Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-07

hibition opens at the Corcoran Gai-
fery of Art Tuesday afternoon with
q private view from until o'clock,
! for which invitations have been is
sued by the president and board oil
trustees. This exhibition. which
should prove one of the most notable
ever held in Washington, will include
more than forty oil paintings by the
late Abbott H. Thayer and approx
nately one hundred of his water
colors and drawings. These have
been loaned by the Thayer estate,
John Gellatly of New York and other
tion comprises the greater part OF
the memorial exhibition lately held
in the Metropolitan Museum, New
York 1t win be sufficiently compre
hensive to give an accurate idea OF
the high standing and large achieve.
mcnt of this most distinguished
American artist.
Abbott H. Thayer began as a
painter of animals, from when ne
turned to the painting OF MOVERS.
Later he painted marines and iand-
scapes, and finally he took up the
painting of figures and portraits. He
was painter with extremely varied
gifts. and whatever he did was done
finely. From first to last his work mas
monumental quality. 1t has, been said
instead of painter. so sculpturesque
are his creations, but he had re-
markable sense of color, which gave
to his pictures peculiar charm.
With an artistic temperament, he
had a mind given to scientific explora-
tons, and many of his days and weeks
were spent in experimentation in an
effort to prove conclusively to scient-
lists the Soundhess of his theory of
protective Coloration. To an extent.
his art and his science went hand in
hand. He was student of nature.
allured by its charms, intrigued by
its mysteries, reverent of It's beauty.
Miss Beatty, in an article on Mr..
Thayer, has said:
'He pursued his work with sin
swerving purpose that led him
straight to his goal. He was not
disturbed by new and distracting doc
trines, nor moved by ambitions that
affected most men. Popular acclaim
meant little to him, and for this he
beauty as he saw it in nature about
him. ard this-he strove to express,
that it might be shared by others.
This was his life work"
as expressed in the human counte-
nance, he portrayed with great mas
terry. He stands almost alone in these
times in supreme taste in respect to
the expression of the countenance."
1t is the dignity as well as the
cathoIicity of Mr.. Thayer's work
which make it profoundly impressive.
With great simplicity and without in
truding mannerism. he sets forth that
which is essentially elemental. SO that
all may understand. He was sundoubt-
eddy one of the great masters of to-
day, and as the years pass his works
will almost certainly grow in critical
esteem.
This exhibition, which opens on the
sth, will continue on public view un-
with a foreword by Virgil Barker, is
being published.
avenue, under the auspices of the
local Handicraft Guild, an exhibition
Of arts and crafts by American crafts
men will open tomorrow. to continue
until the end of the month. This
exhibition will be made up of group
exhibits, contributed by the several
guilds and associations throughout
The country. In connection with this
national showing will be exhibited
works by craftsmen of the old World.
Hindustan, Rumania. Czecnoslosakla
and other countries being represented.
Thus the exhibition will take On an
international aspect.
\
q In the Brooks Memorial Art, Gal
ArY, Overton Park, Memphis, Tenn,
Is NOW on view an exhibition Of paint
inEs, sculpture, drawings, miniatures,
prints and handicrafts by" southern
artists, assembled under the auspices
Of the Southern Art Association. which
has lately been reorganized under the
name of the Southern States Art
League.
time last year in Charleston. COM
prises approximately 800 exhibits, and
1t quite fills the little Brooks Memo
rial Art Gallery, designed by John
Gamble Rogers, charmnigty located IN
Oyerton Park. and it makes a brave
showing.
: The first prize was again awarded
to Camelia Whitehurst of Baltimore.
this time for portrait study of a
little child, in which was seen clever
handling of whites.
There are other excellent portraits.
. notable one of lady in Japanese
Costume by Louisa Lyons Heustis. and
another of a little child by c. Han
kins, deserving special commendation.
There are excellent landscapes, sunny
southern pictures and very con-
siderable number of flower paintings
and stilI life studies Of notable worth.
Washington artists are we'll repre-
sented. Miss Critcher, Miss Muhlho-
fer, Mr.. Schram and Mrs. Zimmele
contributed oil paintings, William H.
Holmes and Miss Muhlhofer water
colors. "a
An interesting group of illustrative
drawings and costume sketches In
color stands to the credit of Charlotte
.Gailor. daughter of Bishop Gailor of
Tennessee.
The exhibition as a whole is fairly
well representative of the southern
states. and gives much promise for
the future.
\ + X y
Memphis afforded sympathetic
background not only for this exhibit
ton but also for the meeting of the |
Southern States Art League, as there
Is considerable interest In art there, |
both among the general public and |
on the part of those occupied in mue |
nicipa1 affairs. Within the last double |
decade Memphis has developed a re-
fnarkable and most attractive park |
System, approximately fifteen miles in /
length, encircling the city on three |
sides. not unlike our Rock Creek !:
Park in general character. Within
the last year the city has secured a |
comprehensive plan for civic devel-
opment, and is now purposing the |
passage Of a city planning ordinance,
which should assure such development |
along artistic lines.
In the Brooks Memorial Art CAL
Terry during the last season no less |
than seven different exhibitions have i
been shown. Current events in art !!
are given monthly at the Nineteenth
Century Club, where an art bulletin |
T,r I'D ie Mamnhfs r,,nro- |