Evening star., 1925-05-31

marked, as usual, by the an
nual exhibitions OF student
L work, the output of the school
year. This exhibition in the
CorCoran Gallery OF Art is set forth in
gallery 4. the great semi-circular
room on the second floor adjacent to
tho picture galleries. wherein the spe-
Cial exhibitions are regularly held.
The display fills this gallery almost
. from floor TO ceiling. and gives excel.
lent evidence of both industry and
purpose on the part Of the students.
Ii is an exhibition which would stand
comparison with that of any Of the
art schools in our Eastern cities.
There are drawings from the an
tique and life, paintings from the liv-
ing model and still life, memory draw
iugS and composition, and quite in
variably they uphold a high academic
standard. The drawings from the
antique are especially forceful and
interesting. One would naturally ex-
pect in this department TO find the
least originality in the matter Of pres
entation and the more feeble Sech-
nique, but the contrary is the fact,
and many of these drawings from
casts evidence much more than a
spark of talent on the part OF the stu
dent craftsmen. The life drawings are
strong and impressive, serious, stu
visitor cannot fail TO regret that bet
ter models are apparently not avail
sble. The object Of an art school Is
not merely to teach drawing, but to
cultivate ideals in art which will lead
70 the finest and most inspiring ex-
preston of beauty. The Greek ideals
are handed down to US in their sculp-
ture, but there is a long drop be-
tween this idealism which greets the
student in the threshold of his stud
les and the reality of the living model.
j would be well If the transition were
not so marked and abrupt.
This is. as it were, aside. for the
way in which the students in the
COrcoran School have made their tran
scriptions deserves only praise. Par
ticularly should commendation be
given 10 the memory work and TO the
work OF those in the night classes.
who, in most instances. cannot devote
their entire time TO their art. The
showing made by these students. both
IN drawing and painting, is surpris-
ingly good.
In the work of the students of the
painting classes one notes in this ex-
hibition distinct advance. 1t is more
direct, better in color and distinctly
Crisper than it has been in the past.
Not only is 1t academic, but up to
date. youthful, vigorous.
An interesting section of this ex-
hibition is that given over to the work
of the so.called composition class
illustrative work, development Of
themes, the storytelling picture.
Herein the student has opportunity
to show what he or she knows, TO
what extent the instruction given has
been assimilated. The two studies
which won the prize in this group are
particularly good. but number OF
others likewise demonstrate original
4ty and imaginative quality-in short,
q genuine gift.
The Corcoran School OF Art is a
free school and it offers the talented
rare opportunity for instruction and
development. 1t is essentially a school
of fine arts, training the student as a
professional painter Such training
as the students get here is immeas-
urably valuable, for, after all, unless
We have artists we can have no art,
and art is one of the most precious as
sets of civilization.
WORK Of a distinctly different type
W is set forth in the students eX-
hibition at the National School of
Fine and Applied Art. 1747 Rhode
Island avenue, which opened on May
% and will continue TO June g. Here
one finds art applied to interior deco
ration costume design. poster making
and the like 1t is colorful, interest
ing work of distinctly modern sort.
based on the latest theories. One sec
tion is given over entirely to the work
of children, and here one finds evi.
dence of inherent talent. Much has
been said Of the art work done by the
children in Vienna under Prof. CiZek