Evening star., 1923-11-29
The North Window
BY LEILA MECBLIN

The National Academy OF Design.
which Is the second oldest art or
ganization in the country, having
been founded in 1925, is holding it's
regular winter exhibition in the So
called Fine Arts Galleries at 215
West 57th street. Academicians are
permitted to exhibit without submis-
sion to the jury, but, as evidence of
their hospitable spirit, more than
half-in fact, practically thirds
or the exhibits shown are by non
members. There are $50 in all.
Proverbially, "the academy" is ira
ditfonai-in fact, the word academic"
has come TO mean to the majority Of
persons unprogressive and deadly;
looking back rather than forward;
that which is weakening rather than
tending toward strength. Some hold
that the conservatism of the acade-
micians is essential to balance, pre-
venting the progressives excessively
tipping the scales too far by the
weight of their enthusiasm The
present exhibition would seem to dis
prove some of these suppositions 1t
is eminently sane, but it is essentially
up-to-date; and the few ultra con-
serVatlstS who have crept in must
find themselves quite out of place
amld the merry company of the
youthful adVenturers who constitute
the vast majority. Distinctly there
IS progress, and ii is along healthy
INES The painters are using color
boldly, but in most instances with a
nice sense of restraint; only a few
are garish in expression. And they
are turning their eyes in many direc-
tions, finding interest, vital interest,
IN that which is close at hand.
1t has been said repeatedly that
American art shows no national char
acteristics. but this can be said with
truth no longer. The winter exhibi-
ton Of the National Academy Of De-
sign is essentially American, and yet
the racial tendencies of those who
have come from other lands and
thrown their gifts into the great
melting pot of the nation portray
themselves now and then.
Elisabeth Luther Cary, art critic OF
the New York Times, called attention
to this in her review of the exhibi-
ton, referring particularly to two
figure paintings by Giovanni Trocoli,
one of "A New England Woman"
the other "A Lady From SaIem," both
Of whom would seem to have been
descended from Latin rather than
Puritan ancestors. some one" Miss
Cary says. should get to work with
this problem, so much more interest
ing than ectOplaSm, ana tell US just
why Italians see Italy, Russians Rus
Sia, etc 1t IS curious and yet il Is
reasonable that a painter should
more or less inject his own person
l.
own traditions Of sight into his work ;
and il IS a we'll known fact that this
Is the case. If one We're to choose a
portrait painter, therefore. it would
be the part Of wisdom apparently to
select q handsome one; certainly TO
select one of ones own nationality.
X \ x
AT one end of the great Vanderbilt
gallery hangs large upright canvas,
purposed evidently as d mural panel,
which allegoricalIy interprets THE
RecesSionaL" 1t is by Edward Saw
age, former fellowship holder in
painting at the American Academy in
Rome. To it the jury of award gave
the second Altman prize. At the OPP
posite end hangs a large painting by
Philip Hale of Boston, setting forth
scene from or Interpretation of
''Tannhauser." Both pictures empha-
painting and music-perhaps one
might say the arts of painting, poetry
and music.
It may be news to many that a
couple of years ago the Steinway
Company of New York commissioned
number of distinguished American
artists to paint a series of pictures to
composers. These pictures were
later reproduced in color and pri-
, yately printed by the Steinway Com
pany in a book, with text by the late
James Huneker, his last important
piece of work. In the foreword TO
this publication he says: 1T was an
admirable idea to enlist the sympa-
thetic cooperation of certain Ameri-
; can artists in the creation of pictures
! that would evoke musical visions,
! for music is visionary, notwfthstand-
! ing its final appeal TO the ear. Wal
| ter Pater was perfectly justified when
| he described music as an art to which
| the other arts aspire; nevertheless, TO
! invest tonal or arabeSque with form
! and color has always proved a haz-
! ardous experiment. because it pre-
! supposeS a knowledge of the theme
| on the part of the spectator and a
| felicitous Interpretation on the part
/! of the artist" He then reminds the
! reader that it was Franz LiSZt who
! declared that his ambition was To
play in the Salon Carre in the Louvre,
! that treasure gallery where, under
| the challenging glanceS of Da Nlnci,
| GIorgione, Rembrandt. Titan, Paoli
| Veronese, Raphael and other similar
| creations, he would discourse his own
magical music." 1t is an interesting
; thought and one which might be fol-
lowed at length with profit.
! * X X
! But to return to the pictures them
selves. Two are by \. c. Wyeth,
! beethoven and Nature showing
the great master musician composing
his Sixth Symphony" in the field by
! the brook, where. to use his own Ian
/ guage, 1.-The quails, nightingales and
cuckoos roundabout composed along
| with me-" Mr.. Wyeth also did "Wag-
ner and Liszt.'' the former listening
with intent emotion to the latter's
! playing.
/ John c. Johansen has portrayed
! Iiszt seated at the piano as an old
man dreaming of his past triumphs,
! of his trials and sorrows. Ernest
! Peixotto in an imaginative compost
| ton interprets MacDowelrs Indian
( Suite: Melody heard in the heavens
/ before the white man arrives: A. l.
| Keller chose to illustrate the dra-
matte entrance of George Sands and
| her son in Chopin's studio when the
| "Raindrop Prelude" was composed.
! And so it goes. Story and music.
| biography and portraiture, each OF
the great composers is represented