Evening star., 1924-10-05

here by an exhibition OF
L paintings by Russell Cheney.
at the Nandycls Galleries and
two minor exhibitions, one of wood
block prints. the other OF photographs
ny members t the Photographic Fed
Grafton Of Scotland. at the Smith
sonian. the last in the old Museum
building.
Mr.. Cheney is one OF the younger
generation and his work is essenti-
ally in the spirit of the time. Though
not an extreme modernist. his paint
ings are in the modern mode. He
uses as it were, the modernistS' YER
-nacular. but he is inherently a lover
Of beauty, and he has fine color
Scnce, which modify the brutality of
The modernistS' form Of expression.
He comes of that family of silk
manufacturers. the Cheneys OF South
Manchester. Conn. who have done
So much through appreciation of the
Importance of the art element in the
matter of design to place our Amer
lean silks not only par with
those produced in France. but in the
category of the finest productions of
all times.
He was trained in academic schools
in New York and Paris. so if he
disreSardS the amenities il is not
because of ignorance nor Il mista ken
idea that such disregard is short
Cut 10 success. What he has achieN ed
is freshness Of color and direct
ness of effect which are eminentIy
desirable. Seen at the length of the
gallery. his paintings not only carry
.cnN iction. hut are delightful in their
simplicity and freshness. in the force
"f artistic utterauc-. But they do
not stand close inspection. he did
not intend that they should. He is
not trying to copy or TO initiate
nature. To the average visitor these
pictures may seem crude. but the fact
'& they are extremely sophisticated.
To paint in this way is much more
difficult and requires greater tech
nlcal experience, as Well knUwl
"Ice. than to follow in the footsteps
"f those who have tried to initiate
nature.
Mr.. Cheney chooses unusual sub
jcCts. For instance. one Of the pie
tireS in the present exhibition is of
q boy Of ten or twelve years of aGc,
tucked up in big four poster bed.
reading a book in room flooded
with sunlight. 1t is entitled "Tr"as-
ure Island. Another gives a View
and not d particularly interesting
"ne-through a large French windcw
v. both instances. however, The
artist has succeeded in re-creating
Il" illusions "f atmosphere and light
''4'N 49, b'NH 10 ~ ~ SllIE WIN
color.
To suppose that art of this fype
= the last word would br foolish
y the painter himself was satisfied
lis progress would have ceased. The
Fascination of golf il the perpetual
hope of betteriug ones own record
The art Of painting S much the same
among those vino arr sincere. VINO
IT" seeking truth. and have a vision
russell Cheney - h. It.
among those OF whom this may bs
*..iG. therefore for all who are fol
wing with interest and open H. nd
-" new movement in art. his cxhi-
Ii'i"n is nnt only intcreStin2 but
;rOrds er"uura cement.
THE woodbiock prints are the SEE
ond Of a series Of loan eXhlbi-
tons which nave been arranged by
lsu"I +. Iolmau of the division of
graphic art>. t. be shown in the
Smithsonian Building between SEN
tenIber Is. 1924 and May :, 1925. Il
comprises approximately 80 exhibits
ny 10 "f the lead ng woodblo,k print
erS. and was assembled and iS sent
out by the American Federation OF
ArtS
N"odb!o'h printing i> I compa ra-
lively recent dee opment N this
country. 1t doubtless derived lis
mrs; impetus from the w"odblocl;
prints of Japan. and the first Amer
lean uOOdblock printer of conSe-
Guence WAS tn. late Helen Hyde. who
learned the art in Japan and was
conceded by the japanese to be a
master craftsman.
II is interesting TO note. in re-
viewing such a group OF woodblock
prints as these now on view here
Row indiN idual the work of the sev-
r.rs, = l.
instance. the prints evidence to indie
p.nd.nce of vision
Heading the list. and meritinc in
nl.uy ways first place because of the
success of his ach ercment is Gus
taN' Baumann of Santa Fe. New Mex
leo. Wh0Se prints not only possess
decorative. quality but show crca:
tarm Of composition and richness of
color. of equal interest. and possi-
by merit. however. are the prints
"I Alice r. HuGer smith of Charles
ton. :. G.. who has chosen as her
reid for irtefpr Ia tion typical South
eIn sCenr~. such as moonlight Night
on Cooper River" rendered in the
mannar of the Japanese. but in the
spirit Of the Southland.
How Widespread is the movement
IS evidenced by the fact that among
The exhibiting artists are Pedro and
Frank LemoS Of California. the for
ner especially we'll known as editor
cf til" School Arts Ma gazine: Harold
Iav"n Brown of Indianapolis. one
rime director of the John Heron Art
Institute Of that city: Ambrose Pat
ferson of Seattle. Wash Margaret
Patterson of Boston. Walter J.
Phillips Of Winnipeg. and Rudolph
kuziCka of Dohbs Ferry. ~ Y. One
local artist finds repreSentation-Iris
h' atty-and her three eXhi bits Blue
lVening. East River" THE Yellow
Branch and The Cherry Blossoms.
Washington. are all of conspicuous
n,r, t-charming works.
The woodbloCk print is essentially
n original expression. The artist
must do the printing. and each print
IS bound to vary. Yet these delight
fdl little pictures. iull of art and
essentially TO he REGARDED as indi-
Nldual EXPRESSIONS are purchase BILE
1T from SIX to twenty dollars each
" hat an opportunity is here afforded
/" begin a collection, to become a
patron of art
Among the other exhibitions for
which Mr. Tolman has made arrange
mentS are etchings by George Elbert
Burr of Denver. by Roi Partridge OF
California. by John Taylor Arms of
Connecticut and Ernest Haskell of
New York and California; besides
the travelling exhibitions of the Chi
cago and the Brooklyn Societies of
Etchers-an interesting program and
one full of promise of pleasure.
= !: X
THE photographic exhibition is
likewise interesting. 1t is the
most representative showing of for
eign prints this season." says A. J.
Olmsted, custodian of rhe section of
nh ornlN