Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-24
THE NORTH WINDOW
By Leila Mechlin.


1t is a well known fact that few
things are more fatiguing than visit
ing museums or art galleries. and
so disproportionate Is the weariment
to the effort required that one OF
the large foundations a year ago
appropriated a considerable sum for
an intensive study of museum ia
tigue. 1t seems a pity, however, to
lay the fault primarily at the door
of the painters--without painters. OBJ
viously, we would have few pictures.
There are certain great museums
which are exclusively galleries OF
paintings-the National Gallery in
London, for instance, the Pitt and the
Uff1zi Galleries in Florence-yet VIII"
has ever thought of calling these
great museums deadly dull? They
are the loadstone of hundreds and
thousands of travellers; they are the
Joy and the delight of many persons
who go not once but again and again.
And IL one can judge from facial eX-
preston and step, the multitudes OF
sightseers leaving these galleries are
less fatigued than those who have
made the rounds of other museums
in which are shown miscellaneous
objects of art. What is more, judg-
ing from official figures, galleries OF
paintings are more popular than
other museums of art.
There are some people, however,
who find almost no pleasure in paint
ings, just as there are others VINO
are unmoved by music. An Ameri-
can lady travelling with friends in
Europe refused to make the ROUNDS
of one Of the great picture gal
leries because she said she knew
nothing about pictures and. there
fore, il was a waste of effort. Yet
that same person was uncOmmoniy
sensitive to beauty in nature and
a particularly sympathetic listener
to music.
Painted pictures have been the de-
light of the multitude, however, since
the days OF Cimabue. We do not
carry the latest works of our fore
most artists through the streets now
in triumphant procession as the
Florentines did then, but we empty
our purses in rivalry of possession.
Painted pictures speak a world
language down the centuries, draw
ing into close relationship the I'M
derstanding of all nations with the
artist whose vision Is embodied
They are open windows. extending
vision. creating thought, extending
experience. Ihey have the power TO
charm, to recreate. The great
painters OF all time have endeavored
to interpret, through the medium OF
their art, beauty. sometimes of color
sometimes Of form, always of char
acter. And how greatly we stand
today in their debt.
What beauty of color, OF com
position, what spiritual quality we
find in the paintings of the early
Italian masters. How gentle is their
message, how exquisite their art
What richness of beauty we f1no
in the Colorful, resonant paintings
of Titan and Others of the Venetian
school, and latee in the works OF
Rubens and his followers. How
glorious and how moving are the
portraits of Rembrt: ndt-so vital thal
once seen they cal never be 1or
gotten. such consummate works Of
art that we catch our breath WIFE
wonder standing before them. How
charming are the works or the ilttle
Dutchmen-thoSe quaint interesting
street scenes and interiors faith
fully painted. yet something mucf
more than the thing itself, an I'M
preston handed down with the ut
most fidelity! The French have
always been a pleasure-lovlng people
and French artists in their paintings
have given us visions of light-hearted
CAV frivolity which lessen quite
little of the drabness of this world.
And what of the landscape painters
have not they more than others
opened windows, from the days OF
Claude Lorraine to the present time:
Painted pictures not only recall
things seen, interpreting the beauty
of nature, but oftentimes open our
ewes to beauty which would other
wise pass unseen. And this IS true
not only of the works of the great
but ofttimes of those unknown tC
fame-the modest local painter who
is. however, a sincere artist.
The name of James Henry Moser is
not set down with those of the great
est masters, but during the years
he lived and worked in washington
he painted many charming land
scapes in water color, occasionally III
oils, that have given endless pleasure
to their owners. Paintings by MIR
Moser have been purchased for the
coran Gallery, but it is safe to say
that this honor is inconsiderable as
compared to the joy these paintings
have given to countless persons who
have seen them in private homes. MIR
Moser's water colorS, in particular
have that quality possessed by great
works of art-perennial interest, In
exhaustible pleasure, changing sig
nificanCe.
An exhibition of paintings was held
a. few years ago in the Public Library
in Denver, Colo. One painting. a
landscape, shown therein, was pur
chased by a teacher in the public
schools, and the cost was more than
a months salary. That teacher had
the power of finding enjoyment which
many who are weather. might well
envy. There is q picture in the Ma
tional Gallery Of Art in this city. n
portrait of an elderly man, by Rae.
burn, which is so beautifully painted.
so vital, so engaging, that certain
travellers passing through Washing
ton take the time to visit the National
Museum and see this picture again
and again.
The national government of Canada
since the Great War, has been appro-
priating between $4,000 and 800. 200
year for the acquisition OF works
of art-paintings for the National Gal
lery of Canada. Why? Because of
their value in inspiration and pleasure
to the people. Up to the present
time. alas, the Government Of the
United States has not appropriated
one penny for the acquisition of a
painting for our National Gallery of
Art. nor has it seen fit to pro-
vide an adequate building to house
the collections of paintings given by
public-spirited citizens to the Nation.
Is it, perhaps, that our legislators
think them deadly dull"?
X X X X
But to return to the subject of
painting, and in particular painting
at the present time. There are some