Evening star., 1935-02-10
BY LEILA MECHLIN


gallery in New York and by whom the
exhibits in this collection were lent,
was In attendance. Matisse, one OF the
leading modernists, In fact the only
living member of this French school
that has proved so revolutionary lex
cepting Picasso who was not Of French
BIRTH, is represented by six small
paintings and two figure drawings:
Duffy by six water colors and one oil
painting In the Philips Memorial
Gallery Matisse Is far better repre-
sented by a large painting Of a torso
IN sculpture with studio accessories
and by study Of anemonies, which
is very fine. Matisse, o name to con-
jure with. is essentially a decorator.
To this end he employs human figures
nude and clothed, wall papers, rugs,
furniture, flowers. He has no inter-
est In realism-"Nature," as Ellie Faure
has said. "is pretty far away" What
ever he paints has pattern, rhythm.
color, but not necessarily beauty OF
form or content. Two of the canvases
in this exhibition are moderately typi-
cal. Both are OF reclining figure; ut
terly relaxed, units in a design. Less
usual are two very little pictures. one
half-length which Is SO personal that
it might be a portrait study and the
other a full-length with decorative
motives. The smaller of the two Is
very suggestive Of portrait by the
Italian modernist, Modigliani, exhib-
tied few years ago in the Carnegie
International. Whether this Is CO.
incident or reflex influence. 1t would
be hard to say, but there 1t is. Ma
tisse's ABSORPTION in color and pattern
is emphasized by the evident boredom
displayed In the two figure drawings
in this exhibition. That he knew how
to draw there is no doubt There
fore, when he draws badly there is
only one explanation and little or no
excuse. Gertrude Stein has been
friend, advocate, patron of Matisse for
many years. discovering" him, her
self and being greatly intrigued by his
paintings. In this country his intro
duction to the public was through the
Armory Show in New York. from
which is dated our interest in mod
ernism. That was in 1918. Matisse
was then A years old and in his prime.
Modernism in France was even then
an old story, but it has not yet lost
its shock of newness in America. al
though we pride ourselves on being
up-to-date.
Raoul Duffy is a younger man by II
years, being born at Havre in 1880.
On a first-rate academic education
was grated an intimate knowledge
Of the ways Of Les Fauves," which
resulted in the emergence OF manner
and style unique in oddity. The
paintings by which he is here repre-
sented are mostly sporting subjects
boat races, horse races, etc, and are
done with a certain naivete remark
ably unspoiled by sophistication. At
least SO it seems at glance, but upon
closer acquaintance one becomes
aware, beneath the childlike SIM
plicity, of knowledge in matters of
composition such as the most skillful
of jugglers has at his command.
Maurice Reynal in his Modern
French Painters" speaks Of the
clouds, the water, the foliage which
so prettily adorn" Dufy's paintings.
and although the expression was used
in compliment, it carries a reproach,
and one well merlted. 1t is the
pretty" element in these works which
belittles them. They amuSe the OBJ
server, but they do not stir emotion.
Equally novel and much more en-
gaging are the prints by Severini and
Jean Hugo, the latter grandson of
Victor Hugo. Severini is said to have
been one of the leaders of futurism
and to have returned now to "the
colorful, romantic traditions" of his
nation. It is these very traditions
which have tempered and saved
modernism from extremities Of alb
surdity in Italy and some of the other
Latin countries. There is classic
dignity in Severini's prints, decorative
quality developed on a sound founda-
tion. His groups of musicians, or
others, are very impressive, strong and
dignified. Jean Hugos essays are Of
a very different type-quaint, rather
exquisite, acknowledgements which
would 60 well with text and could be
counted upon to ornament the printed
page How broad indeed is the field
of art; through how many doors may
admission thereto be gained!
This exhibition will continue
throughout the month Of February.
DR. HANS TIETZE. who has been
professor Of art at the University
of Vienna since 1908, and under whose
supervision all of the museums in
Austria were completely reorganized a
few years ago, will lecture here next
Wednesday evening, in Barker Hall,
Y. w. c. A. Building, under the
auspices of the Washington Society
Of the Fine Arts His subject will be
THE Art of Albrecht Durer." For
many years, in collaboration with his
wife, DR.. Tietze has been making
study of Durer's works. The first
volume of his monumental publica-
ton was in 1928. He Is now working
on a second volume covering from
1905 to 1928. In 1892 DR.. Tietze
came to this country to study the
works of the great master that have
found their way here. 1t was he
who brought out a German edition
O1 JdIIltS 1IuSlOW AudftlS EpIC VI
America" His lecture will be illus
trated.
THREE paintings were sold in the
Society of Washington Artists
annual exhibition in the Corcoran
Gallery of Art-an exceedingly small
number, but at least crumb of en-
couragement. The works purchased
were Still Life" by Grace Merrill
Ruckman, reproduced in these columns
a fortnight ago; Winter landscape,
Snow Along the Stream" by A. j.
Schram, and a painting Of two mules,
Andy and Kate" by Sarah Roberts.
Mrs. Ruckman is, 1t will be recalled,
holding a one-man exhibition at this
time in the gallery Of the District of
Columbia League Of American Pen
Women, the Burlington Hotel.
A SPECIAL exhibition of members
"A works Is being held by the Society
of Washington Artists in International
House, GA E street, under the auspices
Of the Y. w. c. A. and by invitation
A.. zaaao.z o-I l;raofore T,, <l,;e