Evening star., 1935-03-10

sincere, and it is these qualities that
give them worth. For the most part
they are scenes in or about Pittsburgh,
views Of the river valleys crossed by
bridges, with green hillsides dotted
by little dwelling houses Such scenes
must have seemed beautiful to Kane
and he tried to paint them just as
he saw them.
Bonnard is quoted as having said
that Kane was an American prim-
tive, and there is a certain analogy
between the paintings by Kane and
those of the primitives in other coun-
tries. But behind Zane was great
tradition which the primitives Of
Europe, before the days of the Re-
naissance, helped to make. Unavoid-
ably there is an element of sophis-
tication in Kane's paintings which
does not completely accord with their
childish simplicity. However, he did
the best he could and with great con-
scientiousness of effort. His pictures
of Pittsburgh now on exhibition in
the Labor Department have little
the appearance of Typographical stud.
les or of models set up for display.
They have no atmosphere, no painter
quality. He did not know how to
handle his medium. His ambition was
to accurately record what he saw, and
this he did with amazing fidelity.
In one instance, when he painted
a full-length portrait of his brother
Patrick playing on bagpipes and wear
ing the uniform of the Black Watch,
a famous Scotch regiment, he seems
to have laid aside his meticulous
method and employed broader style.
Not very good in color or completely
harmonious in tone, this portrait IS
really a very remarkable achievement
for one self-taught and so little ex-
perienced.
Whether or not Kane's paintings
are of a standard worthy of preser-
vation in art museums is a matter for
the museums to decide. Seen with
knowledge of his story, they are
certainly full of interest and inspira-
ton. That artistic talent outcrops in
this extraordinary way in the most
barren soil and, despite adverse con-
ditions, persists, thrives, produces, is
one of the miracles of life, evidencing
its divine origin. Augustus Saint-Gau-
dens was, it will be remembered, the
son of a poor shoemaker; Rembrandt
| the son of a miller. Between these
mems achievements and Kane's there
is wide difference, but the spirit,
the urge, was the same.
TWO very interesting portrait busts
have been lent to the Department
of Labor for the opening of its new
building. One is of Mother Jones' u
who played SO dramatic a part in the
fight of the United Mine Workers
some years ago, and the other is of
Andrew Fureseth, the 80-year-old
president of The International Sea-
mems Union of America. Both are
the work of 10 Davidson of New York,
who has probably modelled more por-
trait busts of celebrities than any
other living American sculptor, and
has done them well. Davidson studied
under George de Forest Brush, painter
and Herman MacNeil, sculptor, which
perhaps explains the colorful quality
of his work. His bust of Marshal Foch
has been given permanent placement
on the Palace Of Versailles. His half
length portrait in stone Of Gertrude
Stein is an amazingly clever achieve
ment. He is tremendously interested
in people and in his work, which, with
talent taken for granted, explains his
success.
The portrait Of Mother Jones" wa
! lent by the Governor Of Oklahoma
z. w. Marland, who once was Q gen.