Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26

-HE principal speaker ~ both the
Founders day exercises and the
! banquet on the same evening given
by the president Of the board Of
trustees when the Carnegie Insti-
tlteis twenty ninth international exhibition Of
modern paintings (Pittsburgh) was opened was
the Mexican Ambassador. At both times his
theme was Art and Education" with special
reference to development in his own country.
To keep this appointment the Mexican Am
bassador flew f en- washington to Pittsburgh,
arriving not five minutes before he had to
speak. This not only evidenced his interest
In the subject but presented an interesting
contrast of the present with the past. for the
oldest art, perhaps, on the American Continent
was that produced In Mexico: yet Mexican
artists today are recognized leaders in modern
ism.
The fact that there has lately been brought
TO this country an exhibition Of Mexican art.
both ancaent and modern which is being circu-
lated among American museums under the
auspices of the American Federation Of Arts
and the patronage of Dwight Morrow and the
Carnegie Corporation of New York, pointed the
remarks both of the Ambassador and other
speakers. Homer Saint-Gaudens. director of
the department of fine arts Of the Carnegie
Institute, who made the arrangements for the
Mexican exhibition, going to Mexico for the
purpose. in his afte: dinner speech told of the
strong natiOnal-Stic tendency toward art which
both artists and artisans with whom ne had
contact manifested. recounting several instances
Of striking character.
THE International exhibition of modern paint
ing now on view in Pittsburgh includes works
by artists of Is nations. All of whom. however,
except ourselves European. Mexico would
have been represented but for the fact that
so comprehensive a collection of Mexican art
was view entity elsewhere. This exhi-
int nf VII
by European artists and 152 by artists of the
United States. Most Of the a.: lists are repre-
sented not by one, but by three paintings, in
order to give the public a better opportunity to
acquaint itself with the individualistic methods
and style of each. Mr.. Saint-Gaudens, the
director named the artists to be represented,
with the exception of those whose works were
submitted to a jury of selection. It his
desire to include in the showing the represent
alive artists Of each country, artists living and
producing today, end by SO doing to create, as
it were, an open forum for the free expression
OF modern thought in art. beneficial by way
Of interchange and interesting as an exposition
Of preSent-day tends. In the realization of
these purposes he has been most successful and
no one who is keeny interested in this subject
should fail to visit this great international exhi-
bition in Pittsburgh if possible.
Fortunately, and wisely. the pictures have
been hung by nations and the works of each
artist grouped One enters first the galleries
devoted to American art, which in this instance
means the at of the United States. From
these one naturally passes to the art of Great
Britain most closely akin; from Great Britain
to France from France to Austria. Scandinavia,
Belgium, Italy, Germany, SPAIN Poland,
Czechoslovakia. Russia, Switzerland and Hol-
land. It is a great and varied showing and
one which brings to mind forciby the fact that
the art of painting has undergone and is under
going extraordinary changes in the present day.
No longer IS it primarily a representative art:
no longer are the al lists chiefly concerned with
perpetuating beauty. But it is profoundly
serious and it is impressively strong, and with
these two splendid attributes there is no occa-
sion for alarm.
The first prize of 1900 was awarded this
year to a portarait of Mime. PicaSso by Pablo
P1caSso. who attained to special fame more than
20 years ago as not merely the chief exponent
but the inventor of cubism. For 10 years, from
1907 to 1917. Picasso did only abstract painting
Then he reverted to claSsicism. In recent years
he has confined his efforts to no single field
and critics have found him difficult to pigeon
hole. Or him it has been truly said that "at
one moment he is the most perfect of academic
craftsmen and at another the most savage and
violent OF abstract innovators." The painting
which won first prize in the Carnegie Institutes
exhibition Is in classical mode, rather sculp-
tureSque. strong, simple work In which the
personality of the sitter Is dominant though
the expression is aloof init ospective Seldom
does prize jury make an award which meets
with such universal favor. Picessos other ex-
hibits are second portrait of his wife done
In very different manner, more conventional
but unfinished, and a large figure study, I'M
doubtedly purpoSed for mural decoration-aIl
three equally interesting and strong
Less perhaps, can be said In favor of the
other awards The second prize Of 81 900 was
voted TO Alexander Brook of New York O for
mer pupil Of Kenneth Hayes Miller for q still
LIE entitled Interior" This painting also
won the Lehman prize OF 81 600 for the best
purchasabe painting in the exhibition The