Evening star., 1939-05-28

craftsmen. 1t Is good plan to clasp
hands across our continent, but it
would be poor return for hospitality
received to take the little exhibition
sent here to the Corcoran Gallery
by the California Water Color So
ciety representative of more than a
single self-organized group-a small
part OF California, but nothing more
Washington Painting
New Portrait OF Washington
for Washington and Lee Uni
Dersity.'
Miss Hattie E. Burdette has Just
finished half length, seated portrait
of George Washington for Washing
ton and Lee University, Lexington,
Va. 1t shows him in a black velvet
suit seated by window at Mount
Vernon holding in his hand a small
written document, while another,
lately signed, lies on a small table
to his left. together with quill pen
and ink bottle. The figure is turned
to the right, but the face, with
thoughtful, calm expression, is to-
ward the observer There is heavy
curtain behind his head looped in
folds, beneath which one looks,
through the open window, to the
grassy slopes of Mount Vernon and
over the tree tops across the river to
the Maryland shore. AS the basis of
portraiture Miss Burdette has used
the Gilbert Stuart type established
by the so-called Atheneum portrait
in the Boston Museum of Fine arts,
but she has revivified it according to
her own conviction-in other words,
given new Interpretation of George
Washington as have historians of
these later days, based on additional
knowledge.
This portrait was ordered as a
companion piece to that of Gen.
Robert E. Lee which Miss Burdette
painted under commission about a
year ago and with which it should
accord admirably. 1t was Miss Bur-
dette. it will be recalled, who paint
ed at the time of the bicentennial
the full-length portrait of Washing
ton in Masonic regalia, which now
hangs in the Masonic hall in Alexan-
drla after having been reproduced
in color and widely distributed by the
Bicentennial Commission.
Miss Burdette has also lately paint
ed in pastel three very charming
portraits Of children, two little girls
and a small boy, which have been
declared excellent as likenesses and
are without question sensitive works
Of art.
Free Instruction
Summer Art Glasses for Tai
ented Children to Be Organ
tsed by Children's Gallery.
The Children's Federal Art Gal
lery will inaugurate this summer
free art classes for those who are
judged especially talented. These
will be selected by a jury of five
consisting of Grace Etheridge Of
the Friends School, Harriet Gar
rels of the art department Of the
elementary schools of the District
of Columbia, Prentiss Taylor, men,
Der of the committee sponsoring
the Childrens Gallery; Richard
Kenah. director of the District of
Columbia Federal Art Project, and
Philip Bell, director of the gallery.
Each public and private school
will submit the work Of its two most
talented pupils and on the basis of
merit the jury will make the final
selections.
An exhibition of the works chosen
by the jury will be held In the
Children's Federal Art Gallery early
in July. In the classes to be con-
Quoted painting, drawing and mod
cling will be taught.
Art Season Closes
Activities SHIFT From Cities to
Country Districts.
The art season of 1939-30 vir-
tually comes to a close with the
end of May, after which few i'm
portant exhibitions are held in the
cities and few sales take place in
the art auction rooms. From June
to October most of the activity in
the field of art is transferred to
those places where people congre-
gate during the vacation days for
summer sports and cool climates
The artists gather in such places as
Old Lyme, Gloucester, Provincetown,
Ogunquit and elsewhere in New
England, as we'll as at Woodstock,
N. Y. Chester Springs in Penn
sylvania and elsewhere as fancy
dictates. The Peterboro Colony, es-
tablished in memory of Edward
MacDowell, will be closed this sum-
mer because Of the necessity of
repairing damage done by the fate
full hurricane of last September,
but, happily, places on the East
Coast escaped almost unscathed.
Numerous summer art schools VIII