Evening star., 1937-04-17

Biddle frescos, which in comparison
seem utterly futile and trivial-as per-
haps they are. When art is used as
propaganda it must be very subtle and
founded on the universal if it is to sig
nifty beyond the moment, and when
painting is given permanent placement
on wall, it becomes part of the
structure.
Leon KroVs Murazs for
Justice Building Completed
And Sho1Dn in Ne1D York.
A MOTHER pair of mural paintings
destined for placement in the
Justice Department Building have late
| ly been completed. They are by Leon
Kroll and are to go in the Attorney
Generals reception room By special
invitation they were shown in the
Mural Painters exhibition at the
Architectural League, which was to
have closed on April 3, but, because
OF the interest shown, was continued
to the 10th. Mr.. Krol is represented
in the Corcoran Biennial Exhibition
by a Seated Nude" and large, i'm
portant canvas, entitled THE Road
to the Cove" which won first prize
in the Carnegie Institutes most recent
International Exhibition. This pic
ture was painted near Rockport, on
Cape Ann, Mass, in the studio built
some years ago, of native granite, near
Folly Cove, by Miss Ellen Day Hale.
| 1t does not tell any particular story
or carry any specially important
meaning other than that of compost
ton, arrangement, color and good
painting. There is neither mystery
nor emotional content-just good
painting-which in itself, however, has
the power to create pleasurable reac-
ton on the part of the observer.
Attractive Illustrations bu
Frederic Dorr Steele on Vie1r.
N WHAT is known as the south
curtain hall" on the second floor
OF the Library of Congress is now to
be seen a delightful collection Of
illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele
illustrator and etcher-taken from the
Library's fast-growing Cabinet Of
American Illustration. No one could
hope to spend a pleasanter hour than
with these drawings, if one is in
terested not only in art but in ones
felloW-man. For not only are these
illustrations well executed, but full
OF life, of wit, keen perception and
kindliness. Immediately upon pausing
before the first case in which the
works are displayed one is fascinated
by the group of illustrations made for
Passport to Paradise" by Myra Kelly,
published in McClure's Magazine long
enough ago to have been forgotten,
but quite as good today as then. These
are done in pen and ink, charcoal,
pen and charcoal, and with now
and then touch Of color. For the
most part they are of children-and
inimitable-so childish, so character
full. In the case to the right the
visitor makes the acquaintance Of
Ezekiel" little Negro boy--pic-
turesque and engaging-and full of
capers. Farther on one meets other
characters known and unknown
Sherlock Holmes, Robin Goodfellow,
Joseph Conrad's "Laughin' Ann" and
Kipling's Doctor of Medicine"
Some of the drawings are entirely
in charcoal, and very skllfully han
dled-others are in wash, with or
without line. The medium seems to
have been selected to suit the subject.
But most notable is the Interpretation
Of personality and the vividness of
the representation. These people live,
not only in connection with the writ
ings of their creators, but inde-
pendently and for all time in these
drawings. They are of all classes
the lowest and the highest-not always
by any means looking, or we'll
hammered, but not hopelessly vulgar
or debased. Here we have the "Amer-
lean scene" but very differently in
terpreted from today-people of many
types, but not hopelessly degraded,
| not without a spark of the divine,
not devoid OF sympathy and humor.
A different picture, but true, and, If
we must live with it., preferable to
those which in these later days are
constantly put before us. To have
q liking for Mr.. Steele's drawings IS