Evening star., 1938-10-30
Mellon Gift Placed
in Custody of
Capable Men.
By Leila Mechlin.

The sound of steam and electric
drills. hosting machines and other
mechanical building aids Is not, As
q rule, regarded as musical, but these
very sounds-so shrill and ordinarily
objectionable-take on musical
character when those who cross the
Mall in the vicinity of Seventh street
at present discover them to signalize
the rapid upbuilding of our National
Gallery of Art. Like magic, through
the aid of these later-day devices,
q great building dedicated not only to
art, but art of the finest character, Is
rapidly taking shape here in our
National Capital. The skeleton struc-
ture, minus the dome which will
crown it, appears to be practically
complete, and before long will be
added the exterior walls of pink Ten
nessee marble with which the gallery
Is to be handsomely clothed.
We have been told that this building
Is to be 7s4 feet long and 305 feet
wide, but it is hard to comprehend
size through the medium of figures;
seeing is believing. Those who know
numerically the limitations of the
Mellon collection have, in all probable
tty. thought of the National Gallery of
Art in smaller terms, but it was not
Mr.. Melons intention that the ma
tional collection should be limited to
his gift. He was assured, knowing
the generosity of collectors, that. as
time passed, other rare works would
be added by gift, and plans for the
building provide for such extension.
At the same time that the building
to known as the National Gallery
Of Art has been taking shape, the
organization which will control and
direct this great institution has been
nodded. In April, announcement was
made Of the election of Mr.. David E.
Finley as director, which last month
was followed by the further announce
ment of the appointment Of Mr.. John
Walker as curator. Mr.. Finley Is
well known in Washington. From
1922 to 1927 he served as member of
the War Loan Staff of the United
States Treasury. and in the latter
year became special assistant to Mr..
Mellon. then Secretary of the Treasury.
Probably none was more closely as
was or knew better his wishes and
his aspiration in regard to a National
Gallery of Art.
Born in York, S. c., in 1890, the
son Of David E. Finley. former men,
ber Of Congress, the director Of the
National Gallery Of Art graduated
from the University of South Carolina
in 1910 and later from the George
Washington Law School. Mrs. Finley.
who was Miss Margaret Morton Eustis
of this city. is the great-granddaughter
Of w. w. Corcoran, founder and donor
Of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Mr.. Walker. the newly-appointed
curator, was born in Pittsburgh in De-
cember, 1906, and graduated from
Harvard, summa cum laude in Fine
Arts. in 1880. During his sophomore
year he helped organize the Harvard
Gallery of Contemporary Art, and in
his senior year represented Harvard in
an examination given annually by the
College Art Association, winning this
competition for his university and a
gold medal and 81 900 for himself.
Upon graduation he went to Florence
and spent two or three years as an
associate Of Bernhard Berenson, prob
ably the leading authority on the
works of the great masters of the past
On his return to Cambridge he took
a postgraduate course in political
science and government. At present
he is acting as associate director of
the American Academy in Rome and
collaborating with Prof. Arthur Pope
In the preparation of history of art
Thus it will be seen that the director
and curator of the National Gallery
of Art admirably supplement one an
other, Mr.. Finley being peculiarly sem
sitive as layman to all that for
which art stands. as well as intimately
acquainted with Mr.. Melons ideals
and equipped with administrative abil-
1ty. whereas Mr.. Walker, with his ex-
ceptional training, should provide the
expert knowledge essential to uphold
the high standard of the collection that
Mr.. Mellon so greatly desired and pro-
posed.
And a word with regard to that
standard. There is a tendency today
to discard definitions of value and to
base Judgment solely on personal opin-
ion and prefence-a tendency which,
carried to the extreme, can only lead
to chaos. Critical opinion in art is
based, and has always been based, on
certain fundamental principles, con-
sciously or unconsciously: and as long
as these exist and are recognized,
standards will be maintained There
are certain galleries and art museums
such as the National Gallery in Lon
don, the Louvre in Paris, the Ufizi and
Pitt in Florence. the Hermitage in
Leningrad. the Pinakothek in Munich,
and the Prado, Madrid-which have
upheld: unquestioned, the high stand
ards in art It is such standards As
these that our National Gallery Of Art.
now taking shape in this city, will up
hold. through the forethought and
munificence of Mr.. Mellon and the
wisdom and ardor of those who are to
carry out his intentions.
Water Colors OF NeU England By
Mitchell Jameson at Arts Club.
Mitchell Jameson of this city makes
excellent showing in his one-man ex-
hibiton of water colors and drawings,
which at the present time completely
fill the gallery of the Arts Club and
overflow into the dining room and hall.
Mr.. Jameson has gone long way in
the past few years and although his
work has always had freshness and
promise it has now acquired what may
perhaps be properly called professional
assurance. At least he would as
water colorist seem quite fully to COM