Evening star., 1934-10-28
Notes of Art and Artists

quired. 1t will In q measure be a test
not only Of the artists ability but of
the inclination of the public to Sup
port their effort in this field.
II X y
THE Walters Art Gallery in Balti-
more, which was closed last June
for reconditioning and rearrangement
on the recommendation Of the Ad-
visory Committee, Of which Francis
Henry Taylor, director of the Worces-
ter Art Museum, is chairman, Is about
to reopen. At the invitation of the
Board Of Trustees, of which B. Howell
Griswold, jr., Is president, Eumber
of art critics Of the more important
magazines and newspapers are to at
tend a preview tomorrow afternoon,
following a luncheon given in their
honor by John w. Garrett, former
Ambassador to Italy, and Mrs. Gar
rett. The contents Of the 243 cases,
which were unopened at the time OF
Mr. Walters death. have been exam
ined and the finest Of their contents
installed in the galleries. The ma
jority Of these have not been seen
before In this country and many will
be shown now for the first time to
any public. In short, the collection
which heretofore was nl-arranged and
overcrowded will be presented accord
ing to modern museum methods Of
display, and although possibly only
q tenth of the collection will be on
view, opportunity to overlook the stor-
age rooms will be afforded. The re-
opening Of this gallery under these
conditions will be a great event and
boon.
CADwALLADER wASHBURN, the
~ distinguished etcher. an exhibi-
ton Of whose dry points was held in
the Smithsonian Building year or
more ago, was in Washington last
week for a few davis, staying with
his sister, Mrs Hamilton Wright. Mr..
Washburn, who in recent years has
given most of his attention to portrait
etching, spent last Winter in the
Barbados, where he etched is plates,
among them the head Of a Negro
woman of very interesting type. In
his portrait studies, which are not
undertaken as orders but as character
studies, Mr. Washburn invariably
gives indication Of spiritual quality,
and from beneath his welter OF sensi-
tive lines there seems to emerge Q
real personality. This is true Of this
woman of the Barbados and cf the
native peoples Of other countries
whom he has etched. He is great
traveller, an indefatigable worker, a
very genuine artist Since his return
to this country Mr.. Washburn has
made a dry point portrait Of Frank
Weitenkampf, head of the print de-
partment of the New York Public Liz
brary, which is not only an excellent
likeness but an exquisite study in
light and shade, rendered in high
key. Mr.. Washburn proposes to spend
the Winter in the Canary Islands and
to hold a one-man exhibition in this
country some time in 1885.
WASHINGTON has had several
notable visitors Of late, among
them Trenchard Cox, the assistant
London. one of the most charming
little galleries in the world. This
was his first visit to America and
he spoke with the utmost enthusiasm
OF the wealth and quality Of our art
collections, saying. as have other au-
thorities from Europe, that in certain
fields it has now become necessary
for students to pursue their studies
In this country. The Mellon coIlec-
ton, the Phillips Gallery and the
Freer Gallery which he visited here
all called forth from him expressions
Of surprise and admiration.
TN TRURO, MASS, last Tuesday.
October %. Gerrit Benecker. painter
and illustrator, died. During the
World War Mr.. Benecker spent some
time in Washington, desiging posters
that were used by the Government
and painting workmen employed in
erecting the new Navy buildings in
order to keep up the morale. To
this position he was appointed by
the Navy Department on the rec
ommendation Of the Assistant Secre-
tary OF the Navy, Franklin D. Roose-
velt. now President of the United
States. This opened up a new career
for the artist, and for some time
after the war he was similarly en-
ployed by large industrial manufac-
turing firms. Mr.. Benecker was al
ways interested not only in art, but
its relation to life. and wrote and lee
tured on the subject. He was a
regular exhibitor in the leading ex-
hibitions in New York and elsewhere,
out in all probability he was best
known for his Liberty Loan poster.
Sure, Well Finish the job" He
had many friends in Washington.