Evening star., 1924-12-12
in TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

| certain minor details have been critf-
ciZeo. the general plan being enthu-
siastically approved The architect is
making the desired changes-fewer
windows and more skylight, mainly
but whether Congress will authorize
tne building In the general approval
OF the many buildings needed, remains
still for the dreams Of the optimistic
! "futurists"
!: Z: !: j.
Nevertheless, Washington is "eo-
| ing to develop as the great art CEN
ter of America. With the absence OF
industries" and the unexampIed
presence of more scientists than has
any other community in the world. all
conditions point to the Capital as
| ideal for culture of the esthetics
| Art influences are at work. Prove it!
| Ihe \ painters indicated 1t, with
their interesting exhibit in the Cor
coran Gallery last week. The same
gallery also shows special water
color exhibit by Lucien f. Powell of
| which any gallery might be proud
The Landscape Society has shown
that art is in the very air of Wash
inston, seeking expression. The old
time idea that only in Europe ia
glorious scenery Is no longer toIer-
ated by one who has "seen America
first
But what is Washington really do
ing to make art POPULAR" demands
| an art lover, who is serious in his
| urge and is neither a technician nor
dilletante.
What we need. first, is to estab-
lish standards of art" answers the
art commissioner.
What standards, you ask?" the
commissioner continues. People win
not learn art without standards. Not
10 per cent of the pictures in - gal
| lery would be hung If proper stand
ards were adhered to. Gazing at pic
lures in galleries will not teach the
people anything. 1t Is not the rub
bernecks who trail through galleries
who are going to elevate art"
The art commissioner pointed to the
high standards of the Freer Gallery to
illustrate the ideal-"not intended to
appeal to the uneducated in art"
yet the very hoi-poiloi of France
and other European countries appre-
ciate the art they see in the Louvre
and the Luxembourg-and in the
Florence galleries and the Sistfne
Chapel and other great public ex-
hibits of the best art in the world" "
was suggested by the connoisseur.
adding: ITO the uninitiated, the Venus
ue NHo As Dut HSurc OF q deShy
woman, who has lost her arms: to
one who studies 1t, draws 1t seriously.
discovers it's grace and the flow OF
line, its beauty is disclosed. Why will
not familiarity and study of all art,
as shown in our galleries, aid the
public in understanding-and appre-
ciating-its beauty? How else will
that beauty ever become known? ?
What standards must first be cata-
iogued?
SIS there any reason why Wash
ington might not have a great annual
salon, like that of Paris? The curator
of the National Art Gallery says that
II there were wall room in the gal
lery, tho nation would receive gifts
of million dollars worth of art an
nually. 1 was told, yesterday" in
sisted the connoisseur, "by the owner
of one of the finest collections Of
paintings in America that she was
only waiting to donate her pictures
worth millions, I estimate-as soon
as the National Gallery could care
for them"
What America needs Is to get back
to serious art-away from the clap
trap Of modern fads," declares Lucien
Powell, the 7S-year-old dean of
Washington painters, whose glowing
| color was pronounced by John s.
Sargent was "unequaled in the paint
ing of American canyons" and who
has been designated by the wife Of q
former British Ambassador as ethe
American Turner"
FIX standards OF art2" added Ar.