Evening star., 1935-03-31

urdays from 9 am. to $50 pm. and
Sunday afternoons from to $50. An
illustrated catalogue has been pub
lished, Of which, by the way, over
1000 copies were sold within the first
two or three days the exhibition was
open.
MO SOONER is one exhibition
opened than another is an
nounced. Beginning tomorrow and
continuing throughout the week,
paintings in oil and water color and
works in sculpture by local artists will
be received at the Washington Post
Building for the Greater Washington
Independent Exhibition. which will
open on April % in nine department
stores. This exhibition, which is
sponsored by the Washington Post and
the District of Columbia Federation
Of Womens Clubs, had its inception
in the exhibition arranged by the art
chairman Of the latter, Mrs. Grace
Swiggett, last Spring in the Public
Library and its branches. The man
agement Is vested in a number OF
committees, under board of direc-
tors, of which Mrs. Eugene Meyer is
chairman. Duncan Phillips and c.
Law Watkins are chairman and vice
chairman of an Art Committee
which will select from the works
submitted those to be shown. Prizes
in the form Of 500 purchases
one for each exhibition center-have
been donated by the department
stores participating, and with others
donated by the Post and patrons will
be awarded by an out-of-town artist
Ernest Lawson--an exhibition of whose
paintings was recently held at the Art
League of Washington.
At a dinner meeting held in the
Arts Club last Monday evening Mrs
Meyer explained that this first annual
independent art exhibition in Greater
Washington was planned with the
purpose OF aiding the artists in eco
nomic adjustment, the traditional
patron having vanished with the
changing times, new market must
be found for art on q democratic basis.
To achieve this end. Mrs. Meyer urged
the artists to make their prices at
tractive to buyers, reminding them
that as no commission would De
charged this year they could AFFORD 10
make concessions.
Eueen Weisz, a member Of the fac
ulty of the Corcoran School OF Art
and gifted painter. when called upon,
emphasized the importance OF up
holding q high standard, insisting that
Il was art rather than the artist that
was of paramount importance, that
because of its spiritual and intellectual
qualities, art is something for the peo-
Die to reach up to rather than to be
brought down to the people, inherently
aristocratic. And he reminded those
present that great art had always ap-
pealed to and been in demand by the
people.
In the discussion that followed the
| importance of showing the works OF
art effectively as well as maintaining q
standard were emphasized.
Announcement was made by Mrs
Swiggett that the stores participating
were Kann, Lansburgh, Hecht, Wood
ward g. Lothrop, Moses, Palais Royal
Jelleff, Garfinckel and w. & ]. Sloane,
each Of which is preparing gallery
suitable for the showing.
This sort of thing has been done In
other cities before and with varying
success. In o measure 1t has been done
here by Woodward & Lothrop, who
years ago fitted up an excellent gallery
for the use of the local professional
art organizations; by Moses and Hecht
Important exhibitions have been held
in department stores in New York and
Philadelphia. Years ago John Cot
ton Dana Of the Newark Museum
styled the department store the peo-
pies art museum, and Hearn hung
paintings by the great masters, In
cluded In the collection later be-
queathed to the Metropolitan Museum