Evening star., 1938-07-03
Canvases by Thayer
Are Feature of
1000 Items.

OF all the big men in art of the
Golden Era one Of the biggest was
Abbott H. Thayer. and to think that
the 0ellatly collection alone COM
prises nearly two dozen OF his works
gives reason for rejoicing. In addi-
ton to these there are IL paintings
by Thayer in the Freer collection,
two in the Corcoran Gallery of Art
and two separately donated to the
National Art collection, a total of 80
IN this city in public possession.
Thayer's great theme was woman
hood. His original intention was to
be a painter OF animals, and with this
IN his mind he went to Paris to study
with Bonheur and Gerome, but while
this experience widened his outlook
it made no apparent impress on his
art.
1t was on his return to New Eng
land, where his family lived, that he
got his stride" painting portraits of
women. From these he passed to
ldealization, setting aside portraiture
to give himself to the Interpretation
OF spirit. which to him was profound
The outcome" Royal Cortissoz saws
was both a portrait and a Thayer. ;
Rising from portraiture to the cele-
bration Of the impersonal figures he
steadfastly preserved his hold upon
life as he observed it here in our 2rth
century. His imaginative con.
ceptions. such as the 'Caritas' in the
Boston Museum Of Fine Arts. The
Virgin in the Freer collection and
Inc virgin Enthroned' in the Gellatly
collection-are essentially studies o,
humanity. That Is where he is most
intensely American No tradition. no
convention. comes between us and his
raciness. The truth OF life is in eyery-
tning he painted-the truth lifted tn
higher power, enriched by the beauty
which flowed magically into his work
from his natural habit of thinking
and feeling"
MOST often Thayer used his own
children as models, the elder
daughter being the Virgin in all three
OF the great canvases just named
the little brother and sister being
placed by her on either side. This
was perhaps a matter of convenience
but they were excellent models and
through them he expressed that which
was in his mind and heart. They are
monumental works, calm and beau
tiful. Thayer also gave himself not a
little to painting winged figures, such
as the magnificent Stevenson Me-
moriar' and that most lovely small
canvas. all in white. simply entitled
Angel both in the Gellatly collec-
ton.
Mrs Dewing, paying a tribute of
friendship and admiration to Thaver
at the time the memorial exhibition of
his work was held in the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art, New York, in 1922. the
year after his death, referred to this
Angel as "a little head of a very
young girl. with flowerlike, pale face
and innocent brown eyes" Il find. i"
she said. this head the finest OF any
shown in the collection. a miraculous
achievement in delicate values that
model through almost imperceptible
Brother and Sister
Gladys and Gerald Thayer-is on the
other hand done in dark tones. rich
browns and green's. resonant and
strong. Again we have the sense of
insight, depths of calm. unconscious
leading
Thayer was perhaps in some WAYS
more akin to present-day thinking
than any of his contemporaries, espe-
cially in the desire to set forth the
spirit of things seen and in impa-
tience with technical restrictions. He
could and did paint beautifully, but
when he had achieved q desired end
he was apt to think finish" inessen-
tial. For this reason some Of his
are quite unfinished in spots
which in a measure initiates against
their full appreciation. The essential
may still be there, but every one may
not discover it.
THE Davids Of all time have been
like. this, surmounting mountains
and stumbling over pebbles. But
Thayer need never have stumbled. for
he was a magnificent technician when
he chose to be. Witness the painting
of roses by him in the Gellatly COL
lection, than which no more exquisite
canvas exists.
Here again we find gently modu-
lated values telling the story COM
pletely and with consumate skill. In
this painting of q bunch Of pink roses
in a bowl we get sense Of the flowers
fragility and fragrance. we see them
enveloped in atmosphere, and their
loveliness Is such that we catch our
breath with wonder and admiration.
To such height, As a revealing power,
can art arise.
Thayer was no less mastery
painter Of landscape than OF figures,
as may be seen in the two great can
vases by him in the Freer collection,
Capri" and "Monadnock in Winter"
and, though perhaps in lesser degree,
in Cornish Headlands" in the Gellatly
collection. He was essentially an out
door man, naturalist as well as artist,
living and working for years in the
shadow of Monadnock, invariably lift
ing up his heart to this particular hill
as symbol Of eternal beauty.
In 1916 Thayer, who had devoted
much time to the study Of protective
coloration. came down to Washington,
gave a demonstration before scientists
in the National Museum and spent
five weeks trying to impress Franklin
Roosevelt and so work the allies" It
was his theory that was followed later,
not only by our country, but England
and France, in so painting battleships
that they became practically invisible.
To this job he gave himself for months
but it was to his works Of
art that he turned for consolation.
The artist in him could not down"
1t was for this reason that, as one of
his most sympathetic biographers has
said, he left to America, in pure
beauty, his truest heritage.