Evening star., 1935-05-05

along she has scored success. which.
especially in these dificult times, is
an unusual record.
A T THE German Embassy last Nom
day afternoon DR.. Gustav PAUL..
former director Of the Hamburg Art
Gallery, gave q short illustrated talk
on "Romanticism" to Q small invited
audience. DR.. PAUL, in English with an
oxford accent, told Interestingly, as
from q fullness Of knowledge, of the
up-springing Of romanticism, hrst in
| England and then in other North Eu-
ropean countries, defining the move
ment as q revolt from classicism and
illustrating 1t by the works Of two
outstanding German romanticists.
With clearness, DR.. PAUL. pointed out
the individualistic standpoint Of the
romanticist who, not satisfied with
mere matters Of substance and execu-
ton, strove to express in his works
depth Of meaning and also person.
ality. Romanticism, he said, was not
only painting. but poetry and music.
Among the greatest Of the roman
ticists he placed Goethe, one Of whose
poems he recited. OF great interest
was DR.. Pauli's suggestion that figures
were introduced into landscape paint
ings by the romanticists, not alone TO
increase interest, but to envision the
world through their eyes. to show
what they (the people in the picture,
saw, as, for instance, q figure Of .
| solitary woman standing beside q
dramatically angry sea. Certainly,
however, the romanticists were ever
in search Of drama and attracted by it.
German artists, DR.. PAUL. confessed,
have been primarily illustrators rather
than painters, and one Of the roman
ticists whose works he showed, he
likened to William Blake, with. It
would seem, excellent reason. How
ever, in the canvases by this artist
and his colleague, there were at times
o very evident painter quality. breadth
and solidity Of brushwork. To those
who did not know the German ro-
mantle school, the introduction given
by DR.. PAUL. was enlightening. II
such exchanges in knowledge In the
| field Of art could be made more often
between scholars and art lovers, such
as DR.. PAUL. and his audience, it
could not fail to advance international
understanding and friendships.
THE Biennial Exhibition Of Con-
temporary American Painting in
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art closes
today, and tomorrow the work of
taking from the walls the 42S paint
ings included therein and returning
them to their owners and lenders will
begin. For a fortnight or more the
Is rooms in which these pictures have
been shown will be closed to the pub
lie while the permanent collection is
reinstalled, but meanwhile the Clark
collection will be on view In its en-
tirety and the galleries on the main
floor. containing sculpture. etchings
and other works Of art, will be free
of access. In one Of these galleries
has lately been set forth, In cases,
Q collection of miniatures by painters
Of prominence not only in Washing
ton but New York, Philadelphia, Bal
timore, Chicago and in Southern CAL
ifornia. 1t is the intention Of the di-
rector of the Corcoran Gallery Of Art
to make this exhibition continuous.
with changing examples, in order to
give this very charming art suitable
representation. The present collection
comprises works by such well-known
miniaturists as William j. BAer and
William Whittemore, Mrs. Emily Dray-
ton Taylor, president of the Philadel-
phia Society of Miniature Painters,
and Elsie Dodge Patee, vice president
Of the American Society Of Miniature
Painters; also Margaret Foote Hawley,
formerly Of Washington. now of New
York, who is represented in the Met
ropolitan Museum, New York, and
A. Margaretta Archambault Of Phila-
delphia, who is likewise outstanding.
The only Washington contributors are
Hattie e. Burdette and Eva Springer.
Miss Burdette is represented by a
charming little landscape, In the
Blue Ridge" and two portrait studies,
one Of lovely young girl with blue
eyes and blue bow in her golden
hair, the embodiment Of youth and of
beauty: the other, entitled Lady in
White" of an elder woman. but like
wise rendered with clearness of color
and sureness Of touch. Miss Springer
shows portrait of an Italian. Maria"
very well and sympathetically painted.
Miss Hawley's miniature Is Of a
French actress with black, bobbed hair
shading her eyes, olive complexion,
wearing a purple-red dress and pic
tured against o peacock blue back
ground; strong, rich color in unusual
combination, and very well handled.
Gertrude L. Little of Hollywood
shows a miniature Of two children,
one nude, looking into bowl of gold
fish in front of window flooded with
sunlight in which the illusion Of light
and air Is well sustained. From an
other Californian, Beatrice Smith
Clark, has come an interesting and
well-rendered portrait study, From
an Old Daguerreotype." Two other
Californians. Berta Carew and Beryl
Ireland, made contributions OF notable
merit. Betsey r. Melchers "Old
Woman in Grey" is exceedingly good,
rs is also Eda N. Casterton's portrait
of Miss Alice GoSs," the latter espe-
cially subtle in rendering. The merit
and charm Of these "portraits-in-
little" depends largely upon the glow
Of the ivory through the paint, the
delicacy and sureness Of the artists
touch and his, or her. ability 10 I'm
terpret character despite the hmita-
tions, which the medium sets. From
Holbein to these of the present day
there have been those who have prac-
ticed this art successfully, and never
has 1t ceased. during all these years,
when so practised, TO have adherents.
It requires, however, the hand of Q
master.