Evening star., 1924-02-10
NHE nota BILE exhibitions of con-
temporary American paintings
which the Corcoran Gallery of

which the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art holds biennially are of eX-
traordinary interest "a delightful
feature OF art life in Washington. but
v hen these exhibitions. are over and
the gallerys permanent collection is
reinstalled there is invariably a sense
of satisfaction similar to that occa-
stoned by the reunion of old friends.
And this is as it should be. for the
pictures in the permanent collection
have been assembled gradually, and
Nhave been selected for superlative
merit, whereas the transient exhini
tion is ephemeral and is purposed to
keep the public in touch with the cur
rent art of the day. Because of the
numerous purchases made at each of
these recurrent exhibitions little
change is made every time in the re-
hanging, and this. in itself gives a
note of freshness, the visitor finds old
acquaintances in new company.
A MONG the new paintings now on
view in the Corcoran Gallery of
Art and included in its permanent
collection for the first time are not
only those purchased from the recen:
rificence of the w. A Clark fund,
Corcoran Gallery of Art by the late
George NJ. oyster. These too, are
paintings by American art rtists-choice
and beautiful works which fit admir-
ably into the gallery's collection and
greatly enhance it's value.
For instance, included in this group
is an exquisite spring landscape by
Metcalf, which admirably compile
mentS his nocturne. May Night"
purchased by the Corcoran Gallery
some years ago. There is also a land
scape by Weir, beautiful in compost
tien as well as in rendering, little
masterpiece of the world for all time
Note should also be made of a charm
ing and very unusual Hassam. little
mouse with Towering bush beside it :;
and Davis summer landscape which
Nles i'll Importance and interest with
that representative example of Mr.
Davis work in the Evans collection
in the National Gallery of Art. Among
the other pictures bequeathed is a
small winter landscape by Redfield
Quite different in vein from the large
Redfield, which the Corcoran Gallery
las lately acquired and which now
hangs in the so-called place of honor
in tine third American room
Tn the cases in the upper atrium
= where in it has become customary
to show small one-man exhibitions
of water colors and etchings, there
is now to be seen a collection of
twenty water colors by J. Olaf Olson,
an American of Swedish extraction.
who is rapidly coming to the fore
as a painter of force and individ-
uality.
Mr.. Olson was born in Minnesota
10 hnx
farm. From his sixteenth to his
nineteenth year he. Travelled through
the Canadian northweSt md - est
instruction in art was had in Seattle.
Later he painted in Js.ilfoin.a, ex-
hibiting for the first time at the Sa n
Francisco exposition. Then followed
Il period of travel in Italy. Some of
the paintings which are included in
this exhibition were done in Italian
cities and admirably transcribe their
ancient monuments, suggesting vivid
]y the sense of weight and bulk which
characterizes all Roman building
His water colors are in pure color
land clear wash. but they are crisp
and virile. He seems not to incline
TO any one special subject, rendering
not only architectural themes, but
. landscapes, marines. shipping and
figures with equal interest. Some find
in his work suggestion of the water
Coiors of Benson of Sargent and of
Wfnslow Homer, but this merely
means that they are strong and good.
that he has recognized the limitations
as well as the possibilities of his
medium and has employed it well, in
fact even more than we1l-in a
mastery manner
Mr.. Olson is member of the New
York Water Color Club. the Amer
lean Water Color Society, the Aquarel-
lists and the Salmagundi Club.
+ X Il
TT does not seem TO he eepera1I,- nm
derstood that the Phillips Memoir.
tal Gallery, 1902 21st street, is now
open TO the public on Tuesday, Satur-
day and Sunday afternoons from 2