Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-13
by LEILA MECHLIN.

BEN II. '1oMtaNI1s lUudE VpSiiS
l. with private view compTe-
hensive showing of his paint
IL ings. This exhibition will be
held at 1911 Connecticut ave.
nue., in the rooms formerly occupied by
the Nandyck Galleries. and in the
same building In which Mr. Com'ns
has his studio. The collection nus
four rooms 8 ID creates. instantly upon
entrance. q favorable impression. !
In xr1e large front gallery is to be
seen his extremely handsome and dec
6rative portrait. painted some years
ago. of Ruth st. Denis. Here. too.
NAV be seen his portrait OF a year or
two back of Mrs. John Stewart Nc
Lehman. and recently completed por-
trait of Miss Madeline Couzens.
daughter of Senator Couzens: Mrs.
John Adams Baer. Miss Caroline
Thomson of Washington and Mrs.
Eeorgiana H. Thomas of Boston. as
we'll as a figure painting previously
exhibited. 1.-THE Enigma. The por-
trait of Miss Couzens is three quarter
length. seated. has an engaging color
scheme and is essentially vital: the
nortrait of Mrs. Baer is three
quarter length. standing. and shows
her in a dark colored gown which
falls in straight lines of Oriental sim
plicity. against a gorgeous Chinese or
japanese screen. The portrait, OF MISS
Caroline Thompson. which is scarcely
finished presents distinct contrast
to both OF these in color, manner OF
presentation and design. The painter
himself terms 1t. THE Joy of Spring.
and he has undoubtedly succeeded in
giving to the painting such signifi-
canoe
The portrait of Mrs. Georgiana II.
Thomas of Boston is not only vital but
essentially vivacious. 1t represents
Mrs Thomas, who Is q most skillful
musician, seated at the piano. her
right hand raised abruptly from the
keyboard her expression that of
speech. The painter explains that she
had, at the moment he represented.
Just turned TO him after having played
a selection from Bach. and exclaimed,
that is to my mind the way this
should he interpreted" Mrs. Thomas
has. it is understood. endowed school
of music In the South. Mr.. Comins
has undoubtedly interpreted in his
portrait not only person. but a per
sonality. and with great success.
The small adjacent front gallery is
given over TO portraits of men. and
here in the place of honor hangs MIR.
Comins lately completed portrait of
Justice Edwin Terry Sanford of the
lIIt6u otdteS CuPi CHIC \cust. cuctiSS
Sanford is seen standing i'm the SUI
preme Court room with its back
grounds OF pink marble columns,
wearing his judges gown, looking
frankly toward the observer: a dig
nified pose. an excellent, realistic rem
dition. Here, too. may be seen Mr..
Comins recently painted portrait OF
the late DR. Arthur b. Meigs of Phila-
delphia, painted for placement in the
~; lnr 3nI. ,in fol mi
work perpetuating not merely the
face and figure Of one of our great
physicians, but also his spirit. The
hands i'm this portrait are peculiarly
signifjcant--longa and slender, extreme
ly sensitive. typical Of the hands OF a
surgeon. Here, too. is an interesting
pair of portraits---twD brothers. clock
manufacturers of Bristol. Conn. VIII
liam and Walter Ingraham. keen in.
terpretations of individuality and char
acter. painted. as have all the great
portraits of the world been painted,
that Is realistically according to ira
6ition. Here, also, and finally, is
portrait of Comdr. Carpenter, U. s. N.
In naval uniforms straightforward.
capable work.
The middle gallery, into which the
visitor first enters, contains the post
humous portrait Of the President and
MTS. NJOOiluS6 = ciuSI SUI. pdliNC0 dS
on the porch of the old home in Yer
mont, the Vermont hills as back
ground, an outdoor portrait; Mr..
Comins' excellent portrait OF himself.
several portrait heads of young men,
one of which was reproduced in a re-
cent issue of The Star; an unusual
portrait of three sisters. on which Mr..
Comins has worked for several years,
q. subtle, significant study, and three
sy, a nafirnty different
manner. of three young women; one
"Ixyi," painted in the manner and
style used by the Chinese painters OF
portraits centuries ago, with emphasis
on line and the use of perfectly fat
color as we'll as very few colors; a sec
ond, Agatha" in the old tradition OF
contrasted light and shadow, modelled
surfaces. no evident line. and finally
"Pinkie," a study IN pure color laid
on with the palette knife. In no bet
ter way could Mr. Comins demonstrate
his own versatility.
AS a foil to these figure paintings
and Characterization are several still.
life studies. one of red lilies as seen
out Of doors, another of bright-colored
garden flowers in a vase. charmlngiy
rendered covetable possessions.
In the back gallery Mr.. Comins has
placed his large and very beautiful
canvas representing 1.-THE Anuncia-
ton" and with it. perhaps with pur.
poseful desire for contrast, his series of
painted Commentaries on Cotempo-
rary American Life" This series Is
such as Hogart might have painted
of the life in Engla nd in the eighteenth
century. All represent that strata of
society which today is associated with
Main street" life. One shows the
family listening to the radio; another
the family on Sunday morning porting
over the Sunday newspaper. The child
has the comic section on the floor, the