Evening star., 1937-03-28
PAINTINGS IN OIL
SEENAT C0RCORAN
Gallery Offers Month Review
of Contemporary Amer
lean Works.
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

VA1SA1AAA''
Much may be said in praise as well
q disparagement Of the Fifteenth
Biennial Exhibition Of Contemporary
American Oil Paintings, which opened
In the Corcoran Gallery OF Art with q
private view last evening. In praise,
because Of its comprehensive character
and the many admirable works set
forth: In Disbursement, because, in
q laudable endeavor to be fair and
liberal, numerous works have been
admitted which possess little merit
save that OF rejecting certain trends
Of the day.
But to a remarkable degree this ex-
hibition does manifest the state of art
in America in this year of grace 1887
1t tells us the best and the worst, and
We must balance the one against the
other. Furthermore, it makes us think.
We have long been told, and believed,
that art reflects life. but we have been
wont to suppose that this meant our
life, the life of those who had the time
and inclination to visit art galleries
and exhibitions. To discover that this
is only partially true is shock and
disillusionment.
To comprehend in even small de-
gree what is taking place in this field
one must have some knowledge OF
world affairs and at least bowing
Acquaintance with influences which in
the last 20 years have turned the
stream OF art into entirely new chan
nels Since the Great War there has
been social unrest all over the world,
old standards have been swept away,
new idols set up. The measure OF
merit once universally accepted is as
useless today as rubber overshoes in
. desert. Naturally there is confusion
and fear, the latter chiefly Of mis-
understanding. But, after all timidity
gets us nowhere and there are certain
fundamental facts among the wide
spread wreckage to which one may
safely cling-there is great tradition
to which the living art OF many CEN
turies has conformed and to which
the best art of the day still conforms
without hurt or hindrance.
On Display for One Month.
For confirmation of these convic-
tions let us turn to the exhibition in
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art which this
afternoon and for month thereafter
will be open to the public. No better
painting has been done in this country
for the past quarter Of century than
some that we find here. Such, for ex-
ample, as John C. Johansen's portrait
OF DR.. Joseph w Mauck, Frank w.
Bensons Still Life" and Aldro Hib-
bard's Winter landscape, Along the
River"-to select three widely dif-
ferent works almost at random. In
fact, If one will seek them out some
such works are to be found in every
one of the IA galleries which this
great exhibition occupies, Let us
pass from room to room.
According to the catalogue, the Wsi-
tor should begin his survey in the series
OF four galleries in the new wing"
separated from the main building by
the Clark collection.
In the first and largest Of these the
eye Is greeted by a profoundly impress
sive religious painting, The Disrobing
Of Christ" by Joseph T. Pearson, jr..
OF Philadelphia, who is also repre-
sented by 4 powerful "Pieta." Here,
centering one long wall, is q large
canvas by Clifford Beal OF = group OF
people on the shore watching a Yacht
Race" an attractive subject, in the
handling OF which one may trace the
influence of Renoir exerted perhaps
through close acquaintance with the
Lunch OF the Canoeists" in the Phil
lips collection-but not unpleasantly.
On the opposite wall, also serving
as center, is Leon Kroll's Road From
the Cove" which won first prize IN
the Carnegie Institutes 1896 Inter-
national, strange composition, but
beautifully painted. To the right and
left of this hang as pendants Frozen
River" by Hobart Nichols, and Along
the River" by Hibbard, while beyond
may be seen fine portrait by Marie
Danforth Page Of her husband in his
laboratory, which she entities 'Microbe
Hunter" and charming landscape,
Autumn in Vermont" by Marian P.
Sloane, also Of Boston.
Portrait Studies Engaging.
In Gallery B there are three widely
different but very engaging portrait
studies: "A Muse" by Robert Brack-
man, who IS without doubt one OF the
most gifted OF the so-called new
school and vhose paintings, while
limited in color gamut, have great re-
finenent Of feeling as well as painter
quality; Lumber Jacket" by Harold
Weston, done with certain modern
bravado, yet evident sincerity and
truth, and Tony Betz." by Alexander
James, extremely reticent in rendering.
but very subtle and fine. In this same
gallery hang paintings by two we'll
known Washingtonians, Mexican
Mother and Daughters" by Catharine
G. Critcher, and a portrait OF MRS.
Parsons" by Eugen Weisz-ooth
strong works.
Gallery provides diversion through
the extremely varied character OF its
exhibits. Here one notes portrait
study. Anne in Costume" by Marcia
eilvette Of Richmond, painted with
the smooth precision Of the old masters
and suggesting inevitably, and perhaps
too much, Mona Lisa" yet very skill
ful, and nearby a realistic still life
Old nat irons and a dish cloth-by
pernadine Custer Of New York, while
q little to the right are Minna Citrons
unpleasant, though perhaps clever
painting of the Dress Circle, Carnegie
Hall" by no means calculated to in
crease love or respect Of ones fellow
man, and q very up-to-date but rather
Photographic painting by G. Grimm
Driscoll Of the "Ohio Flood" Lighten-
Ing the sense Of tragedy, however, are
delightful little canvases: May Morn
ing" BY j. Eliot Enneking; "On the
A.~~>.p l>v YJArrv a Smell and