Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10

HE Greeks in ancient times had
saying, Nothing in excess" which
might well be applied to many things
today, and among them works OF art.
We have so many exhibitions, SO
much in abundance, that oftenttmeS
IL seems as though great deal passed unseen.
If instead of trying to see everything In an
art gallery or museum on one visit, we would
content ourselves with one group OF exnlplCS'
or the works contained In one gallery, we
would instead Of being fatigued in body and
in spirit, find genuine recreation and leave
refreshed.
The little exhibition of Autographs by
Daumier now on view in the upper atrium OF
the Ccrcoran Gallery of Art furnishes excellent
example. These prints alone are OF quality
and character well calculated to supply an
hour of delight. They are the works OF one
of the greatest caricatures that the world has
produced, and also one OF the most competent
artists. They give vivid and amazing picture
of life in Paris in Daunlier's time, and they
are so full Of real human nature that they are
as engaging today as when they were produced.
Some are in black and white, others have been
colored and beautifully cclored, by hand. For
the most part they were not produced as works
of art but with illustration purpose, and were
sold in connection with the publications Tor
which they were made. In other words, here
we have examples Of art for the masses, art Of
an extraordinary quality, which was produced
in quantity and without the consciousness OF
of those who delighted in it.
These Autographs by Daumier admirably
illustrate that William M. WINS of the Metro
politan Museum means when he urges us today
to collect prints from newspapers magazines
and the like which have artistic quality. rather
than the works by past masters which have
attained high markets values. To an extent the
color prints of the great print makers Of Japan
Were of this same Sort produced at a trif1ing
cost in quantity for the enjoyment of the
masses-popular art. However, we need not
forget that Hokusais and Daumers scarce,
even in Japan and France. And also that
Daumier used his art of satire for the correc-
ton of ills and evils, as well as for the amuse-
ment Of the many.
One series of prints now on view at the
Corccran Gallery consists of humorous pictures
OF usual and unusual people in a public bath
house-amusing enough in that day as in this.
Another series, however, Is more satirical and
was aimed at the meanness Of the commercial
world, apparently Of no greater integrity then
than now When 1t comes to unadulterated
carcature his drawing Of Fulchir is superb, a
beautiful piece Of craftsmanship, an amazing
portrait in which every inch of the mans figure
seems TO indicate character, and the exaggera-
ton Of the caricatuist is so subtle as to almost
b3 unobServed.
With delight one finds in this charming loan
collection a drawing Of one of the lawyers,
familiar through the group Of three so mastery
painted in the little picture in the Phillips
Memorial Gallery Here, with armful az
legal papers, he is descending the steps Of the
Palais de Justice, his colleagues lingering on
the upper platform.
Obviously there are the merry jests at marital
1ife-jealouSies, lovers, surprises, etc. But there
is always touch In Daumier's works which
shows him to be sympathetic toward human
kind in its frailtieS, and never In his humor
docs one detect the least suggestion Of a sheer.
Daumier made his living as q caricaturist an
illustrator, but he was supremacy great as q
painter, and he modelled with uncommon skill.
From the catalogue Of the Corot-Daumier
exhibition held last Fall at the Museum Of
Modern Art New York, the following notation
is taken: "Honore Victorin Daumier was born
in Marseilles In 1908. His father was glazier
who moved to Paris In 1928 bent upon literary
career after one Of his decidedly mediocre
poems had been published in his native city.