Evening star., 1922-01-01

4 portrait Of Maj. D. II. Clark paint
ed in Munich In 1877 by Frank Du-
veneck aas lately been acquired by
the Corcoran Gallery of Art for its
permanent collection. The gallery Is
most fortunate in the acquisition of
this painting. which represents MT.
Duveneck at his best, and is a mas
terly work.
The majority of Mr.. Duveneck's
paintings are in the Cincinnati Art
Museum and the possibility of secur-
ing a representative example has
seemed almost hopeless. 1t so hap
pens that Mai Clark was friend OF
Mr.. Iuveneck's and this portrait,
painted abroad SO long ago. has never
been publicly exhibited. so that its
very existence was lost sight OF. The
Corcoran Gallery heard of II, learned
brought from Ohio for inspection. The
Importance and quality of the work
were beyond expectation and its pur-
chase was almost directly consum-
mated. Mr.. Gest. the director OF the
Cincinnati Art Museum, who CHANGED
to see it at the Corcoran Gallery: de-
clared 1t a most brilliant example OF
Mr.. Duveneck's art.
1t is something less than a half
length, showing head and the upper
part Of the figure. but not the hands
The face is turned a little to the right
and the eyes look squarely toward the
observer. 1t is the portrait of ro-
bust young man. strong featured and
large and expressive. the mouth un-
commonly firm. A fur cap is worn
and dark clothing. SO that the face
stands out somewhat as do the faces
in Rembrandts portraits from the
midst of shadow. The brush work is
broad and vigorous, the modelling ex-
tremely direct A beautiful surface,
however, has been created and the
painting is rich and resonant IN tone.
AS portrait it is distinctly charac-
terization. a composite Interpretation.
very vital. full of personality. great
portrait and a splendid painting.
Frank Duveneck was awarded a
Art Jury Of the Pan-American Expo
sition for his contribution to Ameri-
can art, and he was without doubt
one of our leading American masters.
He was born in Covington; KY. IN
abroad and for ten years made Munich
his headquarters. Leibl was fellow
student and there was certain SINH
larity between his work and that OF
and Dusseldorf were the meccas of
the art student and some of the fore
most of our American painters got
their training there. Holidays were
spent in Italy. In Venice. on one OF
these trips. Mr.. Duveneck met
Whistler and came TO know him well.
John w. Alexander was another OF
his friends.
Mr.. Duveneck was always interest
ed in teaching and he taught as long
well as a painter and the efflgy OF his
wife in the cemetery in Florence Is
one Of the most beautiful sculptural
works of modern times.
Il 80 <,f h. a a
Ward Denys. the National Gallery OF
Art has lately come into possession
of an early painting by Mr.. Dave-
neck, Venetian subject in quite
different style than the portrait now
owned by the Corcoran gallery. Thus
this masters two best periods will be
represented in public collections In
this city. Among Mr.: Duveneck's
most celebrated paintings is The
Whistling Boy" which belongs to the
Cincinnati Museum and is familiar
through frequent reproduction.
X X X
Six or seven more pictures have
been purchased from the Corcoran
Gallery of Arts exhibition of CO
temporary paintings. bringing the
total number up to sixteen or seven
teen. and making the sales to date
of either the National Academy OF
Designs winter exhibition or the Chi
cago Art Institutes annual exhibit
ton. But even sixteen pictures out
of nearly 500 is not, after all, SO ex-
cellent a showing nor. one which
might be supposed to give great en-
couragement to the artists who are
represented. An artist does not pri-
marily paint picture, to ,..s soil, but Ut
appreciation, and without apprecia-
| tion no artist will long have the i'm
pulse to create.
Pictures are not only a good invest
ment from the standpoint of pleasure.
but from actual monetary returns,
for as an artist increases in reRuta-
tion the worth Of his work advances.
Pictures by George Inness, which at
one time could have been bought FOR
bring from six to ten thousand, and
this is not q solitary example. But
the only legitimate reason for buying
picture is liking for it. and hence a
covetous desire for possession. There
are many excellent pictures in this
exhibition by comparatively unknown
artists that would prove delightful
companions and would be found to
wear well upon acquaintance. Those
who love art discover in such pic
The voting contest for the most pop
uIar picture In the exhibition opens
on January 3. In preparation there
carefully studied. An interesting
kAfnS to play with oneself 10 to mark
q catalogue with the pictures one
would buy were ones means unlimited.
and then gradually come to . conclu- :
sion which Of these 10 the one most
desired. In this way reasons for pref
erence are discovered and Character
istics otherwise perhaps overlooked
are discerned.
A series of paintings Of scenes ina-
dent to the arrival and dispersal OF
immierants at Ellis island. N. Y. by
susan Kicker Knox, has been shown
here lately in connection with hear
inEs Of the commission on fmmtgra.
! tion and naturalization in the House
office building. These pictures, which
and confusion, give an admirable idea
lee what our slalnisraaen esassss9 70 a