Evening star., 1923-12-20
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN

effOrt, but their award most 0ften
serves to bewilder the public. At
the opening last Saturday evening of
the Corcoran Gallery's ninth exhibit
tlon of contemporary American oil
paintings questions concerning the
validity of the jury's judgment in
making the announced awards of
Corcoran medals and Clark prizes
astute, perhaps, than others, sug-
gested that it was a matter of tech
nique, which is ever a mystery to the
uninitiated. He was not far wrong.
There are certain artists who,
through their mastery of medium and
technical dexterity, invariably win
the applause of their professional
confreres. Such are frequently desig-
mated as painters painters. George
Bellows is one of these. There could
be nothing more opposite or far re-
moved than Bellows style and that
of the late John w. Alexander, yet
years ago Mr.. AleXandeS spoke with
friends at his luncheon table one day
of Bellows ability and tremendous
promise-a young man, he said, who
had it in him to do great work.
4 X
The characteristics Of Mr. Bellows
art are a bold directness and COM
plete disregard for the so-called
amenities of beauty. What faults he
has are of a positive rather than a
negative sort. His paintings are in
variably forceful and aggressive. One
may quarrel with his choice of sub
ject, but none can claim that his
presentation is weak. Essentially, he
paints what he sees. He is not a
psychologist and does not attempt to
interpret life. He is great painter
rather than a great artist
There are men who have a mighty
ambition and puny capacity. There
are others, like Bellows, who seem to
reverse this order, whose capability
seems to outstrip their aspirations.
In his prize painting he gives a triple
portrait of a woman and her two
daughters, all three of whom seem
to be obviously posing. There is no
thought or vitality behind the ex
pressions, which, incidentally, are far
from agreeable. but they are types
and they are types which in our
American life must be reckoned with
II is a realistic presentation. What
Sinclair Lewis did in his much dis
cussed book entitled Main Street
Bellows has done in this painting, and
he has accomplished his result
through an amazing mastery of tech
nique. The simplicity of his treat
ment, furthermore. shows him akin 10
Manet, and the descendant of Nelas-
queZ. though unfortunately he lacks
il would seem. the sense of beauty
I III L,
possessed.
But Bellows is a great painter. We
may like or We may hate his work
| but we must admit his mastery OF
medium, and his pictures, once seen
will not prove easily forgotten.
! 4 & = i
II is a little more difficult TO under.
stand why the third award-Cor
coran medal and Clark prize-wen
10 Maurice Prendergast. unless i
were in appreciation of the indi
lviduality OF his work and his tenac
!ity for holding to single style.
style quite out of the ordinary
| Mr.. Prendergast invariably fills hi
canvases with figures. but subject
lively his pictures do not signify.
PrendergaSt enthusiast will alway
point out that it is the pattern o
+, his compositions and their colorfu
! charm which set them apart Tht
same might hold good in greater de
| gree of a woven fabric. a Persian rus
or an embroidery. Prendergast EN-.
/ broiders his theme. no matter how
commonplace. with pigments. anC
does succeed in producing, If one for
gets all else. "A pleasing ensemb bic
To the painter-jury this probabl!
/ seemed an accomplishment worth.
| of award.
The impression in the mind of thu
public is that the prizes in this anc
other exhibitions are given for thu
| first, second, third and fourth bes
ipictures shown in the entire collec
tion, although the catalogue plainl,
states that all are not eligible-ir
other words. that many of the pic
itures shown are not in the competi-
ton. For instance, to be eligible fol
prize in this exhibition the pic
iture must have been painted withir
( the past two years, and it can never
have won a prize of equal or superior
value. The pictures which are not in
the competition are indicated in the
catalogue by an asterisk. but this es-
icapes the eyes of the majority.
For instance, Cecilia Beax' Cir
with Cat" ~. REPLICA dhas Of orI which ,n sr, i
Ralph Clarksons Portrait of Ed
ward f. Aver" Daniel CARRIERS "Syc-
amores" and Edmund TarbelIs por.-
trait of his daughters THE Sisters.
must be confessed that Emil Carl
sens open Sea- and Waiter Elmer
Schofields June Morning were
eligible for prize awards. as were
also NJ. Jean McLanes Portrait OF
Luncheon at Lone Locust"
x X !: x
The second Corcoran medal and
Clark prize went to Charles w. Hew-
thorne's figure painting. THE Mate
g. ruddy, seafaring man. presumably
iof Provincetown. which. having been
lately painted. was eligible for award
whereas his infinitely finer Fisher
mans Daughter" lent by the Mac
lbeth Galleries, had to be passed over
for the simple reason that it was
painted a good many years ago. The
lprize picture is obvious-strong. col
orful. a. fine piece of realism, but the
"Fisherman's Daughter has subtlety
and spiritual signlhcance-a very
beautiful work.
So. after all. prizes do not mean all
they seem, and If a vote of the paint
ors was taken it is quite likely that
II would be in favor of their dis
con ontinuance-and yet it must be ad
mitted that the exhibitions wherein
the highest prizes are offered are
those to which the painters con-
tribute their best
X X * X
The psychology of prize juries is
undoubtedly perplexing. but there
seems to be a remarkable unanimity
in the matter of awards. For in
stance, George Bellows not only re-
ceived this year the first Clark prize
of $4,000 and the Corcoran gold medal