Evening star., 1935-10-13
ByLeila MechIin.

III LIE ATIS SluU SdIlcly dllu dAoo AL
the new Georgetown Branch of the
Public Library. The latter opened
two days in advance of the former,
coincident with the opening of the
building. and it is safe to say that
never did a local show meet with
more genuine appreciation or play
more prominent part upon notable
occasion.
The new Branch Library, located
upon the site of the old reservoir on
the corner of R street and Wisconsin
avenue, is itself work Of art, fine
in design and extremely suitable for
its purpose. Its two large reading
rooms on the first floor are lined
with open shelves which. filled with
books in bright colored bindings, con-
stitute a decorative feature. Above
these the paintings were placed,
higher than one would wish. but not
too high to be seen to advantage.
There are 27-all on line-in the
east room, 80 in the west room and
every one "opens VISTA These
artists are seekers Of truth and beauty.
and the pictures which stand to their
credit record their finds" This is,
perhaps, an old-fashioned attitude to-
ward art, but it is one which has
persisted for centuries. The artist Is
one who not only "sees differently"
but more keenly than the average per-
son. He is not only recorder but
an interpreter.
Some of the members of the Land
scape Club are professional painters.
but the majority turn to painting for
recreation, the pure JOY Of interpret
ing that which has made strong emo
tional appeal to them, visually. OBJ
viously, part of the fun" is derived
from an effort to do better and bet
ter-to achieve a supreme result
and, in this particular, art is sport.
Many a great painter is reported to
have said in his old age that if he
could live still little longer he might
attain his ideal. Without this hope
very little painting would be done, and
certainly no good painting.
But the public is prone to overlook
this fact and therefore discount the
personal element, which is very i'm
portant in any work of art. One Of
the interesting and remarkable fea-
lures of this exhibition of paintings
by members of the Landscape Club is
the variety of personality shown-the
individuality of the works on display.
The paintings by Garnet Jex are no
more like those of Tom Brown than
are the latter's like those of their COL
leagues, Minor S. Jameson and A. H.
o. Role. 1t is this personal viewpoint
and individuality of style which, aside
from subject, give variety and interest.
OF all the artists represented in this
exhibition Benson B. Moore is the
least stylistic, the most varied, paint
ing sometimes quite broadly and again
in rather tight manner, suiting, pre-
sumably, his style to his theme; as for
example, his winter on the Potomac"
'Gray November" and Through the
Arch, Key Bridge" Tom Brown, who
is living now in Williamsburg, Va, has
a light touch and his paintings, "usu-
ally in high key, are invariably atmos-
pheric. Garnet Jex is at his best in
Midsummer themes in the interpre-
talon of which he uses strong, warm
color. His pattern also is decorative.
Minor S. Jameson and Richard S.
Meryman, on the other hand, have
dramatic quality in their works which,
while simple in composition, are i'm
pressive and profoundly significant.
So one might go through the list.
Roy Clark, Richard Sargent, Rowland
Lyon are all very direct and frank in
statement, whereas Robert E. Motley
and r. Bruce Horsfall are more con-
cerned with detail. And the themes
are as varied as the style. There are
landscapes obviously. for this is a
landscape painters club, but there
are no restrictions), there are marines,
street scenes, animals. Charles Bit
finger contributes characteristic in
terror, Room in the Clark Wing of
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art; A. j. T.
Meurer sends picture of "Gadsby's
Tavern, Alexandria" Much might be
said in praise of O. r. Carrington's
June Clouds" and april" both of
which are skillful renderings of subtle
and very charming effects of light
filtered through atmosphere. The ma
Jority OF these pictures have been ex-
hibited before, but are nonetheless
engaging for that reason.
In connection with, and as a part
of the exhibition of the Georgetown
Branch Library, collection of "a
paintings of birds by R. Bruce Horsfall
is set forth in the Peabody room.
These were undoubtedly made as illus
trations for and reproduction in
Nature Magazine. of the staff of
which MIR. Horsfall is member.
Scientifically they are accurate, but
also artiStically they are very pleas
ing. They are precisely the kind of
paintings to show in a library, illus
tration being the bridge between lit
erature and the graphic arts. The
birds which Mr.. Horsfall has pictured
are of many kinds from the California
condor to the familiar robin. There
are in the collection representations
OF cranes, f1amingoes. owls, jays, quails,
cross-bills. scarlet hangers, vultures,
gulls and geese, and this list does not
lame all. In one instance Mr.. Hors-
fall has made charming composition
Of purple finish and cherry blossoms.
and not infrequently he has intro
duced flowers or foliage with decora-
tiye intent and suggestive of native
habitat. One of the most interesting
of all these bird pictures is a paint
ing of Bald Eagle and Osprey" in
conflict on high-a scene which once
witnessed is never forgotten-and is
here rendered with all its dramatic
implications.
As an etcher of ducks and geese
and other wild fowls and birds, Frank
w. Benson has made great name for
himself and place all his own. He
Is, however, nowadays followed closely
by Richard E. Bishop and Roland
Clark. Charles E. He'll and H. e. Tut
tie have likewise specialized in etch-
ings of birds, but they have for the
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