Evening star., 1923-06-28
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN

exist. Vnere are others, also, VINO
style themselves optimists and re-
fuse to believe that there is anything |
but bright side to life and to art.
Such dispose of modernism IS a pass
ing phase and insist that it is rapidly |
dying out. but the signs are to the
contrary.
More and more the work of the
modernists are finding their way into
cetemporary exhibitions. The four
Institutes international exhibition
We're awarded this year to works
showing modernistic tendencies, II
not distinctly modern In character
works perfectly uninteltgible. SO far
as merit goes, to the general public;
yet these awards were made by ar
lists of high standing who. had at
tained to more than years of discre-
ton. Exhibitions of works by Matisse,
Gauguin and Van Gogh are still be-
ing held in Paris and attracting wides
attention. Within the month a group
of students at the Pennsylvania Acad-
emy of the Fine Arts, the oldest and
one of the most conservative art
schools in the country, petitioned for
the appointment of a rank modernist
to replace an instructor whose work
and teaching are academically SOUND.
These are all startling indications OF
a condition which, seriously consider
ed, cannot help but be found alarm
ing.
An exponent of modernism in art
was asked recently to name some OF
those modernists who through their
works had added beauty to the world.
After a few moments thought one
that of Arthur Davies. to whom the
first prize at the Carnegie Institutes
international exhibition was given Tor
a picture entitled After Thoughts OF
Earth" But Davis Is only half MOD
ernist, inasmuch as his landscapes are
invariably academic, even classic: Tne
figures that he introduces are unshapely
enough to satisfy the most advanced
and are meaningless save as color
spots in the composition. but MS
works are toneful. they are well com.
posed, they are beautiful In color, and
they are in these particulars just as
they were twenty years ago oelore
he began pursuing the rainpows OF
"isms." He Is not a typical modernist.
The tendency of modernism In
painting, as an literature, Is to throw
aside that which generations OF cuI-
ture have produced. the mower OF
civilization. 1t is an attempt TO re-
is impossible. however. through the
medium of sophistication. In Htera-
ture it means the adoption OF an
idiom of Main Street; in painting
II likewise finds expression In vul-
garism. 1t would seem to indicate a
breaking down Of an overripe civil
lization. Marie Antoinette played at
being milkmaid; those Of the upper
classes today seem to be trying TO
find enjoyment by initiating the low
bred Of our cities.
To the student of art who merely
wants to get on" modernism holds
out allurements, inasmuch as 1t
provides short cuts to attainment,
such as 1t Is. The study Of art is
long, tedious business. a discipline
against which many rebel, ard when
prizes are given to works which seem
to be i'll drawn and roughly painted,
which have but slight resemblance TO
the thing represented, why take the
time to learn and to unlearn? The
conclusion Is logical.
The modernist does not try to pre-
sent things as they are seen, but
rather endeavors to set forth per-
which is seen: whether these impress
sions be worth while or whether they
be intelligent to others seems to mat
ter little. The worst Of II is that
works of this sort are often shown
in conjunction with weak paintings
OF the academic kind, and, through
their bolder line and more vigorous
color, emphasize the weakness of the
latter. Academic art may limp at
times. but II does not always do so.
and for this reason 1t does not need
to be cast aside, inasmuch as 1t has
for centuries been joy-giving. en-
nobling. Because we have compara-
lively few Titians and Rembrandts
today does not prove that the way
they painted was wrong and that we
nf
One often hears 1t said that the
modernists are striving to produce
In the spirit of childhood, but when
children have a gift they do not
produce in this way. For example,
take little Eileen Soper, who, when
but fifteen. won an enviable reputa-
tion for herself by etchings OF chill
dren at play. She Is the daughter of
an etcher. but her father has not. 1t
is said, in any way Influenced her
work other than to insist upon cor
rectness, criticizing it freely and
frankly. In a recent exhibition at the
resented by a series of twenty-five
etchings, all of children. charming
works. full of action, gayety. CO.
temporary spirit, but academically
sound-that is. we'll drawn, nicely
composed, beautifully executed =
works which not only appeal to the
eye but the heart, which have a soul
and spirit. as well as visible form.
And is not this what the modern
lists are everlastfngly talking about
personal expression. indication of
thought, yet in this instance not In
compa tible with academic formulas?
A number Of this little English
girls etehings are included in the
permanent collection of the Library
|of Congress: others have recently been
reproduced in the London studio. One
shows group of children playing
leapfrog-a little lass Is seen hurt
ling through the air as she makes
the leap; another pictures children
jumping rope, three in the act OF
going over; a third shows a group
Of children coasting on "scooters,"
full yet delightful maid OF three or
four poised high in the air. Such
pictures give delight and add beauty
to the world. which, according to
their own confession. the modernists
have not yet done. They are real art
and any one is worth all of these un-
intelligible, vulgar utterances which
are today attracting so much attea-
ton, taking prizes and bewildering
so many.
= +
In this connection it is interesting
to know that the American artist
whose works all foreign artists seem,
according to Mr.. Homer Saint
Gaudens, to agree in admiring, Is
Albert Ryder, man who stands
high with the collectors and in the
ao}fy "a ~ f,of inf httf uhA To-