Evening star., 1936-04-18
By Leila MechHn
HHE exhibition of paintin

the President of the United
States to the Corcoran Gallery
of Art, for the month of April, con-
tinues to attract unusual attention.
The attendance last Sunday afternoon
was upward of 5000. This is, after
all. an exhibition which cannot be
seen satisfactorily in a single visit. 1t
comprises over 200 items, many of
which, to be appreciated, must be
closely examined. 1t provides much
material for thought. Primarily, as
before mentioned, this is an exhibi-
ton in which subjective interest is
paramount-the ship plays the star
role in this pictorial drama of the sea.
But that Is not to say that there is
not a very real and significant art
interest as well. For instance, note
some of the old paintings in oil, how
excellent they are, how much dignity
they have, how well they hold their
own; better, in fact, than the paint
ings shown by contemporary artists.
just why this is it is difficult to ex-
plain; as difficult as to give reason
for the superiority of the portraits by
early American artists, some of whom
were self-taught and began as coach
and sign painters. over those of later
days. For one thing, the tempo of
life was slower then than now and
things were made, and pictures
painted, to last rather than for the
moment.
How interesting it is that many of
these paintings and prints are the
works of, or were made from draw
ingS by, Seafaring men. Some of these
men were officers, other sailors; prob
ably no one among them all thought
of himself as an artist or claimed
distinction. This group alone would
lend interest to any exhibition and
set one to thinking. There are two
Autographs from drawings by A Poin-
sett, U. S. N; one of the United States
sloop of war st. Louis, in the harbor
of Smyrna, 1858, when Comdr. Ingra-
ham demanded the release of Martin
Kozta from the Austrian brig of war
Hussar, an elaborate composition;
the other the Attack of the American
Squadron Against the Forts Below
Canton, China, 1856" Both are ad-
mirable. But who was this A. Poin-
sett-the grandson, perhaps, of Joel
r. Poinsett of South Carolina, Con-
gresham, Minister to Mexico and Sec
retary of War, with an interest In
horticulture, memoralized by the plant,
"Poinsettia," which bears his name.
Autographs of the landing of the
United States Army near Vera Cruz,
1847, and of the sloop- of war Sara
toga, off Vera Cruz, in 1859. were
made, respectively, from a drawing
made on the spot" by Lieut.. Charles
c. Barton, U. S. N, and from a sketch
by Lieut.. Pierce Crosby, U. S. N.
1t is remarkable how many of these
"made- -the-spot" drawings were put
to service. And how did they do
them? Did they carry sketch books
in their uniform pockets-were they
relieved of duty in order to record a
historic incident? That seems hardly !
reasonable. But, were it so, what nerve
must it have required! In this exhi- |
bition is a Currier lithograph of the |
"Bombaroment of Vera Cruz by U. S. |
ing the action by j. M. Ladd, U. S. N" |
And even more remarkable, drawing
by E. Duncan of the Explosion of |
the U. S. Steam Frigate Missouri, at
Gibralta, 1843," from "a sketch made
on the spot by Lieut. G. P. Mands."
And not only in battle were these
self-constituted artists on the alert,
but likewise in stormy weather. Dra-
matte pictures of ships in terrific |
squalls in this exhibition were, it is
found by examining the inscriptions,
painted, or autographed from sketches
by eye-witneSses, records of the mo-
ment, when it would seem all must |
be lost. Whether these We're reliable |
witnesses remains for the seaman to
say.
That officers of the Navy were able
to make these graphic sketches may
be explained by the fact that instruc-
tion was given them as cadets in the
art OF draWing-but whence came the
enlisted mems facility? Here are two
excellent paintings by a XanthuS.
Smith, captains clerk; one Of THE
c. S. c. Merrimac Destroying the U. S. |
Frigate Congress" and the other of !
"The U. S. S. Kearsage Sinking the |
c. S. S. Alabama" Here is a picture
of The U. S. S. independence Struck
by Squall," drawn by one Of the
crew, George Fflley; as well as a
portrait" of Rear Admiral Duponts
flagship, the steam frigate Wabash,
by George Roberts-yeoman.
We hear great deal today about |
self-expression and are led to believe,
II we are simple-minded, that orig
inality flies out of the door when
discipline enters, but certainly these |
seamen had no thought of self and |
submitted to the discipline of facts
as mere matter Of course-they drew |
in order to preserve a memory which
they wished to pass on to others This
same desire has been the provocative |
cause of many great works of art.
Aside from these works, represent
ing amateur effort, there are in this
exhibition souvenirs Of two well known
American marine painters, w. F. Hal
sail and M. F. H. De Haas. The
former Is represented by lithograph
Of his painting Of 1.-The Monitor and
Merrimac," the latter by a hthograph
IN color of his painting of THE Frigate
Sabine Rescuing a Battalion of Ma
rines From the Transport Governor"
Halsan was English by birth. At the
age Of IL he went to sea on the
Ocean Rover Of Portsmouth, N. H.,
and he served in the United States
Navy during the Civil War. Later
be took up fresco paintirr hut the