Evening star., 1937-09-25

Summate ability and fame. But this
is not a phenomenon in any field
dominated by genius. Nor should
1t for = moment be supposed that
our early American art sprang from
the soil. Like our civilization, it was
rooted in Europe. Our early Ameri-
can portrait painters derived imme-
diately from England, but indirectly
from Italy, France and the Neither
lands. This fact in no wise lessons
the miracle of its up-springing in the
wilderness or the merit of the achieve
ment.
HE Corcoran Gallery is fortunate
in having on display, at present,
not only the great canvas OF the
Copley family, but three other paint
ings by Copley, collectively indicative
OF his scope and ability. These are
the portraits of Jacob Fowle, typical
OF his period-in red coat-presented
to the Corcoran Gallery of Art by
Miss Dangerfield. the portrait Of
Mary Turner Sargent, most gracious
and particularly indicative of Cop
leys ability to render textures ex-
quisitely, lent by Mrs. Arthur Nc
Arthur, and the fine portrait OF
Eleazer Tying belonging to Copley's
early period, very serious and sig
nificant-lent by Mr.. Amory.
All OF these portraits are now to pe
seen in the second American room
at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. which
has recently been redecorated and re-
hung. They are, what is more. In
excellent company, for adjacent on
the same walls are such works con-
spicuous for merit, as we'll as because
OF the distinction of the sitter. as
Portrait of Chief Justice Shippen,"
by Gilbert Stuart; Self Portrait" by
Edward Malbone; Portrait of Col.
Richard w. Johnson" by Neagle
twho, by the way, it will be remem-
bered, did an excellent portrait OF
STUART; Benjamin Franklin" by
Joseph Wright. and John Randolph
of Roanoke" by Chester Harding.
Standing before a portrait by one
OF our early American painters, Carl
Melchers, one of the greatest painters
OF our day, was heard to exclaim:
How did they do it? So simple. so
f1ne-so much better than any of us
can do today" To this question there
still Is no answer. We do know. how
ever, that they were richly endowed.
completely sincere, good craftsmen.
intellectually alert and fully supported
by no less intelligent public.
At this time. when we are celebrat-
ing the sesquicentennial of the franz
ing OF our Constitution, it is particu-
larly interesting TO be able to study
the faces of the trainers and their
associates, as set forth by the portrait
painters of the period.
T10o Interesting Recent Publica-
tlOnS on Portraits, issued by the
Oxford University Press.
IN CONNECTION with the subject
OF portraits and portrait painters,
two volumes recently published by the
Phaidon Press of Vienna and the OK
ford University Press, New York, come
to mind as especially notable. One
is devoted exclusively to the work of
Titan, while the other is given over
to Self Portraits" by artists from
antiquity TO the present day. Both are
literally picture books, being made up
almost entirely of reproductions rather
than text.
The volume on Titan has five-and-
a-half pages of scholarly and engaging
Introductory text by Prof. Hans Tietze
OF Vienna, who, it will be remembered.
lectured couple of years ago in this
city before the Washington Society
OF Fine Arts and is leading authority
on art, besides a chronological table
OF epoch-making events in his life a