Evening star., 1938-02-13

certain other murals in the SERIES
The second requirement seems to
have been generally overlooked. II
we ask ourselves. What is a good
mural?" the only answer We can find
is in the citation of works produced
which have attained greatest dis
tinction-Leonardo da Vinci's Last
Supper" Titian's presentation of the
Virgin in the Temple" Puvis de
Chavannes' st. Genevieve series and
John La Farge's Ascension"
These, OF course, are all MASTER
pieces. Numerous others appoach
them in modest measure. such, for
example. as the two mural paintings
of such admirable suitability by Jules
Guerin in the Lincoln Memorial in
this city. certain works in the Library
of Congress and in other public build
ings throughout the country. It is
an extraordinary thing that with all
the opportunity given to mural paint
ers under the present administration,
scarcely single work of distinction
in this field has been produced.
Karl Free, painter of the most
recent additions to the Post Office
series. was born in Davenport, Iowa,
in May, 1908. He studied first under
Allen Tucker, then under Joseph
Pennell, Boardman Robinson and
Kenneth Hayes Miller He is a mem
Der Of the American Society Of Paint
ers, Sculptors and Gravers, curator
of graphic arts in the Whitney Mu-
scum of American Art in New York,
in which institution, as we'll as in
the Museum of Modern Art, New
York, and the Davenport Municipal
Art Gallery, he is represented.
Miniatures Among FloWer
Paintings by Eulabee Dir
At Arts Club.
THE exhibition Of miniatures and
oil paintings by Euiabee Dix of
New York, which now occupies the
gallery of the Arts Club OF Washing
ton, engages attention not only be-
cause 1t has unique distinction, but
on account of striking variety in the
matter of technique. Mrs. Dix's
flower paintings are very broadly
rendered, in some instances with pig
ment heavily laid on, whereas her
miniatures are set forth with the
most exquisite delicacy and lightness
of touch. The whole exhibition is In
high key.
The majority of the flower paint
ings shown are white. There is. no
blare Of trumpets or straining for
effect. but each work has, it will be
found upon examination, q certain
precious quality. It Is an interesting
thing to find one who had attained
such distinction as Mrs. Dix in the
field Of miniature painting turning
with so much enthusiasm to work in
oils-rendering Of flowers in all their
elusive, transient quality. and yet
preserving in connection Herewith
decorative effect.
1t is not depreciation of this
achievement to declare, however, this
artist is first and foremost q painter
Of portraits in miniature. Who has
ever achieved a more brilliant success
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In her full-length portrait of Nina
Gabrilowich, granddaughter Of Mark
Twain, which is included in this show
ing? How lovely Is the dark hair Of
the subject, seen against the light
background! How freshly and freely
every accessory Is painted! Finally,
how much personality the work pre-
sents! Equal praise can be given to
the miniature of Miss Mary WINS, In
which the arms and hands are most
perfectly drawn and rendered.
High praise can also be given to
her portraits of Miss Cameron, seen
against Q beautiful blue background,
and Miss Vera Bloom in q Colonial
costume worn a couple of years ago at
q commemorative ball.
Apparently Mrs. Dix allows her color
to flow lightly over the surface of the
ivory, using 1t to give richness to the
transparent medium. Never does her
brush seem to hesitate or stumble; tn
each instance the portrait Is . tour
de force.