Evening star., 1935-10-06

Bruce hOrSlall ana paintings
by members of the Landscape
Club.
Howard University Art Gallery
Exhibition color reproductions
of modern paintings lent by
the Museum of Modern Art.
in Boston and perhaps a generation
later.
DUR1NG the Summer there was
most important exhibition of early
American portraits held in the Mu-
scum of Fine Arts, Boston, through
the medium of loans from private
owners. There was also a somewhat
similar exhibition at the same time in
the Vose Gallery. Boston, and in the
Fogg Museum, Cambridge, and the
Worcester Museum of Art, as well as
in the Addison Gallery of Phillips
Academy. Andover. Excellent examples
were to be seen as part Of the several
permanent collections, arging
knowledge of the works of these amaz-
ing early American masters and re-
inforcing admiration for their dill
gence and genius. Through the por-
traits painted by these artists asso-
ciated with the early days Of our
Republic men and women who took
prominent place as well as part in
the life then are brought intimately
before us, and live, examples for all
time, in sturdiness of character, no
bility of purpose, poise. Not enough
attention has been paid until lately
to this chapter of our history set forth
by the painters, nor to them sufficient
tribute for their remarkable contribu-
ton. This is an art heritage of which
We may well be proud. 1t should not
be forgotten.
THE Phillips Memorial Gallery has
reopened within the past few days
with the announcement that no fee
will be charged for admission this
season. The hours will be the same
as last year-from II am. to pm.
on week days and from 2 to 6 on
Sunday afternoons. The galleries
have been cleaned and in some in
stances redecorated during the Sum-
mer and although few changes have
been made in the hanging there is an
effect of freshness and renewal.
A large canvas by Bonnard has been
installed in the drawing room on the
north Wall-a view from a terrace,
possibly on the Riviera-across lux
uriant growths of foliage to a distant,
southern sea. In the immediate fore
ground one looks down upon a round
table covered by a colored cloth as for
luncheon or tea. To the right is a
balustrade-or wall on which three
flower pots have been stood Just be-
yond the wall are two figures, man
and woman, about the size of flower
pots, although in the same plane, and
quite indeterminate in outline or pur-
pose-certainly not prime factors in
the composition: On the wall, in
addition to the flower pots, is a box
in reverse perspective, the lines of
which diverge to embrace the extern
sive LEAKAGE of varied kinds which
makes up the bulk of the painting
and was, in all probability, its raison
d'ete. This great mass of color, tipped
off and vivifed by touch of sky and
a scrap of sea, is splendid and does
move one to rapture, but would it be
any less admirable or moving if the
foreground were less casual-if in fact
things appearing therein were not dis
torted? If one deals in abstraction
should not one be altogether abstract?
The semblance of reality must in
such instances bind ones wings.
Augustus Vincent Tack has understood
this and in his abstract panels in the
Phillips Gallery given us visions
which are neither of this world nor Of
things known, but the substance of
all experienced beauty. Color by itself
Is factor in the art of painting
beautiful in itself, more beautiful in
combination, but without form, de-
sign, texture it cannot attain express
sion-and expression is essential to
the transmission of ideas. Finally
when color is combined with error
IN drawing or design, or with feeble
ness of brushwork, poor texture, it is
heavily handicapped and good part
of Its beauty lost. In some cases the
great modernists have achieved ex-
cellence despite such technical handi-
caps because Of their extraordinary
genius.
On the east wall of the drawing
room, in its accustomed place, hangs
Cezanne's exquisite landscape, Mont
st. Victoire," one of the loveliest
works he ever produced, in which he
seems for the. time to have put aside
his dissatisfied cropping for form and
contented himself with pure lyrical
beauty of effect.
On the dark walls of the library one
now sees most effectively q landscape
by Derain and his olive-skinned girl
with piercing black eyes, a figure
study or two by Maurice Sterne, Rou-
nault's powerful group Of three in the
exaggerated style of the Gothic glass
makers and a still life by Matisse.
Here, too, there are, as usual, several
fine bronzes, Lachaise's head of John
Marin, Mailliol's head of woman,
Bourdelle's Madonna" all of which
bring recurrently to mind the greater
adaptability Of sculpture than paint
ing to expression in the modern idiom.
In the large upstairs gallery one
meets many old friends-and gladly
such as the great Renoir-'"The Ca
Lunch Party" Courbet's
superb landscape Of high dark cliffs
r