Evening star., 1937-04-17

the leash; in the crowd are women
and children, those of the upper as
well as the lower classes. It is not a
pleasant theme, but appropriate and
unforgettable. The figure of the JUS
tice attains distinction chiefly through
his official robe rather than Inherent
dignity; the soldiers in the back
ground are bit wooden, and the
man with the rope is rather grotesque;
also one feels a lack of emotional
content In the figures which make
up the crowd; but, Notwithstanding,
the effect is dramatic, the story is
well told.
John Steuart Curry was born In
Kansas and has made name for
himself painting Western scenes He
studied art first at the Art Institute
Pennsylvania, after which he went
abroad and entered the Russian
Academy in Paris. That was in 1926,
and the following year he was back
in this country and enrolled at the
Art Students League in New York
A rather jolly person, with round face,
smiling mouth and alert, kindly eyes,
Mr.. Curry has almost invariably set
himself the task of rendering tragic
and narrowing scenes, best known
among which are Baptism in Kan
sas," which shows up a farcical re-
ligious ceremony-"farcicaP in this
instance; The Tornado" g, horrify-
ing picture of approaching devasta-
ton and death, and Return Of
Private Davis from the Argonne," into
which is painted the scorn Of all SEN
timent connected with sacrifice in the
prosecution of war; the last now in
cluded in the Corcoran Gallery Of
Arts current exhibition of contem-
porary painting. But so great is the
reputation Mr.. Curry has attained,
and so engaging his personality, that
one of the greatest honors ever given
a painter has been accorded him.
Beginning last Autumn, he was ap-
pointed, for period Of five years,
artist in residence" at the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin and assigned a
studio on the campus. He is not to
teach, but to paint, and through per-
Sonal contact with the student body
spread an appreciation Of art, bred of
real understanding of the artists
viewpoint. This is an innovation in
education-no college has done it be-
fore. AS Mr.. Curry himself says, it
is too soon as yet to know whether or
not 1t will workout from all one
hears it seems to be working.
To return to the mural paintings in
the Justice Department Building. They
more than hold their own, but they
are, it must be admitted, labOring un-
der heavy handicap. It Is in this hall,
or lobby, that the frescos by George
Biddle, many times more extensive in
area, and utterly different in color and
texture, are to be seen; also the slightly
arched ceiling and the frieze made up
of panels in low relief, which extends
the length of the east and west walls
between molding and ceiling, are sill
vered, cold and glinting Mr. Currys
paintings are not in accord with the
frescos or the architectural decora-
tions, and hence make a jarring note
in the effect as a whole. The silver
ceiling alone would not have so disas-
trous an effect If it we're not supple
mented by the silver frieze, but in
combination the result is very un-
happy.
Here is where a real defect is mani
fest in the system now employed by
the Government of acquiring mural
paintings from various artists working
Independently rather than as co-ordi-
nate group. A mural painting is essen
TALLY part of the architectural de-
sign, if it fulfills its real function, and
though an attempt has been made to
emphasize this fact when commissions
have been given, there has been no
actual coordination beyond courte-
GUS submission of designs to the archi-
tects for criticism or approval. But
this comes in most instances too late
by then "the fat is in the fire" The
success of the murals painted for the
Worlds Fair in Chicago in 1928; to
a measure those in the Library OF Con-
gress, and in greater degree those in
the Custom House, Baltimore, was due
to a co-ordinator In each instance and