Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-13

Same tanne aives reason for the supeTlative in
tersst in partraiture. To some extent interest
in the latter tranScends interest in tAe former
that is a great portrait, painted, drawn OF
engraved Ia of more interest to the initiated
than the individual, inaSmuCh as the portrait
is an Interpretation both Of physical aspect and
of spirit, an analysis of personality.
1t is from this standpoint, as well as from
that of art and artistic expression that the
portrait drawings by Violet Oakley now on
view in the Corcoran Gallery of Art are or such
striking import and significance.
Miss Oakley's exhibition, which opened last
Sunday afternoon, comprises portrait drawings,
paintings in oil and waisr color, lettering and
books reproductions in color Of her mural
paintings-a diversified collection brought into
harmony through the artists unity OF purpose
and arranged by her and her colleague, Edith
Emerson with all that rare sense Of decorative
effect 50 obvious in the works Of both miss
Oakley and Miss Emerson.
No one could visit this exhibition without
being not only deeply impressed but stirred
Here 10 remarkable aSsemblage Of people
from many parts of the worlA dominant per-
Sonalities real people, interpreted sympa-
thetically by an artist Of no mean ability. On
the long wall to the left as one enters this
gallery are portraits of artStS-palnterS,
writers milsicians-people eminent in various
walks of life On the opposite wall are portrait
tions to the League of Nations, members Of
the secretariat of the League of Nations-people
for the most part who believe in spiritual values
and are trying to advance civilization or to
interpret it in terms Of eternal truth.
Miss Oakley sometimes uses crayon or char
coal for her portrait drawings. Occasionally
she adds a touch of color. Her choice OF
material and her manner of handling is so
varied that almost never are two rendered alike.
no
portraits Of artists and others is study for the
central and largest panel of a reredoS designed
and executed by Miss Oakley for the sanctuary
Of the Graphic Sketch Club, Philadelphia, COM
missioned by the founder of the club, Samuel
s. Fleisher, as q memorial to his mother. This
shows Moses as baby in the arms OF Pharaohs
daughter On either side Of the main panel az
part of the architectural setting, are little
panels, 10 in number representing, in miniature,
episodes IN the life of Moses.
ON this same wall lending color and interest.
ara two large paintings in oil OF Queen Sopn1e.
Oueen DaWager Of Greece, and Queen EliHanetn
of Greece, the formers daughtsr-in-law. On
the opposite wall as centar, hung against q
beautiful niece of blue italian brOcade Is MAsn
Oalley'S painting, 1.-THE CounselorS OF PeaCe:
members Of the EeagrS Of Nations IN council
in the famous glass ROOM" QuAi Woodrow
Wilson This n a complicated composition, I'M
cluSinR many figures, two or three standing,
the others SEATED. all taking part In or llSten-
ing to an animated debate; debate which
happened 10 have to do with o settlement OK
boundary diffinulties between Hungary and
Rumania. The towering figure Of the Hungarian
delegate Is silhouetted against the light.
Through the huge window, which occupies the
entire side Of the wall, 10 seen the panorama,
SO tvpical Of Geneva, of the lake and the noun
tains and the sky Mont Blanc, so commonly
cloud-capped, towers majeStioally with sharp,
hard outline against the blue sky and above
floats cloud which takes on the appearance
of a swan
on a table below this picture is spread out
q reproduction Of Miss Oakley'S ailegor1cal
painting In the governors room Of the State
CauitOl at Harrisburg, IMPLYING 1.-The Founding
of the State Of Liberty Spiritual" referring ia
the Water of Life" Strangely enough. the
shore toward which the connselors in the glass
room look across the arm Of the lake Is known
as the "Cuai Eau de VIE" This ia more than
q o0incident. Miss Oakley painted the decora-
lions for the Capitol at Harrisburg in 1912 and
set forth in them Penn's ideal of a world with
out war; Of world uEiOn a union bisslt on
spiritual values on Christian law 1t Is her
belief In this great ideal that has dominated
her work fH0m. first to last And if Nicholas
Murray Butter was right when he said that the
tive things which endure in this world Of change
are art and ideas, then Miss Oakley has indeed
made a great contribution to the future When
some one remarked 10 her that it was won
derful that she had found courage to sat forth
THESE ideas, her reply was: 1T was much more
wonderful that, was allowed to, that those
IN charge of the decoration of our State Capitol
shared my ideals and consented to the per-
manent emplacement Of the paintings"
Miss Oakley'S monumental publication, "The
Holy Experiment" is "a message to the world
from Pennsylvania" reproducing the 81 panels
which she did for the State House, ID panels in
the governors ro0m mentioned above, and nine
panels in the Senate Chamber, entitled THE
Creation and Preservation of the Union" The
third series Of 16 panels which Miss Oakley
did for the Supreme Court room, "The Open
ing of the Book of the Law" has not yet been
published in portfolio FORM but is represented
by photographs.
Another superb publication that Miss Oakley