Evening star., 1923-04-22
exhibition OF paintings draw.
\ ings and water colors by Gif-
Il ford Beal opened at the Arts

1 \ ford Beal opened at the Arts
club, 2O17 l street last Tues
day and constitutes an event of con-
SIDERABLE note. Mr.. Beal is one of
'le most forceful and individual Of
tho younger American painters. In
1914 he was awarded the third Clarl,
fnedal at the Corcoran Gallery's ex-
hlbitlon and before that time his work
had secured for him much coveted
awards in the exhibitions of the Ma
tlonal Academy Of Design. the Ma
tfonal Arts Club, the Newport Art
Association, the Philadelphia Water
Color Club and other important ex-
hlbitions. In the Metropolitan Mu-
scum, New York. at the Art Institute
or Chicago. the Syracuse Museum, the
San Francisco Museum of Ar: and the
Detroit Museum he is represented BY
typical examples.
IN spirit his work is modern. but
II is founded on tradition. His com
positions are we'll selected. his draw
ing good. his construction inyaria bly,
strohg. To some. his pictures may
seem to lack in finish, but for this
shortcoming they make up in virility
1ul character. Most interesting of
all the exhibits at the Arts Club are
paintings of the seacoast the rugged
rock bound shore of New England
or OF more northern part of our
continent, il matters not. What is
important is that they truly interpret
the stern severity and majesty of
thlS phase of nature. together with
It's beauty Of strength and force. The
restless sea, which lie pictures gives
Indication Of both the weight and
power of water and suggests the tire
less restlessness of the waves. The
rocky promontorics that he paints
are indeed aWe-inspiriug, forbidding
and yet alluring. And in his pictures
he Introduces the element of life. the
relation of nature to man. or man to
nature. showing fishermen in boats
or silhouetted against the sky. carry
ing their nets. bending forward
against the wind and under their
task. There is a dramatic quality in
| al these pictures, which lifts them
above the trivial.
But Mr.. Beal is not invariably stern
In his art. In this same exhibition
are pictures of garden parties. fes-
tive scenes under the trees adjacent
TO old colonial mansions. CLINT OF
the smiling sea TO be caught in the
d:stance--a truly summer scene. typi-
cal of social seaside life in New Eng
land Instantly flashes into ones
mind reminiscent thought Of Mon
tiCelli: but Mr.. Beal's pictures are not
" ere his. they belong to our own
time and 10 our own country. they
are impressions OF con temporary life
The same qualities that are observed
in his oil paintings are equally evil
dent in his water COlorS and draw
ings Tho former remind one a bit
of Winslow Homer, the latter delight
particularly because of their direct
ness and obvious significance.
Whether one likes Mr.. Beals PANT
inCS or not, one must find them Stlm-
ulating and acknowledge the unusual
gift and power OF the painter. Gif-
ford Beal Is unqucstionablv among
the big men Of today.
:: - :: x
IN the lower room at the Arts Club
was to be seen this week an in
teresting little exhibition of portraits
in red chalk by Naomi Rhodes. whose
tame is new among Washington ez
hiDitors. They are simple heads. we'll
modelled artistically rendered and d
type Of portraiture. which is steadily
coming back into vogue.
x = =
4 y important exhibition Of portra IS
( by Charles Wilson Peale. James
Peale. his brother. and Rembrandt
Peale. his son. has been assembled
by and is now on view in the Penn
syIvania Academy pf Fine Arts. Phil
adelphia.
Peale. the cider il will he remem-
bered. was one of the founders Of
the academy. the oldest art institu-
tiOn of this kind in the country. He
was born at Chestertown. Queen
Anne county, Md. in 1I4l. and his
birth is recorded in the vestry rec
ords OF ST. Paul'S parish Of that
county. His father kept the first free
school at CharleStoun. Md, but died
when his son. Charles. was but lad
I He was. therefore. apprenticed at the
age OF thirteen TO saddler or An
napolis. later becoming a clock and
watch maker, which occupation led
lin to silversmithins.
From early hoyhood he had fond
ness for drawing. and for no reason
that any one can explain save the
urge Of inherent talent. attempted
landscapes and portrait painting on
his own initiative. without instruc-
ton. without the inspiration of eX-
amples. He was an enterprIsine per-
son, Jealous con Of freedom From
John HesseliuS 'hc, younger. who
was then living in the neiGhborhood
of Annapolis. he got some instruction
in painting; later he travelled TO Bos-
ton and had some lessons from Cop
ley. 1t was Charles Carroll of Car
rollton, WHO, recognizing his talent
became his patron. raised subscrip-
ton for his benefit, secured letter
OF introduction for him to Benjamin
West and sent him to London. where
he remained for two years. He was
not. he says in his journal. contented
to know how to paint at one way. but
engaged in the whole circle OF arts