Evening star., 1937-03-06

ing.
The exhibition is scheduled to con-
tinue only until March IS.
Prints and Drawings By
Richard Ldhey.
IN THE Public Library, main build
ing, an interesting exhibition of
etchings, drawings and Autographs
by Richard Lahey opened this week,
to continue throughout the month.
Mr.. Lahey. as almost every one knows.
is principal Of the CorCoran School of
Art, an excellent teacher, as well as
executive; a man endowed with ex-
ceptional gifts. not least of which
is a very engaging personality. Before
he came to Washington. Mr.. Lahey
taught at the Art Students League.
New York, and was very much in the
midst of those whirling currents which
make up the art life of oul great
metropolis. Before he was a teacher
he was a serious and industrious stu
dent, not distrusting tradition, as did
some of his colleagues, but unwilling
merely to take it for granted. His
admirations for those in whose works
he has found satisfaction and inspira-
ton are sometimes reflected in his
own paintings and essays in other
media, but he follows none too closely
There is something bold and strong
and very sincere about the drawings
and prints by Mr.. Lahey, now on
view in the Public Library, and no
one can fail to find them impressive,
but the subjects they set forth are,
it must be confessed, a little stern
and grave To be sure, life today
has these ingredients, but it has others
as well-beauty is still on every side,
awaiting discovery and Interpretation.
There may, of course, be beauty in
the commonplace, and an artist should
always follow his own instructive in
clination in both choice of subject
and manner of rendering. 1t is for
the layman to search out and COM
prehend, if possible, the artists point
of view There is nothing set or
stereotyped in Mr.. Lahey's manner,
on the contrary, it is a bit casual
and loose. He expresses form ad-
mirably, but neither his drawings nor
etchings are remarkable for economy
of line. In some instances he seems
to find his way through confusion
forcefully to wrest effect from failure
but he achieves his end.
His prints have found much favor.
Several OF those included in this ex-
hibition have been acquired for our
foremost public print collections. such
as those of the Metropolitan Museum
of Art and the New York Public Lii
brary, and quite a number have been
reproduced in Zine Prints of the
Year"
Especially impressive for strength
and directness are Mr.. Lahey's ltho-
graphs; one made at st. Malo and
one at Hourf1eur, France; others in
the freight yards across the river from
New York, and in Brownsville, Pa.
Interesting, too, and quite out of the
ordinary, are several figure drawings
and etchings, made primarily, it would
seem, as character studies. For ex-
ample: "Sneden's Poker Players in
pen and ink and wash, plea for JUS
tice" in wash, but more dramatic;
Billiards." an etching, and visitors
at 1.-The Louvre" a sorry, bored, motley
crowd, well studied. But of all these
the reviewers favorite is an etching
of the Normandy coast, which depicts
a little bay inclosed and fortified by
rocky headlands, on the top of which,
sharply outlined against the sky. is
little church looking out to the sea.
There is also New England coast
scene, THE Marginal Way, Ogonquit,"
and transcription of restless ocean,
Heavy Seas" as seen from the deck
of sturdy little boat.
With all the welter of present-day
production, the difficulties of adjust
ment between the artist and his public
have never been greater than now.
This Is due in part to the breaking
down of old standards and the re-
sultant loss of a common meeting
ground. But so long as there is sin
cerity on both sides there is nothing
to fear Another decade should wit
ness re-esta blishment.
Decorative Ceiling Panel
By Mrs. SlugSt1d.
of the oval ceiling panel painted
by Eugene De Land Saugstad for the
dining room of the international head
quarters of the Order of the Eastern
Star, long known as the palatial Bel
mont house. This panel, the painting
of which occupied the artist many
months, is IA by feet in dimensions.
It is on canvas. affixed to the ceiling
and surrounded by heavy gold mold
ing. The effect is decorative. Five
angelic figures, sanity women of the
Scriptures, are seen floating in the
clouds, which partly obscure a deep
blue sky. The composition is sym
bolical, but has been treated in such
wise that a unified effect is preserved.
The color is charming.
A California
Etcher Exhibits Here.
A QUAT1NTs and etchings by
Charles B. Keeler Of Glendoro,
Calf, constitute the March exhibi-
ton set forth in the Smithsonian
Building by the Division of Graphic
Arts OF the United States National
Museum. Mr.. Keeler, the etcher. was
born in Cedar Rapids. Iowa: educated
in the schools of Chicago and at Har.
ward University, and trained as an
architect, but the fascination of the