Evening star., 1923-12-16

in his absence Mr.. Melchers consent
ed to serve as chairman, while Daniei
CARRIER of Philadelphia was selected
to flll the vacancy on the jury. Ihe
selection of Mira. Hale. it is an,
nounced, was due to the unusual
number of woman painters repre-
sented. This jury completed ns
labors December 6. after several days
of intense mental and physical work.
during which the gallery ofnciais
served luncheon to them in one OF
the office rooms In the result OF
their labors, experts agree, they saw
to it that all the various schools OF
paintings were represented by the
best speciments available, without
regard to any individual preference
for any particular school or phase
of art.
Few persons who have not been
taken behind the scenes can realize
the complicated and expensive mecn-
antsm that has to be created TOT the
proper receipt, unpacking and IN
stalling OF the accepted pictures, and
returning to their owners the reject
ed paintings. and later. those utilized
is an exhibit of this sort. All this mas
to be done in addition to the removal
and storage of the regular permanent
exhibit and it's later return to the
walls. Furthermore catalogue mas
TO be printed. This years volume,
which contains thirty full-page II,
Illustrations. is to be sold at an actual
loss, a loss the gallery gladly as.
sumes, in view of its art educational
value.
Lent by Owners.
An added feature enjoyed by the
crowds last evening, although en-
tirely separate and distinct from the
biennial exhibit, is a display in the
upper atrium of more than fifty deli
cate drawings in pastel and silver
point by Thomas w. Dewing. THESE
g
parts of the country and have been
displayed in large cases, specially
decorated for this event. This ex-
hibit will also nun until January 20.
A comprehensive article concerning
the exhibition, written by Miss Leila
Mechlin. secretary of the American
Federation of Arts, editor of the
American Magazine of Art. and Tor
many years the art critic of The star,
appears in another portion of this
issue. Miss Mechlin, whose abilities
as an art critic are widely recognized.
deals with the present display from
a critical and technical standpoint
A careful reading thereof is calcu-
lated to be of decided beneht TO those
intending to view the exhibition.
The rotogravure section of today's
Star also devotes an entire page to
the reproduction of a number OF the
most beautiful pictures first viewed
last night. including all four of the
AS with past biennial exhibits, an
entire week will be set aside In
January for a public referendum as
to the merits of the paintings on dis
play. During that week each vfsi-
tor to the gallery will be given a
ballot which he or she Is requested
to deposit after a careful scrutiny
Of the exhibition. Every picture
therein is eligible for this competi-
ton, which carries with it a special
generous prize given by the Corcoran
gallery. 1t has been interesting to
note in past public referenda here
how nearly the taste of the Wash
ington public comedies with the high
opinion of art. critics and artists.
This does not mean that the public
agrees with the first prize awards,
although sometimes one Of the prize
winners has been given the public
verdict. The art-loving public here,
however. has in nearly every case
hit upon pictures of real artistic
merit for its first. second and third
choices.