Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-26

make It interesting. Burchfield In these later
days holds firmly to facts, but none can deny
him the interest Of this adventure into the
realm Of the unknown and to fields still un-
plowed.
I OUIS EISHEMUS has had both q remark
L able and a tragic career. Profoundly con-
WINGED Of his own extraordinary talent, he
battled for years for appreciation, and when it
came in almost overwhelming measure he was
beyond its balm. his intellect having completely
given way.
His earlier works, such as Bridge for Fishing"
ti897), and one of his later works, Park
Benches" Q9l5), both possess a certain Vic
torian. quality-naive. reserved-but neither
compares in strength or importance to his
Samoan pictures painted in 1906 and 1908 while
sojourning temporarily in the South Seas.
Both Of these have somewhat the quality of
works by La Fargo, CLINT Of suggestion of
Gauguin without Gauguins coarseness. Here
we find holiness of stroke, unity of con-
ception in the matter of composition and its
rendition that one does not often see In Cabs
for Hire, AK Les Bains" $1,000, however, the
painter seems to have returned to childish
things-a serious but immature rendition Of
the cabs" without regard for the far more in
teresting setting in which they are placed
Elshemus was discovered" by Marcel Du-
champs when he exhibited a nude at the inde-
pendent show in New York in 1917. The
French modernist went into ecstases over it,
praising it extravagantly and evaluing it at
$4,000. few years later Dudensing, the
dealer, had an exhibition of his works, and
from then on he has flashed in and out Of
notice in surprising way. Museums have
bought his paintings. private collectors have
Wed with one another for them. And yet the
average exhibition visitor would almost certainly
pass them by as the work of an eccentric and
think them merely feeble, foolish, odd. Perhaps
their strength is in weakness their beauty the
accidental expression of a troubled mind seek
ing. ever seeking greater truth and cropping
toward q great ideal.
A T THE Olympic Exhibition held in Los
~ Angeles in the Summer Of 1892 the sec
ond prize in the division Of water coloFs, draw
ings. ETC., was awarded to Percy Crosby, then
OF Mclean, now of Langley, Va, famous
throughout the country for his drawings Of
"Skippy." The premiated work was drawing.
representing in the fewest possible lines,
"jack-knife" dive, and well did it deserve the
honor it received.
Since then Mr.. Crosby has given considerable
time to sport drawings, paintings, Autographs
and etchngs and within the last fortnight or
more he has issued in book form "a large sized
folio) representative group Of these works.
It Is not only an interesting but an impressive
array, and its publication cannot fail to put
Mr. Crosby in the fro. rank Of graphic artists.
In fact. few have admirably presented rapid,
forceful motion has he. His polo players
are essentially in action, his divers not only
dive, but dive through air. One feels their
rapid descent, their weight and at the same
time their suspension in atmosphere.
MI Crosby has a particular gift for repre-
Senttng horses, and two Of the plates in this
new book. which perhaps Is more q portfolio
than a book. are of horses, exceedingly well
rendered in water color-one of colts cavort-
ing In a held, Turned Loose; the other THE
Lone Rider" man on the prairie, the low,
rmbroken horizon with the sky dipping down
belinda great sense of space Of solitude.
At the same time as the issuance Of these
reproductions. an exhibition of Mr.. Crosby's
works is being held at the Macbeth Gallery in
New York. and three excellent examples of his
TYPOGRAPHY are included in the Philadelphia
Water Color Clubs Annual Exhibition now in
progress at the Pennsylvania Academy
Percy Crosbys first exhibition in New York
was in 1928. at the old Anderson Galleries. He
exhibited again in 1881. Meanwhile, however,
he has not stood still. Each year progress has
been recorded. An exhibition of his works will
be held here this season in the Corcoran Gallery
Of Art. The appealing Community Chest poster
Is his latest contribution.
Here Is q talent of a very fine quality orig.
Continued on Fifteenth Page
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