Evening star., 1938-07-24

others were idle, had orders in sufi-
cient number to be continually occu-
pied. They naturally were obliged to
close their nome studios and live
abroad for from six months to two
years, fitting themselves into a new
environment and waiting upon the
convenience Of their sitters.
EUROPE for four years had been
the stage of the greatest war
drama which had ever been witnessed
and when these artists crossed the
seas to carry out their commissions
the curtain had but scarcely been
rung down. Paris was seething with
excitement over the doings OF the
Peace Commission and more or less
prostrated by the result and weari-
someness of the war. The environ
ment was by no means ideal for Gre
ative effort. The marvel is that in
so many instances such good results
were attained. Mr.. Henry White
undertook to obtain promise of sit
tings from those whose portraits were
to be painted and was successful in
securing promise of interest and CO.
operation. But salt on the tail does
not always mean a bird in the hand,
and when 1t came to definite appoint
ments for sittings the wartime lead
ers then engaged (they believed) in
making peace. were hard to bind
down. Also all were not to be found
in Paris.
Glancing over the list of painters
and assignments it will be observed
that the commissions were not dealt
out according to nations. For in
stance, one of Miss Beauxs sitters
was in Belgium, one in London and
the third in Paris-and SO it went
through the list. Also all the usual
conditions were reversed. To again
take Miss Beaux as an example.
Her custom had been, up to that
time. to paint directly from the sit
ter, slowly and with deliberation. In
the end she attained an appear.
ance of great simplification and spon-
tanelty, obscuring through her art
all trace of labor or effort, but
actually working upon the canvas
from 80 to so days in succession.
With men SO weighted with respon-
sibilities as Mercier, Clemenceau and
Beatty, she realized Immediately that
such practice was out of the ques-
ton. With wisdom and tact she
adapted herself to the imposed con-
ditions, studying her subjects when
opportunity offered, memorizing, ad-
justing, and in the end attaining a
vital Characterization OF the diff
culties that confronted her and the
way they were met, she tells delight
fully in her book, an autobiography
entitled, Background With Figures"
To her, and doubtless to her COL
leagues in this great adventure, the
painting of these portraits was an ex-
perience surcharged with emotion and
never to be forgotten.
7 NDER such circumstances can
one imagine the artists chagrin
to find on visiting Washington their
works, produced with such ardour,
hung inappropriately in an ill-lighted
corridor and almost forgotten?
In every case the artists commits
stoned to do these portraits were
left free to determine the style, as
well as the size, of their paintings.
For this reason there is great variety
in the collection. All the portraits
are life size, but while some are full
lengths. others are but head and
shoulders. Tarbells portrait of
Marshal Foch, presented. by the way,
by the City of New York, shows him
in uniform astride his high-bred
horse, with landscape background,
whereas the same painters portrait
Of Gen. Leman is less than half
length. seated, with simple back
ground-also very fine John johann
sen. on the other hand. introduced
pictorial, symbolic backgrounds in his
portraits of Gen. Diaz and Premier
Orlando, which. If somewhat over
powering at first, now seem to suit
ably take their place as adjuncts to
the composition. His portrait of
Marshal Joffre, given by Che City of