Evening star., 1925-12-27
BY LEILA MECHLIN.
\ THE Phillips Memorial Gallery,
1908 Twenty first street, has been
shown for the past two weeks a
group of ten paintings by Ber-

shown for the past two weeks a
Il group OF ten paintings by Ber-
nard Karfiol. whose work is al
most unknown here. OF this young
artist, of whom much has already been
written by opponents of the moderniSt
movement. Mr.. Phillips himself has
the following TO say:
His quiet manner. scornful OF
SnartnesS, is so reserved that II IS 4
wonder he has not been overlooked in
. n age addicted TO senSationalism and
Sirtuosity. He studied in Paris, and
has kept in touch with the modern
movement, but from a safe distance,
observing the new tendencies with
skeptiCal and analytical interest and
drawing from them only what he
IcedS His greatest enthusiasm is for
the early Italians and for early Greek
sculpture To the first influence we
are indebted for his fine humility and
reverent emotion and TO the second
for his extraordinary modelling of the
nude figure in diffuSed light.
He is in love with the inner life OF
youth and the poetry OF design inner
ent in the outlines of adolescence. For
many years he has spent his Summers
at Ogunquit, Me, and his landscapes
are simple yet subtle, quaint and yet
curiously accurate in delineatton OF
the character of houses and trees. He
again and his drawing becomes more
and more sensitive and expressive of
subtle shades of interpretation. His
spirit is like that of the primitiHes,
with their fond and faithful record of
q world full OF wonder and human
affection karfiol's nudes suggest now
l;otticelu. now Puvis de ChaVannes
aud again Greek marbles. but as IL con
sequence of real aff1pitieS, not OF de-
.s.afi sfI =
nude in the present exhibition is one
81 the finest achievements of the
younger American painters and would
hold its own in any company.
This is certainly high praise. but all
% not see alike. That kartiolS works
are characterful all will agree, but TO
many they appear slovenly in work
tnCtly muddy and unappeahnS In
color. There are beautiful passages
in the rendering OF the nude, 10 which
Mr.. Phillips refers, and, be ii said to
lis credit. there Is no suggestion OF
snnSuality. but the head III some Way
GOES not seem to belong to the body
and the whole seems lifeleSs and cold.
Two portrait studies of boys are char
tctertul: they have individuality, but
they are clumsily painted and one has
L. look beyond their exterior form to
discern their spiritual quality. There
y the spark. no doubt. but II is GER
tainly buried deep in a great deal of
lnire
Less can be said In praise OF In
cur Shack" and of the landscapes.
They are essentially crude. primitive,
j YOU like, but lacking that simplicity
which real primitive art possesses,
suggesting rather inability for fine eN-
preston No doubt the painter has
talent. but, after all, is talent so rare.
j. the spark SO seldom struck that
one must accept SO much that Is I'M
pleasant, that is feeble, that. is often
Sivc. because of il?
This is the first of series OF eN-
hIhftions Of the works of some very
original men who are reaching out
IN row directions which Will be set
forth in this little gallery at the Phil
lips Memorial Gallery Mr. Phillips
SAYS in connection herewith:
II feel that Washington Will not
know otherwise what Is taking place
in contemporary painting; therefore l
an planning, little by little. through
= series of group exhibitions, TO sug-
COST current tendencies which | con-
slider rational and interesting. I hope
tnat neither the critics nor the public
viii assume that l was Fundamentally
indorse the modern movement IN all
is different phaSe My position is
that some of the most gifted and brill
liant artists now living have chosen
new idioms of expression and that in
fna MIDST of much that is false and
e'eu repellent we occa asionallv come
upon creations full Of subtle or strik.
ing beauty Nothing sensational and
nothing coarse VIII be found in our
gallery, but 7 do wish to show new
phases of artistic expression"
The opportunity of seeing these
works is privilege. for how else
,8u one form an oninion. arrive at
n fair judgment? Therefore, by as
scmhline them and setting them forth,
Mr.. Phillips lays The art lovers of
Washington under a distinct obiiga-
tiOn