Evening star., 1924-04-27


across contemporaneous works of
art Of such subtle charm and
beauty as the pencil portraits by
the Duchess Of Rutland now on view
in the Vandyck Galleries. Thirty-five
or these in a single row encircle the
walls of the middle gallery, into
which one enters directly upon ar
rival. They are portraits OF the great
and Of the humble. There is one of
the Prince Of Wales in khaki, done in
1920, and another tiny little drawing
OF the same royal parsonage aged
two months. There is one of Lord
French and one of Paderewski. But
for the most part the collection Is
made up of portrait studies of the
actors and actresses included in the
cast OF ~The Miracle" that marvel
ously spectacular drama which has
attracted SO much attention and Gre
Sted so much discussion in New York
this winter. Among these people is
the artists own daughter, Lady Dr.
ana Manners, whose beauty has long
been proclaimed.
1t is not however, the greatness
OF her sftters, nor even their claim
to beauty OF feature, which gives
these drawings distinction. but rather
.neir power to interpret charm of
personality, human loveliness-one
might almost say ovablcness-for in
some mysterious manner the Duchess
or Rutland has manifested this quail
ity in all whom she has portrayed.
And how hard 1t is to define this
Quaiity-the turn of a cheek, the line
OF lip, the CLINT OF an eye, a little
something that for an instant raises
the curtain OF the soul and creates
understanding. There is nothing
feeling and sympathy. and in the
handling of line the Duchess of Rut-
iand shows surprising ability. 1t is
possible that she ideaiizes those she
draws. but in no one of her draw
inss is there trace OF ,haughtiness:
to the contrary. it is gehtleness and
refinement that she has emphasized
even In her portrait of Mary Pick
ford, which was done lately IN New
YORK and is given place in this
Augmenting the thirty-f1ve draw
ings in the one gallery is a collec-
ton OF twenty-five small sketches
made at ''The Miracle Of Lady Diana
Manners as the nun and the madonna
sketches about three by five inches
in dimensions, all interesting studies
OF expression very sensitively rem
dered.
1t this day OF much glamoring for
attention, even in the field of art 1t
is refreshing to find works of SO
reticent nature and SO insistent
with beauty.
X = \
EBEN F. CoMINS, whose studio is
- in the same building as the Van
dyck Galleries. 1911 Connecticut ave-
nue., is giving a private view this
afternoon OF several portraits recent
ly completed. and of series Of paint
ings which are commentaries on
American life. Among the portraits
are two three-Quarter lengths OF well
known Washington women. Mrs. John
Stewart McLennan and Mrs. Joseph
Adams Baer. Mrs. McLennan is pic
tured wearing a gown in the present
mode, made of petunia red satin Or
namented with Chinese embroidery,
and Mr.. Comins has painted her seat
ed in red lacquered Chinese chair
creating in his color scheme that dis
sonance dear to modernists, both in
painting and in music, which is
thought to Offset and emphasize re-
lated harInonies-an interesting and
rather daring feat. Mr.. Comins is one
who realizes, however, that a portrait
| to be of lasting value must be some
thing more than a mere likeness; that
McLennan, not only give likeness, but
| interpret personality and create ar
tistic impression through design and
| composition.
her also in a red gown, standing in a
| more conventions. attitude, but is
likewise unusual In type. The other
portraits are Of boys and are done
sketchily. showing the head directly
and well modelled, on an unpainted
cly rf >,
ant and clever way of recording
youth.
there was placed on view last
week, and may still be seen, six re-
cent portraits by Howard Chandler
Christy, three of which have been
painted in the White House, one of
the President, tTo of Mrs. Coolidge,
the one a full-length with outdoor
setting, ordered by the sorority Of
which Mrs. Coolidge is member,
and presented for permanent inclu-
sion in the national collection of por-
traits Of Presidents wives. The three
other paintings composing the group
are Of the Secretary of State and
Mrs. Hughes and OF the artists wife.
Mrs Christy,
That all are good likenesses none
can deny, and as this is the chief
measure OF merit which the public
! demands. it is not strange that they
have called forth general commenda-
tion. MIR. Christy has won an envia-
Bile reputation as an illustrator. Like
Charles Dana Gibson, he has created
popular feminine type and has been
idolized for almost a generation by
feminine magazine readers. And to
an extent in creating this type Of
feminine loveliness Mr.. Christy has
laid this generation under a certain
obligation. 1t is only lately that he
has taken to painting portraits in oil,
and it is not strange, therefore, that