Evening star., 1937-05-08
MELONS GIFT INITIAL STEP
Preparations for Starting Foundations of Art Gallery Are of
Great Signi6cance-New Federal Plans and Local
Development in Modern Museum Here.

liar instances, is that the public de-
sires and insists upon CLARITY Of ex-
preston and that which stirs ad-
miration. And, obviously, these quail
ties are not alien to the great works
IN this field. Without them none
has endured. To these ideals the
public clings tenaciously And after
all, why should We not be stimu-
lated by our admirations rather than
our dislikes? The process of educa-
tion through extension of knowledge
in both instances is the same.
Delightful Color Wood
Blocks OF Oriental Subjects
By Elizabeth Keith.
A N UNUSUAL and particularly de-
- lightful collection of wood-block
prints in color, made in China, Japan
and Korea by Elizabeth Keith, an
EnglishWoman OF artistic distinction,
has been placed on view in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art on the walls OF
the southeast corner gallery on the
flrst floor, where it will remain for a
fortnight or more. Miss Keith, who
With her sister arrived in Washington
yesterday en- route from the Orient to
England, has spent much time in the
Far East and has won there, as we'll as
IN the Occident, high praise for her
prints done according to the Japanese
print-makers' tradition, but In a man.
ner quite her own. To her the wood
block has become not only fascinat-
Ing medium of expression, but an
original one. Her wood blocks in color
stand alone In character and quality.
AS child Elizabeth Keith was in
tensely interested in China, and when,
after attaining measurable maturity,
opportunity came to travel there, she
siezed 1t with slacrity She was at
that time water coloriSt. In China
and Korea she painted scenes and
people. Arriving in Toxic, arrange
ments were made for an exhibition of
her sketches of the everyday life Of
the Koreans. This was the first ex-
hibition Of the kind ever held there
and among the visitors who came to
it was the leading color printer of
Japan. 1t was on his advice and sug-
gestion that she decided to translate
some of her Korean water colors into
Wood-block prints. Her first trial was
East Gate, Seoul, by Moonlight" still
very popular among her prints, the
success of which determined her
artistic career.
Miss Keith does not cut or print her
block cuts. Neither did the japanese
masters of the past. In Japan the
block-cutter and the printer were
craftsmen serving the artist. They still
are. But they work under the artist S
guidance and never change a line
'kneeling by the craftsman's side. I
spend day after day, often for month
or longer. over the printing of single
subject" Miss Keith has said in the
preface to her book, Eastern Win
dows.' Also, after recounting some of
the hazards and difficulties of work.
ing in the Far East, she has stated
that wherever she went she always
came back laden with sketches and
paintings" and has turned to color
printing as "the most effective means"
of conveying to the West all she has
'felt, seen and recorded as an artist"
Effective, indeed, are the results;
charming in line handsome in color
and permeated with the spirit Of the
Orient. In many instances she has
presented single figures against fiat
backgrounds, or none at all, save the
white paper upon which they are
printed. but these carry the convic-
ton of authentic portraits. These
portrait studies are essentially more
Chinese than japanese. She. herself,
may say that they are Korean, for it
Is the art Of Korea-inherited from
China, passed on to Japan-that has
fascinated and appealed to her most.
Quite different are her subject
compositions, rendered elaborately in
the same medium, brilliant in color,
not dependent upon line for effect.
and, through most skillful printing,
showing delightful graduation of tint
Nothing like these or in any way ap-
preaching them has been produced.
They are unique and completely de-
lightful. No wonder 'the Studio of
London chose her as the subject of
the publication, Master Of the Colour
Print"
OF late she has developed another
style by which she handles her color
prints with more command than she
found possible with the Japanese lin
ltations in the early days. Miss Keith
has recently specialized in studies of
the Noh Theater in Japan, and sew
eral Of these prints are included in
her exhibition. She has held notable
exhibitions in Paris, London and
other foreign capitals, as we'll as in
the cities of the Orient. On her
homeward trip her work has been
shown under distinguished auspices
in Honolulu, Portland, Greg; San
Francisco and most recently in Chi
cago. Having visited Washington be-
fore, she has many friends in this
city. Her works have for some years
been included in the permanent COL
lections of both the Library of Con-
gress and the Smithsonian Institution.
Etchings, Drawings, Water Colors
By Reynolds Beal NoW on VieW.
THE loan exhibition held III the
Phillips Memorial Gallery from
April Is to 80 proved great success,
netting, through admission fees, ap-
proximately $500 for the National
Symphony Orchestra sustaining fund
and recording an attendance of 1900,
not including students, which would
seem to indicate lively interest on
the part Of the local public in fine
art and willingness to pay a price to
See it-especially when, as in this in
stance. the payment was to go to a
good cause.
The gallery has been closed this
week for rehanging, but a charming
exhibition of drawings, etchipgs and
water colors by Reynolds Beal was
opened in the print rooms on the
4th, to continue to the 18th.