Evening star., 1938-10-09
Yum Kang Caves Have
e Given Material to
Two Artists.
By Leila Mechlin.

Anna M. Hotchkis, which opened in
the Corcoran Gallery of Art yester-
day afternoon, to continue to the end
OF the month. Not only do the works
Of these contemporary artists bring
to us vividly the art of an ancient
people, but convey us in twinkling
as by magic carpet, to far distant
part of the world, utterly removed
from what is natural and familiar to
Occidentals In other words, they con-
serve remarkably the spirit Of the
originals and recreate environment
both feats of skill and sympathetic
understanding And yet it is fact
that in these paintings and drawings
the subjective is so dominant that
there is danger of artistic merit being
overlooked.
Both Miss Mullikin and Miss Hotch-
kis had lived in China long enough
before undertaking the transcription
OF sculptures in the Yum Kang Caves
to assure sympathetic understanding
and to bring to bear upon their task
knowledge of the Oriental viewpoint
as we'll as Occidental tradition; in
the ability to forget the latter. Hav-
ing worked much together, there is
great similarity in technique employed
by these artists as well as style at
tanned: hence, collectively, unity of
effect. For both their drawings and
paintings they have used tinted papers
gray and blue and light brown
and by way of media-pastel,
crayon, chalk and gouache (water
color mixed with Chinese white). On
these they have drawn with pencil
or brush the sculptures as they found
them in the rock-hewn caves, work.
ing rapidly and very accurately and
with instructive economy of effort.
Every stroke tells, and there is not
one too many. The result is an ag-
gregation Of units or fragments from
which can be realized the essence of
the whole.
In the Yum Kang Caves in North
ern Shansi there are, it will be re-
membered, thousands of figures carved
by Tartar workmen on the wall of
the rocky cliff, which rises to
height of more than 200 feet above
the level of the roadway over which,
IN the 4th century, poured the Tartar
conquerors from the West.
These carvings tell the story of
Buddha and glorify Buddhism, mark
ing at the same time the opening of
new era in art. Thirty or forty
thousand men are said to have been
employed in producing these sculp-
lures in the 5th century and up to
the early part of the 9Th century,
under command of the then new rul-
ers. incidentally, an art project
under government control beside which
those of our own land and day fade to
insignif1cance)
Obviously the face of the cliff did
not provide sufficient surface for the
tremendous work as conceived there
fore caves 20 to 80 feet in depth were
cut and their walls also covered with |
countless figures. In places the effect, |
it is said, resembles the interior of a
great opera house with every seat |
filled, faces and figures rising row
upon row, niche upon niche, from !
floor to ceiling
For the most part the figures are
polychrome, and after all these CEN t
turies still rich in color. Not a few
show more than a CLINT of gold over
laid. Collectively the appearance must
resemble tapestry in rich tones, but /.
in each instance the figures are indi- |
vidual, by no means repetitions. In
the treatment of some of the figures !
there is archaic stiffness to be noted,
but in others one finds real beauty
of grace.
Here and there one may suddenly
discover traces Of the influence which,
through the Tartan invasion, flowed
into and colored for all time the art
OF the East, brought hither from
India, earlier still from Persia-even
perhaps from Greece, Assyria and
Egyptian unending stream. One face
that Miss Mullikin has drawn with
sensitive feeling suggests those which
Holbein deiineated-an Oriental Hol- /
bein," she has called it, and with good
reason. The reminder that art has
gone on its way SO long despite the
downfall of governments and brief
lapses Of civilization is something
worth having in the present day of
fiux and change.
The Yum Kang Caves, which ex-
tend about mile in length, are ap-
preached through series of temple !
gates and court yards. Built over the
openings of the first three large caves
are wooden facades composed of sew
eral-storied open porticos, each rooted |
with turquoise blue glazed tiles of the
Ming period. Mortised holes in the !
cliffs show that seven other caves +
were once so covered.
Miss Hotchkis gives us in this exhi-
bition in water color of pure wash a
view OF the Yum Kang village, its mod
est huts and inns in the foreground, |
beyond which rise the cliffs, topped by
q somewhat modern temple and also
by one of the Gave Temples" as seen
upon approach-the blue porcelain
roofs standing out in contrast against |
the tawny sky.
To Miss Mullikin we are indebted |
for picture in pastel of the road
approaching Yum Kang with the first
small caves brought into view, and
painting of the East Gate of Yum
Kang Village" through which passes
the caravan road leading to the vest
ern deserts
The two largest and most important
caves are Shih-Chia Fo and O-Mi-
To Fo-the former meaning "Sakya |
Buddha' and the latter "Buddha of
Boundless Light" OF the carvings and |
sculptures in these great caves
nighted inadequately by single win
dow, both Miss Mullikin and Miss
Hotchkis give us numerous pictures. |
which include the great Euddhas,
carved in the round, and the wall fig
ures, in relief, showing incidents in
the life of Buddha, and the flocks |
of angels with which they are sur
rounded-which Miss Mullikin re-
marks seem really to fiy, although