Evening star., 1937-02-13

foyer Of the United States Ma
tional Museum, Tenth street
n and Constitution avenue, ar
exhibition of photographs by Frances
Benjamin Johnston, of extraordinary
interest and Importance. These photo
graphs, about 200 in number, represent
o survey of early American architec-
ture in Maryland, Virginia, North and
South Carolina and Florida, made by
Miss Johnston under grants from the
Carnegie Corp. of New York, and the
negatives, by agreement, go into the
pictorial archives of the Library OF
Congress.
The work began in comprehensive
series Of pictures of houses In Fred
ericksburg, Va, made six or seven
years ago for a private individual, and
offered for exhibition to DR.. Leicester
b. Holland. head of the Department
of Fine Arts of the Library OF Con-
gress, who was quick to recognize the
value of the achievement. Beng
himself an architect, DR.. Holland Is
keenly interested in the early archi-
lecture Of America and eager for It's
preservation. Miss Johnston's photo
graphs. because they were what they
were. opened the way toward complla-
tion and preservation OF pictorial
record such as had never been made
or thought possible.
1t was on the recommendation OF
Or. Holland that the fist Carnegie
Grant was made, and 81 fully have
his enthusiastic anticiptions been
realized that not only scond, but
third. fourth and now f1fh grants,
have followed. The last has taken
miss Johnston as far af1eld S st. Au-
c1,stine Fla. where she has been CO.
operating with DR.. Verne oatelalne'
supplying illustrations for ~ prelim-
snary nport to the Carnegi Instltu-
tior on historical monument in that
citv. The current exhibitlo centers
on thesemost recent works.
RUT to 20 back. The first,arnegie
~ grant enabled Miss Jofston TO
make a stipulated number { photo
graphs Of arly architecturan VIZ
rinia. which were presentet to the
University Of Virginia, and fd1d very
significant. Shce then Miss lhnston
has made no les than 2,5OO sn neg
stives in Virginia, and q seNlon OF
l25 Of these, after being show year
ago in the new Virginia Mnum at
Richmond, was given to thainstitu-
ton. The exhibition now oTlew III
the National Museum repTenls q
selection from five or six iousano
negatives, each one of whichas oeen
passed for merit and as vtny OF
preservation.
But why, some will say, re tnese
photographs different froml mlunoreoS
of others that are taken evf oay ps
amateurs and profession!! lh'
answer is simple-becausdhey arr
historically correct and rtlstlcaLS
significant. In her photoepns' MIS-
Johnston gives one the fae anu eA'
plicitly, but. what is morehe tranS-
cribes the feeling, the atoSpnere o.
place with the utmost subfy ana sen
sitiveneSs. Just how she 'es tnls II
hard to say, but art can fVer oe luilS
explained. and Miss Joh'Uon Is Will
out question an artist.
In her photographs e SHOWS her
SELF g master In the U ol Ael' ali'
shade and also to he Conpie''
understanding of comsltlon; beiof'
you may be one of tI most Deautila u
buildings IN the worl ana II you pre-
sent it starkly or awJaroiy, lIs oedut!
will be lost. Mis- JonilsVoii neFe
.oakee this noistak Each building
frat she presents seen in the at
moenbpre peculjaJto itself. Ever,
nhotoCraph she mixes is PICTURE
uork ~ art-b,It ts also thorough.
,etisfactorv recon Bricklayers coulC
renroduce the fl old brickwork Il
he seen in somef the old Maryland
ho,,ses that sh has photographed
Iron workers tn wrought iron gaze
that she shows in Charleston.
Obviously. ttse charming effect
ARE obtained b skillfully using tn
notentialities OF her medium. Their
must be firsta apprehension OF wha
As wanted, flel 4 selection OF view
point, compsit,or, and next preclsel
the proper light. For the last sh
must have to do long and patien
1watchful waiting" But when
comes, hcG well yne seems to seize 1t
1t is amazing! T\ke, for example, he
photograph of "pplseley Manor" i
st. Marys County, ID, a small! hous
made lovely not Aerely by archi
tectural design, butsy play Of sun
hight over its roof I'D facade. o
again the Arcade Of Ok Lawn" nea
Anne Arundel County, ND, which
seen without contrastpf light an
shade. but bathed in sA gray light
delightfully."- toneful.
TN MOST instances MA Johnsto
Il does not use brilliant liW or dens
.bade. obviously because & wishe
% show detail, but Occashally, a
.n the patio of the OldlSpanis
Treasury" at ST. AugustineAs Ashe S
rnarshals her strength. and efftively
1t should be noted also TIT he
Interpretation Of textures is esk kciall
fine. Take two outstanding e4npIe
In Charleston S. c., "Porgys Ruse
and the old Pirate Eouse"-th on
smoothly plastered, the other of hug
stucco-the difference in surfacever
obviously. Also she gives an urkr
standing Of color valueS-the Or
shutters against the light wall, the =
tiled roof intervening between faca
and sky; the stucco with its light-s
sorbing surface contrasted not t
strongly with the iron grill gate a,
the vine overhanging the adiace
wall. 1t is all very remarkable eer