Evening star., 1933-10-22


tended the opening but passed away less than
month later Many of the paintings in the
present exhibition were included in this great
exhibition in New York, and Of these quite a
number have not heretofore been shown in this
city.
In recent years there has been a marked
tendency on the part of artists to emphasize
abstract rather than objective qualities. But
Mr. MelcherS work has always been essentially
objective He was pictorialst, concerned not
SO much with spiritual subtleties as with What
the eye saw-external verities. He a great
colorist, and his color grew stronger and
fresher as the years passed. There is amaz-
ing unity and at the same time divcrs III
his work. In this exhibition subject pic
lures, figures, portraits, landscapes, still life.
painted apparently with equal enthusiasm and
success The average observer finds his work
obvious, but one should not miss through
oversight, its occasional subtle and exquisite
feeling. Take, for instance, the painting of
The Sailor and His Girl" an early work. so
full of tenderness and deep true feelirg;-
take again two recent landscapes. such as the
House With Porch" The Grape Arbor''
exquisite interpretations OF the illusions Of
light ana air on inanimate objects and grow
ing things
There IS also heartiness and vigor about
many of his paintings distinctly viTile quail
ity which sets them apart. For instance, The
Sailor and His Dog" Mcpherson and Nc
Donald t0CO-cn plperS) ana, among laler
works, THE Smithy," lent by the Phillips
Memorial Gallery and, latest of all, "A Native
of Virginia"
Mr. Melchers, one may safely surmise liked
to paint pictures but he knew better than the
majority how to so handle a subjective theme
that the art of the painter was never SUBJ
ordinated to the pictorial interest Again and
again he used the same models, if not the
same theme. Mrs. Melchers appears in many
Of his paintings, particularly in the interiors
with figures In this exhibition are to be seen
versions of Mr.. Melchers we'll known
Skaters" owned by the Pennsylvania Academy
Of the Fine Arts; The Fencing Master" owned
by the Detroit Institute of Arts, and The
Hunters" previously shown in one of the Cor
coran Gallery'S biennials. The Skaters here
is il tempera, not in oil. The Hunters"
while the same two men, nearly at full
length. with two dogs. and the older man is
carrying rabbit. Instead of THE Fencing
Master have The Fencer." rather more
decorative composition. but the same man
seen in slightly varied pose.
For many of the paintings the little white
church at Egmond served as setting. such, for in
stance. as The Christening" THE Sermon"
and other subjects. Belonging to his early
works is an extremely interesting genre, The
Choir Master" The earliest painting OF all,
The Letter" an interior with two figures.
shows great competence in the matter OF tech.
nique But as the years advance the brush
work grows broader and freer, without, how
ever loss of accuracy.
There is something supremely beautiful in
the painting of THE Girl with the Hat"
portrait painted on a wooden panel, with
superb texture. the finish of "old master"
Charming also. and mastery. is the child in
burnt orange dress holding doll mo. 81
in the catalogue), rich in tone as well as direct
In treatment.
And what can be said that has not already
been said in praise of the lovely interiors
many of which are of the artists own home
and include the figure of his wife! These
essentially of our time-lasting memorials not
only Of the painters genius but of that which
Is best in contemporary American life.
Gravey serious. and reverent in their rem
dering certain large canvases devoted to re-
Hgous themes-''The Last Supper" an inter-
probation which owes nothing to Da Vincis
great work, but is original in conception and
profoundly moving; also. The Supper at
Emmaus."
There are also pictures painted primarily as
Continued nm Th;rfooufb pn0o