Evening star., 1925-05-28
THE NORTH WINDOW
By Leila MecHHi.

subject Of monuments erected as
permanent memorials Of the Great
War. Only seven years have passed
since the signing Of the arnistice,
yet up to the present time the num-
Der of the really notable memorials
erected in this country is not great.
Probably the most costly and pre-
tentious of all which have yet come
into existence is that designed by II.
Van Buren Magonigle for Kansas
City, which is still In process of erec-
ton. This. 1t will be remembered, is
combination Of architecture and
sculpture. and has as its chief feature
tall shaft surmounted by a tripod
ascending from which by day will be
a column of smoke representing the
incense Of sacrifice, and by night
column Of light. typifying glorifica-
ton.
There have, of course, been num-
] erous memorials designed and erected,
I some by our sculptors, others by our
architects, but up to the present time
| no supreme example of memorial art
seems to have come into existence
called, as II were. from the depths
| Of emotion, which the soul-stirring
years Of the Great War brought forth.
| Perhaps this is we'll: possibly it may
| mean greater result in the future.
| Our Government has created, as every
| one knows, commission, headed by
| Gen. Pershing, to assume charge OF
\ the erection Of suitable memorials to
our American Army on European bat
| tlefields or in American cemeteries
| abroad. Some of these will take the
| form OF chapels, thus emphasizing
the spiritual quality Of these sacri-
fees.
In discussion Of this subject at the
recent convention Of the American
| Federation of Arts in Cleveland. Fred
eric Allen Whiting. director of the
I Cleveland Museum Of Art, said that
the most beautiful memorial which he
saw in his travels in Europe last Sum
mer took the form of a chapel, which
had been built adjacent to or as a part
| of the great Cathedral at Canterbury.
| This cathedral has in II, as the ma
| jority Of travellers know, a number of
tablets memorializing those who have
| rendered great service to their coun-
| try. Among these is one inscribed to
an officer of the army, and the inscrip-
| ton not only commentaries the sol
diers deeds, but sets forth what may
| well be regarded as q standard OF man.
| hood, thus serving for all time as the
| embodiment of the ideal, a stimulus to
like conduct.
| In the course OF the discussion pre-
viously referred to, Albert Kelsey, ar
| chitect, with Paul Cret, of the Pan
American Unions beautiful building
| in this city, made mention of a me.
mortal seen in Europe few years ago
which haunted his memory. 1t was
| the work of q Polish artist-a huge
| sculptured group representing a num-
| Der of soldiers storming a height-a
| ghastly theme, but SO lofty in con-
ception, so fine in execution, so deep
| ly impregnated with religious feeling
| that 1t was beautiful and could not
fail to impress all who saw it. 1t is
this spiritual quality which all war
memorials should possess.
* X
Art is shy" said c. Lewis Hind In
a recent letter from London to the
OUTLOOK, adding: "A work of art
| should be looked at in silence; we may
ask ourselves if it helps us to live; we
may hope that it will illumine the
grayness that may be our lot Art
| lives in the memory. How many times
since L saw them last week have l de-
| rived consolation and ENCOURAGEMENT
rom two works, The Entombment' of
Michelangelo and The Raising of
Lazarus by Jan Lyvyns" This is an
understanding attitude toward art,
but one which Is not frequently taken
today. particularly in this country of
practical-minded, energetic folk, who
| demand a use for everything = bold
| ness, self-consctousness; shyness is es.
sentially out Of date.
Philadelphia has lately been indulg.
ing in an Art week, when 400 paint.
ings by well known artists were dis
played in numerous shop windows on
all of its leading business thorough.
| rareS. and in most instances, accord
Ing to report, they appeared to ad.
vantage. Art which would stand this
test can scarcely be described as shy:
neither do we find shyness the char.
lacteristic of cotemporary art exhi-
bitions. Modern art is essentially pro
nounced In its utterance; it delivers
its message with a single blow, some
times believing 1t forth as from full
lungs. Possibly IL 1t did not take this
course 1t would fail Of observation
But such was not the characteristic OF
art in earlier times. The art of Fra
Angelica and Of the great masters
OF his day was essentially shy Their
message is reserved for those who
unger. There is something splendid
in the boldneSs and the brilliancy OF
the works of the best Of our modern
artists. but there is something, as Mr.
Hind said, winning and consoling In
the shy works Of these old master
painters, before which today we stand
with barred and bowed heads
Il * y
In THE Field of Art" in the June
Scribner's Magazine, Royal Cortisso1
retterates his faith in and admiration
for the National Academy of Design
calling to attention the contribution
1t has rendered through its distin
guished members to the cause of ar,
in America during the past 100 years
and characterizing as absurd the cry
OF some OF the younger men that the
academy stamps out originality and
prevents genius from Towering forth
II the two exhibitions held annually
by the National Academy Of Design
are not always thrilling events. Mr.
Cortissoz suggests that it is because
, artists are not produced every day
i and there is a limit to production
, Furthermore, he calls attention to the
conflict between the one-man exhibit
, ton. which in recent years has be
, come so popular. and the mixed exhi
bition, in which each artist has, as q
rule, only one place. Obviously for the
, greater opportunity. The prevalence,
Of these one-man exhibitions is sug
gested by the statement that no les
than 20 such opened simultaneously IL
different galleries in New York las
Winter in single week. Works pre-
! viously shown In New York are no
available for the academy exhibitions
therefore, the artist must make
choice Of reserving his best work TO
the academy, to the detriment of hi
t one-man show, or sending his secon,
best to this mixed gathering. Often
/ times the decision is the generous one
and 1t is for this reason that in spit
[ Of the conflict, Mr.. Cortissoz, himsel
I the most astute OF critics, declares t
:. have found much invariably in botl