisure moments.
The chief articles in which the Flor
entine shops are specializing since the
war are terra Gotta art objects and
lace made by the Tuscan peasants, arti-
ficial pearls, coral and coarse stamped
leather. In spite OF the high import
taxes. the Florentine shops find it
profitable to import goods from Ger
many, and the town is full of German
goods.
Florence now boasts larger perma-
nent colony Of Americans than Rome.
But the group of almost 500 is almost
exclusively feminine.
The dearth of men Is especially felt
in the Episcopal Church there. which
has only two men to rely upon for taxi
ing up the collection every Sunday morn
Ing Realizing that the support of the
church hangs on their two frock coats.
these faithful members have 80 far
avoided being absent at the same time.
However. 1t is now considered likely
that Florence may initiate a movement
for vestrywomen.
A drafting room for the use OF
architects and landscape artists visiting
Rome is to be opened in a central loca-
tion in the city by the American Acad-
emy of Art. Craftsmen who are
transients in Rome will be given all
facilities for their work and put In touch
with others OF their profession. While
a few students will be allowed TO the
use of the rooms, II will have no formal
connection with the American Academy,
but be of the nature OF an International
workshop.
August Benziger. the well-known por-
trait painter. and his wife and daughter
have left Rome after a months stay
at the Hotel Majestic for Rimini, where
they will be the guests OF the Marquise
de Toulongeon. After a short visit In
Rimini they will motor to Brunnen.
Switzerland. where Mr.. Benzigcr has a
studio. During his many years stay
In the United States Mr.. Benziger
painted some of the most prominent
men OF The country, among them Presi-
dents Roosevelt and Mckinley, Charles
M. Schwab. J. p. Morgan and Cardinal
Gibbons.
Rudolph Evans. an American artist,
IS In Rome making studies In connec-
ton with work for the city Of Buff
falo, ~. Y.
Miss Susan Miller OF Constantinople
and New York is studying at the Amer
lean Academy OF Art In Rome.