New-York tribune., 1922-10-15
Some Interesting Episodes in :
The Graphic Arts, New and Old
Good Work by the Art Directors Club; Adyert;s;r,o
as an Aid in Campaign Against Modernism.
Tiepolo Draughtsman

anuafu. Jndglng not only
irom the books and booklets OF tha
private presses, but from tho CONNER
ciai specimens displayed, the art ~
printing is in healthy condition l.
TINS neighborhood, full of knowIoano
and good taste. 1t is natural trars;
tion from this part of the show to that
otner part, which constitutes the hacl,
oohe Oh the occasion. We refer to +ha
collection OF drawings brought torethar
oy the Art Directors Club In ;,lns+r.-
tion Of recent developments in art;,t;o
advertising. 1t invites serious and en-
couraging reflection.
Deploring the ravages Of modernism
ehe other day, in conversation with an
experienced and wise philosonh.r mo
were advised by him to look for salu-
.ary influences in q quarter nominallv
having nothing to do with the mat+ar
ordinary argument must make slow
progress" he averred. "But watch the
aoSertisements. Have you noticed how
Tree they are from subversive non.
senseF And they are bound to have
ny and large, enormous weight" The
suggestion drives deep. When criti-
cism goes against the modernist be
tails back upon an appeal to "the pub.
iic'" as though that Judge were infalli-
Die. Well, suppose we take the mod
ernist at his word. Suppose we leave
1t to the public" and pause to consider
ITS state of mind. We live in an in
dustrial age. The captains Of industry
are commonly believed to know what
they are about. They address them
selves to "the public" not on any ESQ
terlc program of high erected canons
Oh taste, but on the bed rock assump-
tion that "the public" is, among other
things, sane, intelligent, existent in an
element of common sense. You NAV
see one illuminating contribution to
this matter in the show of the Art
Directors Club.
1t is an absolutely representative
show. Here are the things that Amer
lea cares about, care about because it
cannot do without them-things like
automobiles and socks. They make the
substance of the conversation that
goes on between the advertiser and the
American every day in newspapers and
magazines. Time was when the adver-
tiser and the managers of the papers
and periodicals in which his product
was described, remained content with
statement printed in plain type. The
present writer has vivid recollection
of the trepidation with which the "dis-
play adj was first introduced into the
columns Of The Tribune years ago.
The old tradition Of a prudent SIM
plicity had seemed impregnable. The
boldest type we used was very mod
est type indeed. But when richer and
bolder fonts came into use and the con-
trast between them and fairly gen
erous area of white paper was appreci-
ated everybody wondered why the i'm
provement had been so long in COM
mending itself to newspaper publish
ers. From that day on tremendous
strides forward have been made. Lat
terly art has come in, the magazines
have given color its chance, and the ad-
vertisers are exercising an influence
as we'll as opening new avenues for the
sale Of their goods. Consider what
their designs must mean as they cir
culate among myriads of readers.
They can vulgarize or improve current
taste. If they chose to inject modern
ism into their stuff they would be
really powerful propagandists FOR the
movement. Happily they do nothing Of
the sort. They are on the side Of the
angels and we are glad Of it.
There are about $50 drawings in the |
group at the Art Center. Some are, of
course, better than others. Medals
have been awarded to six or seven de-
signs and number of honorable men
tions have been bestowed. Frequently
drawings appear on which it would be
tempting to comment in detail. But
the essential point to the show is the
general advance for which it stands.