Evening star., 1937-01-09

alist, whose medals are Of a unique
sort. But with all this versatility
there may be discerned unifying traits
such as invariable good taste and a
love Of fine workmanship. In no single
instance Is q work by Manship found
to be trivial or slighted-never does
he yield to the temptation which at
times must be strong to display his
own cleverness. And yet there have
supposed shortcomings, such as lack
Of monumental quality, disregard Of
plastic significance. a too-prevalent
mannerism. To the credit of Mr..
Manship's achievement it has been
said that 1t provoked thoughtful dis
cussion.
Portraits Which Recall the
Italian Renaissance.
MOT the least interesting portion
of this current display are the
works in portraiture, some of which
are in bronze, others in marble and
stone. still others in plaster. The
one quality which all of these share
in common is dignified quietude in
which they date back to and recall the
great works of the Italian Renaissance.
So might and did Donatello repre-
sent in portraiture his contempo.
raries.
Most striking in this assemblage
is the portrait bust of John D. Rookie
feller, which Is in plaster, but eloquent
of the sculptor's enlivening touch on
Its surface as we'll as in its grave and
really beautiful modelling. Other full
sized busts in plaster are of Miss NJ
Cary Thomas, Lady Cholmondeley and
Myron T. Herrick. All Of these are a
long way from the realistic, having
been extremely simplifed, so that the
essence Of likeness alone is presented
and in just sufficient measure to house
the spirit within. But what more
would one want? This is art. Ex-
cellent as are these works Of persons
of mature years. much more arresting
are those Of children, for the inter-
probation Of whom Mr.. Manship seems
to have especial aptitude. His repu-
tation was made, it will be remem-
bered, at leap by his marvellous
portrait of his first child, little Paul
inc, when only weeks old. a very
enchanting and realistic baby, given
perfect setting in truly Renaissance
frame. This work was acquired by
the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New
York, and on it alone the sculptor's
reputation might securely rest.
In the current exhibition there is
another baby, but modelled in the
round. nude. and on its back. on. not
slab of wood or marble, but a hard
cushion covered with blue and gold
Italian brocade, which, once seen, will
not soon be forgotten. Also there are
heads of children. half size and very
allurtng, handled with great simplicity,
but expressive, individualistic. Some
Of these are in plaster and some in
marble or stone-the medium seems
not greatly to signify.
Asked why these plaster casts were
SO much finer and more vital than are
plaster casts commonly, Mr.. Manship
said: why. you see, they are worked
over good deal, and the surface is
treated with wax to make it pleas
anter." Here is the explanation-the
hand of the artist. his willingness to
take endless pains to achieve his end
perfection, his regard for surface
finish.
The portrait of the President is in
bronze, life size and impressive-very
grave, thoughtful, but without anima-
tion and by no means arresting. In
this and few other instances the
sculptor seems to have submerged
his own personality to the extent of
obliteration. Neither does the writer
flnd equal pleasure and occasion for
admiration in his medallion portraits,
which are in very high relief and
utterly disassociated from their back
grounds. This may be Roman, and
PROBABLY I-in such wise were mod
eled the wax medallion portraits of
the late eighteenth century-but il so.
our preference Is for the French
method, by which certain outlines are
lost and the impression given that
the likeness slips subtley out of the
mass from which it is modelled with
a slight, sensitive touch.
This same bold style characterizes
the medals which Mr.. Manship has
produced, Of which two cases full are
shown. They, too, are in high relief,
simple and strong in design, but in
most instances laid on rather than
brought out of the background. In
fact. there Is a Teutonic flavor to
these, quite opposite and antagonistic
to that of his other works. Yet one
cannot deny their originality or skill
full adjustment Of design to space.
Representations of Beasts and
Birds OF Many Kinds.
FINALLY there are for consideration
- in this notable collection q con-
siderable number of bronzes Of ami
mails which deserve attention and
praise, and lend to the exhibition as
a whole additional interest. It is the
late Scion Borglum, whom by happy
chance. Paul Manship met when he
first went to New York from st. Paul
to study, and whose assistant he be-
came, that he owed his first interest
in animal forms. That he has steadily
fortified this interest by individual
study the design and composition of
some Of his groups clearly shows, but
more obvious still is it in his single
pieces, some of which are very realistic
and others quite archaic. And what
q variety of dumb creatures he has
essayed and how strikingly! His bears
are heavy creatures, numbering and
still. There Is something quite Egyp-
tian about his leopard. cast In bron1s