Evening star., 1938-02-27
Bv Leila MechHn.
MORE delightful exhibition
than that of portraits of chill

4 \ Washington Gallery OF the
Museum Of Modern Art week ago,
with private view, and on Tuesday
to the public, could scarcely be imag-
ined. Childhood invariably makes
appeal, and in this instance the ap-
peal is strengthened immeaSurably by
the skill and interpretive power of the
artists whose works are represented.
According to preliminary announce
ment, there were to be rs paintings in
this exhibition, but the number was
increased before the opening to nearly
40. These represent the painters of
several lands and schools-masters of
the art, from the late 18th century to
and including today. The main gal
lery here is, indeed, hall of master
pieces.
Portraits BY Great Masters
In the Main Gallery.
OVER the mantel, facing the visitor
upon entrance, hangs the famous
full-length portrait of little Don Man.
uel Osorio de Zuniga," by Goya. lent
by the Jules Bache Foundation and
reproduced on this page a week ago.
In this painting Goya has succeeded
marvelously in representing a child
enveloped, as it were, in the complete
atmosphere of childishness. Some
artists have evoked this effect by pur-
posely exaggerating the space sur
rounding child figure. but Goya has
not had to resort to such means to
attain the desired effect. The little lad
in his red suit. standing among his
pets, has a complete air of childish
innocence and timidity. The little
face is very pale against the back
ground, the features sensitively por-
trayed, but with utmost Subtlety of
brush work, and out of this delicate
facial mask peer, with glittering in
tensity, Don Manuels shining, in
tensely dark eyes. looking the visitor
straight in the face. No wonder this
work stirs the emotion while it de-
mands admiration-it is masterpiece.
So, also, is the portrait of Julia
Mott by Thomas Gainsborough, which
hangs at the end of the long wall. to
the left. No lovelier portrait of young
girl was ever painted. Julia Mott was
the daughter of Richard and Elizabeth
Mott of Carleton, Suffolk born in 1854.
In 1855, when she was but IL years
old. Gainsborough painted this por-
trait of her as a labor of love to dis
charge to her father and mother a
debt of gratitude for having Tursed
him in their home through a danger
Gus illness. A few years ago this por-
trait was acquired by Mr.. and Mrs. j.
Horace Harding of New York. and it
is lent to the present exhibition by
their daughter, Miss Laura Harding,
by whom 1t is now owned. Again, in
this, as in the Goya, the eyes of the
subject portrayed are intensely seeing,
and the youthful face is put before us
with the utmost sympathy and under
standing. 1t is literal work, true to
fact, eminently realistic. and yet.
deeply imbued with spiritual quality.
No work of Gainsborough declares
more obviously his genius. Even the
blue Boy is not. as work of art, so
assured Of immortality.
On the opposite wall, that to the
right, hangs another famous and be-
wltchlng painting, portrait by Nine.
Vlgee Lebrun of her little daughter
Julie, holding mirror, in which her
own sweet. childish face is reflected
This, it is understood, was first ex-
hibited in the Paris Salon in 1897,
but it is as fresh and unimpaired to-
day as the day it was painted. Emin-
emily of the French school of the late
18th century, smoothly rendered with
typical touch of sentiment in style
OF rendition, it witnesses to the great
capablity of the painter-and one of
the most interesting personalities in
the history of French art-and proves
conclusively that beauty of a simple
sort is no deterrent to artistic achieve
ment when genius sponsors produc-
ton. Only the weak need to shelter
themselves behind the virility Of
ugliness.
A Fifteenth Century
Portrait Adds Distinction.
TN CLOSE proximity to the portrait
Of Julie Leburn hangs one of a
young man, by II Pinturicchio. This
was shown recently in the unique
portrait exhibition held at the Phillips
Memorial Gallery, but cannot be seen
too often or. for that matter, often
enough. The painter was born in
Perugia in 1854. and died in Sienna
in 1882. He was pupil of Perugino,
and went with him to Rome when he
was commissioned to produce paint
ings for the Sistine Chapel. some Of
which Pinturicchio designed and ex-
ecuted independently.
Before entering Perugino's studio,
Pinturicchio was trained as a painter
OF miniatures, and his large works,
such as the portrait now on view, show
some Of the qualities inherent thereto
This portrait of young man is on
wood, painted, as was the custom in
the p" 'uters time, with coat upon
coat, aze upon glaze, so that light
seems to come from within rather
than fall upon the subject from with
out. The red jacket which this boy
wears glows, and the face, while
immobile. is very expressive. There is
very little use of light and shadow
but exquisite craftsmanship and great
simplicity of treatment. The figure
is seen against an outdoor setting fea-
turing rocky promontories most fire.
quently used by Pinturicchio in his
background designs. Also the rather
weak drawing of the hands, resting
listlessly on table, is characteristic,
but the painting as whole is
magnificently wrought. amazing in its
simplicity, as well as craftsmanship
A delightful surprise awaiting the
visitor in this particular gallery is the
well-remembered portrait of John
Randolph Of Roanoke, in his younger
days, painted by Gilbert Stuart, which
long hung in the Corcoran Gallery Of
Art as q loan and but comparatively
lately changed ownership. The new
owner is, we now find, none other
than the A. w. Mellon Educational