Evening star., 1937-03-27
BvLeiIa Mecklin.

FTER years Of eager waiting
n and hoping, a National Gal
"A lery of Art is assured by the
4 A acceptance by Congress of the
munificent gift of building, collection
and endowment offered by Mr. Mellon,
and within two years the dream, so
long cherished, but so elusive, will
come true. This is almost too good
to believe-and the mere fact Of an
nomcement overshaws all other news
at the present time.
Incident to the acceptance of this
princely gift, to the people OF our
Nation, there was some discussion of
restrictions placed in regard to stand
ard and administration, which was
Symtomatic Of the times. Certain
artists in New York, who seemingly
regard art primarily as trade and
have SO organized, complained that
no provision was made for the display
of living art" meaning the art of
today, forgetful of the fact that the
works Of art which compose the
Mellon collection have lived for from
one to six centuries and thus quite
certainly attained Immortality. Only
time will tell whether contemporary
art will so nve-or die. The great art
of the past comes to US, not as a
dead, but living. thing, with power
to inspire and lead onward. The
great art Of today is built on this
foundation, and not one modernist
who has attained distinction and made
real contribution has failed to acknowl-
edge the debt. Thus our great Ma
tional Gallery of Art, upheld to the
highest standard, shall serve as a
treasury of the best that has been
produced in the past and also as a
perpetual source of hfe-giving in
spiration, not hampering, but renew
ting creative effort.
A Smithsonian Gal
1ery OF Art Proposed.
MEANWHILE, to amplify facilities
and provide further encourage
ment for contemporary artists and art
workers, a bill has been introduced
into Congress to create and support
= Smithsonian Gallery Of Art, which
Is to have, 1t Is said, In a measure,
the relation to the National Gallery
that the Luxembourg Museum holds
TO the Louvre; to test out by exhibition,
contemporary work; to cover a wide
neld, and to exert an educational in
f1uence through the medium OF tray
cling exhibitions, special loans, etc,
to small museums throughout the
country-an excellent idea. In this
gallery would be included the Ma
tlonal Portrait collection, to which
Mr. Mellon proposes to contribute, as
nucleus, the major portion of the
Thomas B. Clarke collection.
Corcoran Gallery
OF Art Opens Fifteenth
Biennial Exhibition.
THE Fifteenth Biennial Exhibition
OF Contemporary American Paint
hgs opens this evening with a pri-
vate view and reception, and tomorrow
afternoon to the public. According
70 announcement, this exhibition COM
prtses 46l paintings by approximately
$oo painters IN all parts of the coun-
try. The Jury of Admissions and
Awards passed upon 1000 paintings
here IN Washington, in addition to
. very large number in New York.
Fourteen galleries are given over to
the display, which is said to COM
prehend works of varied character
representing current trends. The
prize awards We're announced last
Monday and the prize paintings repro
duced- Whether or not the public
Will approve the jury's findings re-
mains to be seen. This is considered
one OF the most important exhibitions
OF contemporary art held in this
country, and at the opening reception
there will be directors of other art