The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-21
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-\FRcH THE
field OF Art
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ers and which will probably be con-
stinued for another week for the gen.
eral public, is unquestionably the
finest display of work by Kansas art
lists ever shown in Topeka.
A large number of new pictures
done in oil or pastel by Miss Marian
Peers. Mrs. Helen Hodge, and Miss
Y. Helen Anderson fully justify the
adjective, superb. George NJ. Stone
exhibits several pictures done in his
most finished and elegant style. They
fully equal, perhaps surpass any oth-
ers in the exhibition in their tasteful'
finished, technique
L. a. Gillette shows several beau
tiful landscape oils, two or three or
which never before have appeared IN
a local exhibition, and Mrs. Katherine
Perkins exhibits two or three paint
ings of Rocky Mountain scenery. They
are done in flat color, a new way OF
working for Mrs. Perkins, and are
most interesting as examples or gooo
composition and of color decoration.
1t is to be hoped that Mrs. Perkins
will do more of this work.
Mrs. Gladys N. Smith, of Mime
apolis, Kan, shows two or three OF
her best paintings of child life, some
of which were exhibited at the KAN
sas Free Fair last month. Mrs. Smith
will undoubtedly be some day. one OF
Americas foremost illustrators, with
a specially of depicting children.
Mrs Samuel T. Howe, Jr., has en-
tered some landscapes done in oil and
watercolor. They show originality anu
good handling Carl P. Bolmar ex-
hibits one small landscape in opaque
watercolor, considered by some judges
to be his best work along that line
There are also some good exam
pies of Jesse work done by studenfs
of the Topeka high school art de-
paTtment
At last there is something definite
to say about the exhibition OF war
portraits to be held in Topeka next
month.
There will be twenty portraits and
2. picture of the signing of the peace
treaty. June %. 1919, in the exhibit
ton. The pictures and the artists
who painted them are as follows: Au-
miral Beatty, Premier Clemenceau'
and Cardinal MERCER, all by Ceclna
Beaux; Premier Borden ana 9 Geirei a. o.
Currie, by Joseph De Camp; Premier
Bratiano, Premier Pashich and Prince
Saonti by Charles Hopkinson; Fleld
Marshal Haig, Marshal Joffre, Gen
eraI Diaz, Premier Orlando, ana the
''Signing of the Peace Treaty, by
John c. Johansen; President wilson,
Herbert Hoover, Marshal Foch' ana
General Leman. by Edmund Q. TAR
bell; King Albert of Belgium, Premier
IIovd George. and General Pershlhs'
by Douglas ,Volk: and Admiral SIMS
by Irving r. Wiles.
In the spring of 1919 1t became
evident to those most interested IN
American art. that if the United
States was to have pictorial record
of the chief figures among the "allles
in the World war" that no time
should be lost in sending abroad
caDable group of American artists 10
paint portraits of the CHIEF persohases
IN, conflict.
There was not even time to wait
for public action, SO the matter must
per force, be financed thru private
subscription. Thru the instrument
tally of the Smithsonian Institution,
the American Federation of Arts, ana
the American Mission to Negotiate
Peace then in session at Paris, Ma
tionaI Art Committee was formed TO
accomplish the project.
The committee formed was COM
posed of the most distinguished pa
irons of art in New York, Chicago,
Cincinnati Cleveland. San Francisco,
and Washington, d. c. This commit
tee selected to carry out the task the
artists named above, and apportioned
amongst these commissions in the
manner ALREADY stated. 1t was
further decided that the eventual IL
nancing Of each artist in his part OF
the undertaking should be delegated
to any city whose citizens should SUB
scribe thereto, anu IIldI the WOlN u
that particular artist should be pre-
sented as a gift from the city to the
National Portrait Gallery at Washing
ton.
So far. the cities who have agreed
to the plan, and financed artists are
Chicago, which selected John G.
Johansen; Cincinnati, which financed
Douglas Volk; Cleveland, which looks
after Charles Hopkinson; New YORK,
which selected Edmund c. TarbeI;
and san Francisco, which has elected
to take care of Cecilia Beaux.
One other artist commissioned by
ala committee jhas not yet carried out
%eer part of the plan, that is Jean Nc
Lane (Mrs. Johansen). She is COM
nissioned to paint Queen Elizabeth of
Belgium, Premier Hughes of Aus
tralia, and Premier Venizelos.
Henry White, member OF the
American peace commission, under
took to arrange times and opportuni-
ties for sittings, from the celebrities
to be painted, but because of the
great press of work incident to re-
construction after the war, some of
European statesmen were unable to
guarantee sittings and the artists had
to adapt themselves to conditions and
Snatch" sittings whenever and wher-
ever they could be obtained. No artist
was limited in any way as to the size
and style of the portraits he was to
paint. lnSledu AAS was 6A' SAi AuAA On
to exercise his own judgment and in
clination. The members of the Ma
tionaI Art Committee were, happily,
men of such knowledge of artists and
their ways that they clearly realized
that artists only do their best work
when unhampered by anybody's in
structions
The first exhibition of the war por-
traits was mad at the Metropolitan
Museum, New York City, in January,
1921 At the close of the initial ex-
hibition it was decided to send on
tour of the United States before in
stalling them in a permanent home in
Washington, D. c.
They are now at Ann Arbor, Mich,
7 from which place they will come di-
, rectly to Topeka. The precise day on
which they Will arrive here to be ex-
hibited free to the public at the State
Memorial building, has not yet been