Evening star., 1924-06-01
Students Score in Art Exhibit
Unusual Exhibition Held by Corcoran
Gallery School, -

drawing is being done in order to
familiariZe the student with the hu-
man figure. Tere memory studies
made in an hour after fifteen minutes
study of pose. an excellent drill.
bearing fruit in the work set forth
by the class in composition.
This class was organized only last
fall but it made an exceptionally in
teresting showing. Various subjects
taken from well known books. such
"A Tale of Two Cities" Romeo and
Juliet" etc, were given out by the
instructors and the students were
free to interpret them as they pleas
ed. The result was a series in many
instances of extremely clever illu-
strations, showing a power of com
position well as an ability to
place figures in proper relation I"
environment that was rather sur
prising. In several cases these IL
lustrations reached almost a profes-
sional standard.
The portrait work and that or the
other classes in painting likewise
showed distinct progress. As a rulr
II is in the portrait class that the
dreariest work is found, for clumsy
painting is even worse than clumsy
drawing. But this painting was noc
clumsy, and the color in most cases
was good. The heads were well con
structed, and though frankly ac-
ademic. were strong and promising
In all of the classes certain work was
done without instruction. in order to
demonstrate the students strength
or weakness. Among the best of such
work was some Of the portrait draw
ings in charcoal and red chalk
The stlll life paintings. which Were
hung in the anteroom TO the special ex-
hibitlon gallery. were of such uniform
merit that 1t must have been difficult
to have selected the best for award
| The subjects set forth were not par
ticularly interesting or inspiring, buf
were selected and arranged, doubles
as simple exercises. These students. il
should be remembered. are learning to
paint pictures not producing picture
at this time. therefore the simpler tht.
better, 1t was this sincerely student
viewpoint which notably characterized
this exhibition.
The tendency of today is to max,
use of every short cut in art which
may promise quick return. the ambi-
tion being to achieve with as littl'
cost of laEor as possible; and tn"
penalty is a vast amount of half
baked work. which, because of clever
ness, engages current attention. bu'
possesses none of those qusliti".
which make for permanency of in
tcrest. The kind of training which
these 300 and more students are ap-
parently having here in our Corcoran
School of Art is calculated to coun-
teract just such influence as this
and to give US in the near futur"
art of a better sort.
1t has been said by those who are
in a position to know that no longer
was 1t necessary for students of art
in Ame rica to go abroad to learn
This has usually been taken to mean
that the art schools of New York
Philadelphia and Boston have been
Cornpa rahlc with the best in Europcz
II is not too much to say that the eH-
hibition Of the COrcoran School las
week shows that it is no lonEcr
necessary for students to go to thcS'
cities to study art, that as good. u
not better. training is being given her
now than in these greater mctrop"-
lises When a few years ago. at th'
invitation of the trustees of the Cor
coran Gallary of Art. Edmund c. Tar
bell of Boston came to Washington
to reorganize and direct the Cor
coran School of Art he declared 1t his
ambition to make it the best art school
in the country. Through the co
operation and able assistance OF the
instructors Richard S. Meryman.
Burtis Baker and Mathilda Muedoh
Leisenring he has apparently gone I"
long way toward the accomplishmen1
of this goal. LEILA MECHLl-N.