Evening star., 1935-12-22

life-chiefiy man-made-and if show
ing it up will lead to its undoing then
the demonstration is worth while.
But will it-and is it shown for this
purpose?
One of Mr.. Taylor's water colors,
entitled Hard Light in Trumbo
Street." shows a row of hideous little
houses on a dreary street seen in an
uncompromising hard light" which
cruelty exaggerates their offensiveness.
In Charleston, in which there are
many beautiful old houses, he has
chosen to portray in water color
series of facades of surprising ugliness.
Broad Street Back drop" he calls it.
In East Gloucester, where there Is
much loveliness, man-made and OF
nature, he has selected for pictorial
presentation two unspeakably awful
Double Houses eyeSore. In the
South, where noble mansions abound,
he has hit upon an architectural hor-
ror, "The Carpet Bagger's Grandeur"
to satirically set forth. Here in WASH
ington, the subjects which have at
tracted him are two locks on the
c. & o. Canal, gas tanks in "Foggy
Bottom" some shop fronts on Con-
necticut avenue beyond which the
dome of st. Matthews Church is seen,
rendered without saving grace in all
their stark homeliness, and Lafayette
Square denuded of every remnant OF
beauty.
In a measure, all of these paintings
are caricatures of place-no doubt
they were meant as such-but they
are not humorous, they are not engag-
ing. They are more calculated to make
one weep than laugh. We have tried
to remove the gas tanks without sue
cess; we have a lingering affection for
the dashing equestrian exploits of Gen.
jackson. The cleverer these are done
and they are clever-the less excuse
there is for them. OF the entire group
of water colors, the one which has
dramatic content is "The Silent Mill,
which tells its own story and well.
But would one want to live with it?
Mr.. Taylor's Autographs are in some
ways better than his water colors,
though in these, too, one finds little
beauty. Certainly all beauty has been
squeezed out as in a dry sponge from
such subjects as "St. Helena's, Beau
fort" Charleston Battery, "Sedgwich
House" Experience Meeting, Massy-
dony"-a Negro revival-is well rem
af o1 1n irafS chntxyY7
Carolina Low Country seems to come
nearest the truth and with gentle en-
phasis Possibly work of this kind is
good for us now and then, acting as
counter irritant. stimulating our criti-
cal faculties. Certainly none can say
that it Is weak nor immature. The
artist has not blundered into error
Whatever he does is with deliberate
intention, free will and complete self
assurance.
THE LANDSCAPE CLUB and the
Twenty Women Painters" have
jointly contributed to an exhibition in
the Y. w. c. A. International House,
GA E street northwest, which opened
last Sunday and will continue until
February. The house was once the
MCGUIRE residence and two of it's rooms
were built as picture galleries with
high ceilings and skylights-excellent
for exhibition purposes. It is in
these and in the hall that the present
show is hung. There are 80 or more
paintings in oil and water color, ex-
tremely varied in subject and render
ing, and not one that has not a
measure of charm. Landscapes and
flower paintings predominant, but
there is sprinkling of other themes.
For instance, the president Of the
Landscape Club, r. Bruce Horsfall. is
represented not only by two very pleas
ing landscapes of mountain country,
but also by a painting of bobcat
which is very graphic. Mr.. Horsfau,
it will be remembered, Is the author
and illustrator Of numerous books Of
Nature and wild life, and is at present
on the staff of Nature Magazine.
Lucia B. Hollerith shows land
scape painted in Midsummer, year
ago, near Salzburg, and delightful
interior Of her studio in this city.
From Clara r. Saunders have come a
water color Of "Lucia's Window
study in light, against which parrot
in swing is silhouetted, and an oil
painting, very colorful and strong, of
vegetables.
Gladys Nelson Smith contributes the
only figure painting shown-a half.
length of q young woman in a pink
brocade drapery-very good In color
and admirably done.
Marguerite Mum Is at her best in a
study Of pink gladioli-two sprays
yeen against o gray background