Evening star., 1938-08-28

Have Been Looked
Upon With Scorn for
Two Decades.
By Leila Mechliu.

4 subject, but, likewise, no matter
how sood the subject. it must be vi
vaciously and knowingly set forth to
prevent it from becoming boresome
This refers to all types of paintings
bl& especially to the subject picture
wu,cn for a double DECADE has been
looked upon with scorn but of late
has been returning to popularity. Ken
yon Cox in his essay on The Subject
in Art" published in book form under
the title, The Classic Point of View,"
declared himself puzzled as to how the
story telling picture so fell into dis
favor, for, he says Art from the
beginnings among the cave men has
always told stories; and its twin
purposes of illustration and of deco
ration have always gone hand in hand,
illustration being generally in the
mind of the artist as in that of his
audience-the public the more i'm
portant of the two"
In proof of this statement he points
first to ancient art, which glorlfled
the exploits of its heroes, then to
the art of the Italian Renaissance,
which chiefly concerned itself with the
sacred stories of the Old and New
Testament He reminds one that the
greatest work of its mightiest master
the most sublime and awe-inspiring
creation of all art, was nothing else
than the story of the Creation and
Fall of Man, so told, with such clar-
ity and power, as never story before
nor since was told in colors."
Then, in further illustration, he
turned to Rembrandt. the greatest
of portrait painters, who was always
telling stories with brush and etching
needle, which through his imaginative
grasp of theme and his marvellous
power of expression he made real and
immediate for those of his own gen.
Grafton and for all time. AS later
day example Mr.. Cox selected Millet,
peasant painter, pictoriallst, who be-
lieved art language. and all Ian
guage intended for the expression Of
ideas" who found nobility in peasant
toll and with consummate art made
It manifest.
IN EVERY instance so quoted the
work of the artist was in large
measure ennobled by his theme. The
trouble today is without doubt that
We strive to make elephants out of
mice-an impossible task save for the
magician.
That the world is not tired of pic
lures which tell stories is strikingly
evidenced by the enormous attend
ance at moving picture houses
throughout the country. What are the
so-called movies" but animated pic
lures which tell stories? What are
the paintings in our public galleries
before which visitors pause longest?
Obviously those which not only tell a
story but tell it well-pictures which
like the art of Walt Disney touch
the heart of humanity''-an like
that of the great masters of the past,
give us not only momentary pleasure
but ofttimes inspiration. Unless the
theme is too trivial or the work of
the painter poor there is no reason for
scorn of the picture which tells a
story.
The Corcoran Gallery Of Art is
especially rich in this type of picture
and may take pride in the fact. All
are not equally good but some are
most excellent. Take as a first ex-
ample that small but admirable can
vas, entitled The Long Story" by
William Sidney Mount of our own
American school. 1t has been lent,
on invitation, to several notable ex-
hibitions in other cities in recent
years. This represents three men
in a very bare room gathered about
q little wood stove, two seated, one
standing The story teller is COM
pletely engaged in his tale; the man
opposite him smokes and listens with
bored, skeptical expression; the
third. in cloak and cap, ready for
departure. apparently takes the re-
cital with more than the proverbial
grain of salt. At such picture one
might be expected to smile and pass
on-but to the contrary one pauses
Here is Q bit of life admirably pre-
sented. The composition is excellent,
the imaginatio is touched: to the
observer there is nothing boresome
IN this Long Story.
MOUNT, the painter, was typi-
cally Of the American school
Of the mid 10Th century. He was
born on Long Island In 1907, died
In 1868. began his professional career
when he was in the early twenties
and was elected to the National Acad-
emy in 1882. The youngest of three
brothers, all farm boys who turned to
art as profession. entering the ranks
by the humble door of sign painting.
William was the most successful and
his art the most robust.
His first exhibit to attract attention
was painting of the raising of "Jairus
Daughter" from the Scriptures; then
he did some portraits of children, but
his health being poor he returned to
the farm and painted series of such
pictures as THE Long Story" repre-
senting the everyday life of those
among whom he lived. It is for these
he is best remembered.
The metropolitan Museum OF Art.
New York. owns his painting "The
Goose Rattle" and the Century Associ-
alton of the same city his Music
Hath Charms" These works set
forth the American scene with great
lteralness and also with great art,
in striking contrast to those of the
present day, so classified. Has the
scene changed or have we? There
Is homely truth in Mounts painting,
but not inherent ugliness nor vulgar
ity. Even the long -winded story-teller
and his worried, half-amused,
listeners are touched with common
umanity-that which makes ell