Evening star., 1926-04-04
The Gallery Grind.

Most persons are apt to think of
an All gallery as a. somnolent place
| where things seldom change: where
he only sounds are the swish OF
padded doors and the low-voiced com
! ment of visitors, wandering slowly
or standing motionless and entra anced
before some fsvorite canvas or cary
ing. with director and his assistants
visualized as leisurely scanning the
pages of an art periodical or catalogue
or scrutinizlns some object of art.
The spaciousness and the dignity Of
installation give to the casual visitor
he impression that here is something
nNed. immutabie. requiring but
routine administration and modicum
OF hard physical work.
As in the case of many other pub
ever. a vast deal goes on behind the
scenes of which the public is not
aware, and al intervals and for con
derable periods OF time a great art
gallery undergoes succession OF
stresses and strains which perhaps
could be appreciated only by the
cha elaine OF great and beautiful
house, wherein physical change and
frequent social entertainment are
concurrent. vet unconnictins. AT
such times, and in between them. too.
the director and his staff endure
long hours and great responsibility to
The art world. TO the public. and to
their governing body whose members.
TOO, find their positions as trustees
far from honora BILE sinecures.
Take. for example. the Corcora n
Gallery Of Art. Its activities for the
past several months have been, OF
their kind al least colossal. and will
so continue for months to come. The
great retrospective centennial exhibi-
ton of the National Academy Of De-
sign incepted here. is still fresh in
mind. l, necessitated first the com
plece removal and then the reinstalla-
ton of the permanent collection OF
paintings Now. but few months
later. comes the Tenth Biennial Exhi-
bition of Contemporary American Oil
Paintings which had its formal open
ing last night and will continue for
six full weeks. Down came the entire
carefully stored while express vans
bearing The hundreds of entries have
rolled westward in q steady stream
Thes. must be unpacked, scrutinized
exhibits close, returned with meticu
lous care coincident with the bien
NAL are two SPECIAL exhibits, much
sma Her but OF rare value, insta lied as
sdiuncts to the larger display. The
entire premises must be thoroughly
cIea ned before and after such events.
All this time heavy correspondence
has been conducted in connection with
he great and rare collection of art
Willsd to the gallery. and through II
TO the people of the Capital and of
The Nat on, by the late William A..
Clark Many essential trips to New
York have been taken by gallery ON
cials. The whole collection had TO be
packed, transported and carefully
stored against the day when the addi-
ton te the gallery shall be completed.
Lastly. now, for some time past and
for long time in the future, eXten-
sive building operations are added to
the list Of tasks.
Notwithsts nding all these factors,
in this as in almost any institution
Of Tvs kind. the idea OF service to the
public is maintained and intensified.
The Corcoran Gallery. for instance,
beginning with the present exhibition,
has postponed it's closing hour each
day In the week from 4:30 until $50
O'Clock. and on one week day has ad-
vanced ii from noon until O'Clock.
One who knows is authority for the
statement that the work performed in
connection with the maintenance and
expa nsion OF that gallery Is easily ten
times as great as II was fifteen years
ago. while the hours for its accom-
plishrnent have been reduced. If the
public appreciates all this, that lie all
the institution cares. So far it is
evident that the public does; the prob
ability that it will continue to do SO
is very great.
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