Evening star., 1923-10-18
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN


temporary European artists which
for the past ten days or more has
been on view In the Corcoran Gallery
of Art brings to mind the delightful
international exhibitions held bien-
niaily in Venice. The latest of these
took place in the summer of 1922.
Preparations are now well forward
for that which will be held from April
to October. 1924.
AS travellers well know. these ex-
hibitions are held in the Public Gar
dens. which occupy wedge-shaped
peninsula east of Venice and on the
way by boat to the Lido. The munic-
ipality of Venice has built In these
gardens large. many galleried
pavilion and has lent to other ma
tions land whereon to build similar
but smaller pavilions. All are low
structures and inconspicuous, with
no pretentions whatsoever so far as
external appearance goes. lney 90
not clutter the garden, but they pro,
the municipality of Venice spares no
pains to make these exhibitions
success. artistically and financially.
They are extensively advertised
throughout Italy. The Italian rail-
roads issue special tickets to those
who desire to visit the exhibition, and
not only Is the attendance large, but
many sales are made. The pur-
chasers, in not a few instances, are
the commercial firms. or rather what
public service corporations, of the
city. Prizes are awarded, but the
prize most esteemed is the purchase
Of work of art from this exhibition
for the permanent collection of the
Gallery of Modern Art in Venice. a
gallery which has not its equal in the
world. so far as interest and the
quality Of the collection go.
From the time the exhibition opens
until 1t closes 1t is a mecca, not only
Sor the Italians, but for tourists from
all parts of the world who chance to
be in Venice. On summer afternoons
the galleries are thronged with in
terested visitors who discuss the pic
lures with evident enthusiasm and
keen concern.
Between the ring of galleries. set
among the trees and the sparkling
water of the lagoon to one side, is
Dandstand, where the great Vene-
tian Band, one of the finest in Eu-
rope, gives its afternoon concerts
To the other side are little tables.
around which gather groups taking
light refreshments. having afternoon
tea or ices. listening to the music and
in the interludes discussing the ex-
hibition, or what-noti while beyond
the quay the little steamboats, cnug
oy and the graceful gondolas fit
Jack and forth-a scene never to be
forgotten.
1t is a mortifying thing TO Amer
lean visitors at these biennial ex
hibitions to find no representation
hafv frx he
States alone. among important ma
tions. is unrepresented. and this is
though no fault of the Venetian au-
thorities. who not only regularly In
yite. but for years have strongly
urged participation on the part of the
American artists. This year again
they are offering a site for a pavilion
and urging. through the American
ambassador in Italy and the Italian
ambassador in this country, that the
government erect a pavilion and tax e
steps to secure adequate representa-
ton. Until this is done, either by the
government or through the gener-
osity of patriotic American citizens,
our country will stand abash"d be-
fore the peoples of the world who
reckon art a measure of civilization.
Obviously, the artists themselves
cannot afford to send to Venice.
though there are steamers which sail
directly from New York to that fair
city of the Adriatic. And how i'm
of Europe that Americans are not
solely interested in money y-making
and that with the peoples of Europe
they have in the realm OF art COM
mon ideals. We are Obliged today
to think in international terms. but
our thinking does not go far If 1t is
forever limited to the elements Of
commerce, the material things which
excite envy and create jealous com
petition.
In this same connection il is In
teresting to know that both Great
Britain and France are at the pres
ent time. despite their heavy war
debts and the threatening condition
Of affairs generally, planning to hold
expositions of decorative and indus
trial arts on an imposing scale. The
British exposition takes place next
summer In or near London and will
be a gigantic affair, in which the
craftsman, the designer, the manu-
facturer and the machine operative
will all have a place. The French
exposition has been postponed, pos
sibly on this account, to the summer
of 1925 and according to the official
announcement, will be the most i'm
portant of the kind ever held. The
, main buildings will be erected in the
neighborhood of Les Inyalides, but
will also be scattered along moth
banks of the Seine and in the public
park, terminating at the Champs
Elysees.
Again to this exhibition American
craftsmen. designers and ranufac-
turers are invited and urged to con-
tribute.
J The purpose of both of these ex
positions obviously is to emphasize
the value of design in manufacture
and to improve the quality of that
design, for both Great Britain and
France realize that the only way to
attain or maintain supremacy along
these lines is through this medium.
At the opposite pole from the great
exposition Is the little one-man show,
which has in recent years become SO
popular According to DR.. g. c. VIII
Hanson, fellow of the Royal Numis-
matte Society and author of number
+ of the Morgan catalogues, the first
one-man picture show ever held was
a collection of paintings by Nathaniel
Hoen, r. A., held In a little gallery
in London In ITS. In the third
chapter of DR.. W!lliamson's delight
full book Behind My Library Door,"
recently issued, he tells how this ex-
/ hibition came about as the result Of
a quarrel between Hoen and the
Royal Academy. the latter declining
to show a picture which he sub
mitted and which was accepted by
the jury, because 1t seemed - make
sport OF Sir Joshua Reynolds. then
aiann4 nn6 to caricature Angelica