Evening star., 1937-03-27

Looking closely at the picture, one
will discern men In armor Of early
days, Crusaders with the cross en-
blazoned on their banners, the Ma
poleonic hosts, Franco -Prussian war
makers. Spaniards and Colonials,
those who figured in our own Civil
War, and participants in the Great
War, which has so lately receded into
history 1t is war-so feared and so
enslaving. In the background, behind
the mount, are depicted the products
of scientific invention which have lent
new power to man and horror to
warfare-planes, capable OF dropping
death from the skies, alike upon the
innocent and guilty.
For six years the artist has had
the theme in mind, but the recent
happenings in Spain brought it as
painting to fruition. His intention
was, by no means. to suggest the fall
ure Of Christianity-for Christianity
he believes to be "the only vital force
to bring men to better understand
ing"-and on the tablet which is
part of the painting he has quoted
the words Of Christ on the cross,
Father forgive them, for they know
not what they do" But rather does
he stress the failure of men to COM
prehend its significance. 1t Is deep
ly moving message to the world, rid
den as 1t is today by fear, and 1t Is
set forth dramatically with force and
clarity.
This is the second time this Winter
that an artist has come forward and
endeavored through his art to stem
the mad trend toward horror and de-
struction, the other being Kerr Eby,
whose war etchings have been widely
exhibited as we'll as reproduced with
text by himself stressing wars futility.
But Mr. Mora goes step farther and
shows not only the evil but its cure.
It is, to say the least, noble effort.
Paintings by Mdnet
Constitute Outstanding
Exhibition in NeD York.
THE outstanding exhibition in New
York at the present time is that
of paintings by Manet, which opened
in the Wildenstein Galleries, 10 East
Sixty-fourth street, on March 10, to
continue to April IT, Thirty-seven
canvases are included, beginning with
a copy of The Virgin Of the White
Rabbit by Titan, in the Louvre,
which Manet made in the early l85Os,
and extending to embrace such can
vases as THE Man With the Round
Hat" painted in 1882. the year he re-
ceived the Gross Of the Legion OF
Honor, and less than a year before
he died.
The majority Of these paintings are
owned in America and Of these the
greater number came from private
rather than public collections. One
painting has been lent by the Louvre
and one by a collector in Holland.
Truly the wealth Of American COL
lections in Old World masterpieces Of
art today is astounding.
The collection now on view In New
York includes such well-known can
vases as THE Spanish Singer"-a
man sitting on wooden bench sing
ing to his own accompaniment on the
guitar; Soap Bubbles boy in white.
holding a bowl in his left hand and
blowing bubble from pipe held In
his right hand; Good Ale" Monk
Praying" Portrait of Proust," "Wom-
an With Umbrella" and others scarcely
less famous but not included are the
Metropolitan Museums Boy With
Sword" the Music Lesson" owned by
Mr.. and Mrs. Danielson of Boston, or
THE Railroad" lent to the Century
of Progress Exhibition in Chicago by
Mr. Horace Havemeyer-to mention
three Of supreme Importance domiciled
in this country. Neither is the Manet
of the Phillips Gallery-"Spanish
Dancers"-one of the gems of this
collection. But Interestingly enough
there are two small canvases showing
two dancers each-a man and wom-
an-Spaniards-no unlike those in
the Phillips painting-both dated
1879-one of which has been lent by
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss
of this city, the other by Wildenstein
81 Co.-both very charming.
No one can see this exhibition
which, by the way, is being held
nominally for charity - without
recognizing the masterliness of
Manet's work, and underlying what
ever he did his profound knowledge as
we'll as extraordinary genius. Being
retrospective and comprehensive, it
witnesses to changing style and in
clination-but even the slightest of
the works shown evidences the great
artist There is an old saying that
this exhibition brings forcibly to mind,
which is that only those who know
conventions can afford to disregard
them. Manet's art was built on
very firm foundation. An excellent
fully illustrated catalog Of this ex-
hibition has been issued.
Mrs. Ruckmdn Sho1Ds Recent
Paintings in Pen WOmen's Studio.
TWENTY or more paintings In oil.
by Grace Merrill Ruckman Of this
city, are now on exhibition In the
studio OF the District Of Columbia
League of American Pen Women, In
the Grafton Hotel. These consist OF
still-life subjects, landscapes and ma
rines, and are for the most part recent
works. Among the still-life studies
are one of rose of Sharon and another
of dahlias, which are particularly
charming and well rendered, but
others are close seconds. The land
scapes and marines were painted dur
ing the Summer near Bar Harbor, on
Mount Desert, and are very Representa-
tive-excellent portraits OF place.,
with the real feeling Of the Maine
coast.