The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-12-12

future Of modern art.
There has been such a great
quantity of slapStick art, so much
half-baked modernism with new
tangled and smart-alecky interpre
tations that it has been easy tt
forget that there ever had been
or ever would be an art that ex
pressed beauty for beauty's sake
Therefore, it is good to see ar
exhibition of art such as now il
being shown by the National Press
Club in the lobby of it's rooms
atop the Press Building.
Oil Paintings
There is, being shown there q
group of Is oil paintings by
illinois artists, loaned to the club
by the American Art Bureau
which maintains national head
quarters in Washington at 726
jackson Pl. N. w.
This exhibition is extraordinary
in its beauty. The artists are nc
adoleScent painters who play about
with new "ismS" to make up for
their own deficiencies, but men
Skillful with their brushes who
bring to their canvasses a warmth
Of life and a love of beauty.
Any one of the Is pictures ex-
hibited is "a thing of beauty, a
joy forever"
There is ME and Thee" by
Joseph Allworthy, the most beau
tiful still life to come to Wash
lngton in years. Beautiful, rich
colors-oX blood and old blue
with a Chinese porcelain figurine,
and it's reflection in a mirror
would be lovely even if they were
not painted with Mr.. Allworthy's
skill in composition and texture,
Glenn c. Shelter has a reputa-
ton of being one of the foremost
figure painters in the country, and
his "SpoilS Of the Saracen Bar
baroSa" is sufficient, in itself, to
make him famous in his sphere.
Historical Fantasy
The painting, historical fan
tasy taken from the Saracen in
vasion of Capri, demonstrates the
artists ability for painting beau
tiful women and picturesque men,
his facility in composition and his
capacity for bringing life to the
canvas.
The beautiful nudes Of j. Tam
anek in his Bathing Pool" are
extraordinary in the reproductio1s
of skin texture. All of the color
as q matter of fact, in this lovely
painting are wildly beautiful.
Oskar Gross is represented in
the exhibition by two remarkable
human studies. One, entitled
THE Speaker" gives ample proof
of the artists understanding OF
human nature and his skill in
bringing to life the characteristics
of an orator. Another is entitled
Mothers of Revolution" and it's
two figures are extraordinary re-
productions of old women serenely
waiting. They are in sharp con-
trast to the Daughters OF Revo'
luton" whom we have grown to
know.
Every one of the pictures could
be taken individually and praised
to the limit. Gene Barling's "Por
trait" a copy of a DaVinci. is ex-
trennely beautiful, and others are
remarkable in their own ways,
hit the limitations Of space make
it impossible to attempt to list all
of them.
Purpose of Bureau
The American Art Bureau, from
which the pictures were borrowed
has for its purpose the encourage
roent of American art and the
development of appreciation OF
native American artists. 1t has,
during the past IA years, spon'
sored art appreciation throughout
tha United States by the distrlbu-
tion of literature and the orgam-
zation of travelling exhibitions OF
reproductions of the worlds mas
terpieces.
It inaugurated National Picture
Week, which is now widely OBJ
served, particularly in the schools,
on which the bureau concentrates
much of its efforts.
The bureau has also under
taken a system Of creative art
awards to rural and county school
children, by which it hopes to
bring out latent talent, and a
campaign of art exhibitions which
is intended to increase the knowl-
edge Of present-day painting on
the part of the public.