Evening star., 1923-10-27
WATERCOL0RCLUB
EXHIBITION OPENS
222 Exhibits of Rare Charm
and Technical Skill to Be
Seen at Corcoran.

opened To-Day ltS tWenty-elSntH an
nual exhibition In the Corcoran Gal
lery of Art. and better showing II
has never made. There are 222 ex-
hibits, occupying not only the semi
circular gallery for special exhibi-
tions and the anteroom, but the first
American gallery as well. Much OF
the work is by local artists. but al
most every picture which has been
hung is OF exceptional interest and
merit. 1t Ia amazing that any jury
exhibition could attain and maintain
so high a standard.
The first impression one has upon
entering the rectangular gallery is Of
freshness OF color and crispness of
execution. These artists have had
something to say anu have said IL ad-
mirably. For a long timo water
colors have had a bad name and have
been associated in the minds of many
with amateur effort: but here Is pro-
fessional work which possesses riril-
ity and evidences of skill. Further
more. 1t Is OF joyous sort. apparently
done with xsst and SO engenderinG
enjoyment.
And how varied are both subjects
and technical methods! There are
figures. genre. landscapes. architec-
turai themes, boat pictures and ma
rines. and last, but not least In the
matter of charm, flower paintings.
bury and Frank w. Benson, foremost
among the water colorists Of our day.
have each made one or more contri-
buttons to the collection, but the fact
duly from among the others goes to
show that the collection as whole
is made up OF "all star" pictures.
In the frst gallery. on the dong wall
to the west. hangs a group of water
colors by William II. Holmes, presi-
dent of the Washington Water Color
Club and director of the National CAL
lery OF Art--landscapes all. showing
broad views OF sky and country. love-
ly In tone. oharmingiy rendered. with
an evident keen sense of the pictur-
esque and large understanding Of
those qualities which constitute q
real work Of art.
French Views Charm.
On either side Of the Holmes group
hang groups of little pictures by Les
ley Jackson-views in a French viii
1age, Oisilly. Cote d'Or, quaint, pic
toriaf and full of character. Miss
Jackson spent FIVE months recently
In this little village and has brought
back and displays In this exhibition
other beautiful little portraits of
place." most artistically rendered.
or conspicuous merit and interest
Is a landscape by Annie ID. Kelly.
"Monocacy Valley" and of rare In
terest. likewise broadly painted. Is a
picture by Elizabeth Spaulding en-
titled "At Six of Summer Morning
Colorado" Arthur F. Musgrave, presi-
dent of the Arts Club. Is admirably
represented by a leafy wood interior.
''T'he Woodland Pool" and a study.
charmingly picturesque and at the
90 tir,1. TO- u re ~
Felicie Waldo Howell. who, as q
rule, paints town and city pictures.
shows Il very attractive composition
entitled pines" reminiscent of views
on the north shore of Massachusetts,
where one looks through the trees to
the sea.
There is a profusion of blossom pic
lures and all of exceptional merit A
number are by NJ. w. Zimmerman and
very Japanese in appearance. Others
by equally we'll known painters are
more subtly handled.
Dee Besbe sends pictures somewhat
In the English method, of Lake
Thun" and of a Swiss IN ountain
House." which add variety and in
terest. L. NJ. Leisenring. on the other
hand, contributes a most engaging
when op we Sosses es
standing side by side, Of great archi-
tectural beauty. There is a fasci-
mating portrait Of a little boy. by
Hilda Belchert and two very at
books by Blanche Greer. Clara r.
Saunders sends two rather vague but,
with all, artistic Impressions" of
two figures and very handsome
From Alfred Hutty has come
number of etchings, the former
rather high-keyed and rendered
somew what in the impressionistfc
mood. Harriet Roosevelt Richards
sends an engaging iittle picture. very
entitled Runaway rabbits"
Benson Moore is well represented
by group Of landscapes done in his
characteristic and very acceptable
manner. Yarnall Abbott is repre-
BY n frsap of a1Ss sIn ps
Bay" and F. M. Lamb adds to the
interest of the exhibition by con.
tributing two very lovely subjects,
Indian Summer and "A Sunlit Hill
side." both rendered poetic with feel
ing.
An exceedingly attractive wood in
terror comes from Elizabeth Hunt
Barrett, and Herbert Francis Clark
makes a definite contribution in two
little pictures. crisply and knowingly
ming" and Near Sundance, wyo-
ming --..---
Flower Paintings Unusuni.
AS has been said before, the flower
paintings in this exhibition are of an
unusual character, modernistic and
yet sufficiently conservative. colorful,
but Of a sort Of which one does not
tire. Elisabeth Mulhofer, Mary X.
Porter. Alice Willoughby, Susan B.
Chase 8. Peter Wagner, Rose Wag-
ner. Iona Miller. Keplinger and Dor
othy Kalb, all show work which mer-
its special commentator.
There are an attractive picture of q
San Francisco mission, by c. H. Ben
turnes by w. c. L. White; broadly
rendered mountain picture. and "A
Brook in February" by Gertrude B.
Bourne of Boston. and a handsome
composition of boats seen under a
dramatic effect of sunset light, ad-
mirabiy rendered by Theo J. Nor
gan, besides an attractive village
street scene by Mary Nicholena Mac
Cord, to mention only few.
This exhibition. which opens today.
will continue until the Goth of No
nifty not only for enjoyment during
the period that these works are on
view, but also possibility of acquisi-
ton. They are not expensive pic
lures, the majority ranging in price
from $26 to $3.50 or $500, yet in al
most every instance they are Of such
merit that they bear comparison with
the best. From first to- last it Is an
uncommonly fine exhibition.
LEILA MECHLIN.