Evening star., 1930-12-03
CORCORAN EXHIBIT
DRAWS HIGH PRAISE
Carl MeIchers Unstinted in
Appreciation of Contem-
porary Showing.

Carl Melchers. internationally re-
nowned American artist. characterizes
the Twelfth Biennial Exhibition Of Con-
temporary American OH Paintings of
the Corcorsn Gallery of Art as "a true
cross-section of contemporary Ameri-
can art" In highly complimentary let
ter to G. Powell Minnigerode, director
OF the gallery.
Mr.. Melchers was unstinted in his
praise of the current exhibition during
q visit to the gallery, and afterward he
decided to express his delight in a
formal letter, 1t was disclosed today.
Real Merit Brings Praise.
The letter, dated in New York on
December /. follows:
MY Dear Mr.. Minnigerode:
"I told you yesterday, as we walked
through the galleries, what great pleas
ure your exhibition gave me, but after
leaving you 1t occurred to me that I
had not said half enough in praise of
the Corcoran exhibition this year.
"I must congratulate you on the
really fine and comprehensive showing
of our living and working painters OF
today, true cross-section of contem-
porary American art, where every
school Is strongly and equally repre-
sented. Every true lover of art will find
there what he is looking for: the So
called Conservatives who only few
years ago were considered innovators,
and the so-called 'Modernists' who be-
fore long will have become the An
GENTS
Bespeaks Public View.
"I sincerely hope that the exhibition
may receive its just reward in the ap-
probation Of the public, for nowhere
in this country could the public find
better opportunity to study and know
what American art can produce today.
"The presentation and installation
Of the pictures in your beautiful gal
leries are, as always, accomplished with
perfect results"
Melchers, 70-year-old native Of De-
troit and now a resident OF Virginia,
is In the very front rank of living
American painters. No other artist in
the United States enjoys a higher
reputation here and abroad, both Tor
skill and for discriminating apprecia-
ton of other mems work. His honors
are manifold and his work Is repre-
sented in all important American gal
leries and many Of those Of Europe.
Achievements Are Noteworthy.
Beginning his art studies at the age
Of II at the Dusseldorf ACADEMY, in
1877, Melchers continued his training
at the Beaux Arts in Paris, under Le-
febVre and Boulanger.
He received the first of long list Of
awards wnen 20 years old, receiving
honorable mention at the Paris salon
in 1886. Since then he has received
special recognition from salons in AM
sterdam, Munich, Berlin, Antwerp and
fvOr nn poH- American
st. Louis and Sesquicentennial exposi-
tons, and from many other American
sources. He won the grand prize at the
Paris exposition and gold medals at the
three American expositions. he was
awarded second prize Of the, w. A.
Clark awards by the Corcoran Gallery
Of Art in 1910. ~
France and Germany have decorated
him for his distinguished achievements
in the realm Of art, and SO has the
University of Michigan, which con-
ferred on him the honorary degree of
LII. D. in 1918. He was made Chew
alier of the Legion Of Honor and an Of
ficer of that order by France, and Is q
Knight CT the OrdeESof st. Michael Of
Bavaria, an officer OF the Royal Prus-
sian Order of the Red E2gle, and an
oficer Of the Grand Ducal Order Of
the White Falcon Of Saxony.
Works widely Appreciated.
His works may be seen at the Lux
embourg, Paris; the National Gallery,
Berlin; the Zwinger Gallery, Dresden;
the National Gallery, Rome, and the
Arts Gallery, Toronto, Canada.
The list of galleries in which his
works are In display in this country is
almost too long for publication. In
cluded, however, are the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art, in New York; the Car
negie Institute, Pittsburgh; the Penn
sylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Phila-
delphia, and the Corcoran. National
and Phillips Memorial galleries and the
Library of Congress, here.
Melchers Is an associate member OF
the National Academy Of Design in
New York and the National Acadelni-
clan, and is member Of the following
societies: Paris Society Of American
Painters. Societe Nationale des Beaux-
Arts, Paris: international Society of
Artists, London; Munich Secession;
Berlin Royal Academy, National Insti-
tute Of Arts and Letters, the New York
Society Of Artists, National Arts Club.
American Federation of Arts, 1nterna-
tional Society Of Painters, Sculptors
and Gravers, London: the Royal So
ciety OF Austrian Painters. the Royal
Academy at Berlin. the Institute Of
France and a number Of others.
The biennial exhibition Is now open
TO the public and will continue on view
through January IL next. Tomorrow
night the exhibition will be open from
To 10.30 O'Clock for the special benefit