Evening star., 1923-12-09

" HE great biennial exhibition
cf the Corccran Gallery OF
Art opens with d private
4 view and reception next Sat-
urday evening. From all accounts
there is every reason to suppose that
:his exhibition will not only uphold
the high standard set by it's pre-
decessors, but will exceed them in
interest. The exhibition two years
ago comprised go paintings: the ex-
hibition TO open next Saturday VIII
contain approximately 800. These
have been selected with the utmost
care by expert juries of artists from
very many paintings submitted.
The Corcoran Gallery places no
restriction on it's juries in the matter
Of selection. neither as TO the num-
Der OF paintings by one artist nor
as to the number OF paintings chosen
as a whole; the only instructions
Issued by those in authority are to
get the best. It Is understood that
this years exhibition will be found
particularly varied and fresh: in
other words. that the majority of
the works shown are being exhibited
not only here but anywhere for the
first time. aud are therefore essen
tally contcmporaueous
Edward W. Redfi eld. who was
chairman of the jury of selection and
award. unfortunately IS i'll. and Was
unable to serve. His place. how
ever. has been filled by Carl Melch hers
and Daniel CARRIER was added to the
ccmmittee to iii the vacancy.
These biennial exhibitions of tho
Corcoran Gallery Of Art have come
10 be regarded as events of such
great Importance that museum dt-
rectors and others particularly in
terested in art, from all over the
country. arc invariably in attend
ence on the first night. The eX-
hibit!ou will continue for more than
four weeks and 50 give opportunity
to Washington residents not only to
have i first. but many views, and
that is Wei.
A T the Washington Arts Club in
the room on the first foor is
now TO be seen an excellent little
showing or small pictures by artist
inembers-works which presumably
would be found cnticing and accept
able as Christmas gifts. 1t is one OF
the best and most interesting ex-
htbitions. the club has held. and the
would indeed make enviabIe posses
sions. The works are in water
color and oils. and landscapes and
still life paintings arc in the major
tty. In matter Of merit honors are
practically even, so that choice would
have TO he dictated by personal pref
erence. Among those represented
are Miss Lesley jackson. Miss Cath
crime Crltcher. Mrs. zlmmels. Mrs.
Sleeth. Miss Mum, and others.
In the upper gallery at the Arts
Club is a collection Of paintings by
Norris Hall Pancoast of New York
These are in oil ant are for the
most part scenes m the neighborhood
% gloucester and Cape Ann, Mass.
They aye cold In color and rather
drao in effect, somewhat Tnonotonous
when seen in the aggregate. but in
dividually Conlmendabie.
THE exhibition OF portraits by
British portrait painter. now on
view at the galleries Of the Art
Center, Connecticut avenue, is with
out merit. Those in charge of the
galleries, apparently endeavortng to
make the best Of the collection, have
shut out all the daylight and are
showing tho works under artificial
lighting. but nothing can mitigate
the shortcomings Of the works,
which are of the conventional type
OF enlarged Photographic reproduc-
tions. and the better the likeness
the worse the crime.
Work of this sort has not one
atom Of art in it. and vet parades
with such a show OF virtue that "
sometime es nlis'eads the uninstructcd,
furthermore, names spread a glamour.
Because an artist has portrayed dis
tinSutshed persons. il does not fol-
low that his works have been done
from actual sittfngs or under COM
mission, and when one sees the ter
riole portraits that are put forth OF