Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-17

creased by the fact that she does the
entire process herself-makes the draw
ing, cuts the blocks and prints them
and in so doing achieves genuinely
personal expression. Elizabeth Keith
an EnE 81 artist who has attained
great reputation IS a maker of wood
block prints of Eastern subjects, and
whose work to quite an extent Miss
Miller's resembles, does not attempt to
cut her own blocks but has them cut
fer her by Japanese craftsmen.
It was the Japanese prints by master
print makers, brought over by the
Dutch. from Japan with other mer-
chandise, that strongly Influenced Whis-
tier. both in his painting and in his
etching, and through him the art not
only of his day. but of ours. The
woodblock prints of Helen Hyde, brought
back from Japan, awakened interest in
the art In this country, and further
impetus has been given by the work OF
Bertha Lum and Elizabeth Keith. There
are today in America a number of
woodblock print makers producing work
Of extremely fine quality portraying
American subjects-landscape and fig
ures-work which has been said to be
more representative of America, both
subjectively and in the manner of treat
And now Miss Miller comes to us
from Korea with new Interpretation
of Oriental subjects and a full COM
prehension of the potentialities as well
as the limitations of woodblock print
ing. Undoubtedly her exhibit and her
demonstrations given here and else
where will reawaken interest and at the
same time give impetus to further de-
velopment.
A notable feature of Miss Miller's ex-
hibit will be certain blocks printed in
two different color schemes, each print
ing to be regarded as an edition. Those
who have followed the development OF
the textile industry in this country
know how various silks of the same de-
sign printed in different coloTS may be.
Equally varied and unlike one another,
though similar in composition and
line, are Miss Miller's woodblock prints
in two editions. More than anything
else, this should demonstrate the i'm
portance of the artist doing her own
printing. and at the same time prove
the autographic character Of the prints.
Miss Miller's exhibition will continue
to December 4.
4 4 4
THE exhibition of paintings by Martin
= Kainz and of ctchings by his wife,
LulS6 hdlIlZ. WHICH, OptilSd az tltS va NJ
Gallery November II, will continue for
another week. 1t comprises portraits
figure studies, landscapes and flowers
and it is modernistic in style, Teu-
tonic in character.
When one departs from tradition II
is difficult, oftimes, to determine dlrec-
ton. The aim of the modernists orig
1nally was to get away from realism
out Of the realm of the so-cahed spa
tial arts, into that of pure express
sionism But painting is visual form
of expression--it is something to be
seen. not heard or felt: therefore, form
in reality cannot be completely disre-
garded And for many painters the
Journeys end has been, as in the case
of Mr. Martin Kainz, back to Holbein-
that is, in the matter of portraiture
Mr.. KainZ is a long way yet in th'
matter of craftsmanship from the great
court painter of Henry VIII-one of thu
greatest portraitists who ever lived-bu
he does show in some of his portraits
that appreciation of line, that simpli
fication of mass. which are the distin
gushing characteristics of Holbeini
work.
Most interesting, perhaps, of all o
the portraits shown is the portrait o
the artists wife. who is in this instanc'
q fellow exhibitor.
Mr.. Kainz's flower paintings are. in
teresting, especially one, Autumn Flow
ers," in which three violent coloret
Eunfiowers have been so placed as u
give decorative effect to the compost
ton. His color is not always agreeabl
end in his landscapes his technique
fumbling, at times weak and agail
without decision. But in his charcce
drawings of landscape subjects there
both strength and good craftsmanship