davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-11-26
Camera Club Of the Para
mount Studios Shows Work
Overdrumotized

The collection Of photographs by
members Of the Camera Club Of the
Paramount Studios, Hollywood,
which constitutes the November ex-
hibition in the division Of photog-
raphy, United States National Mu-
scum, Arts and Industries Building,
has proved rather disappointing. AS
the moving picture represents the
utmost triumph Of photography and
is dependent upon the artistry of
the camerists, there was good reason
to expect much from the members
Of this Camera Club. As 80 often
happens, however, it would seem
that instead of witnessing to the
influence Of the photographers upon
the moving picture these prints
show the rather baneful influence
Of the movies upon their art. How?
BY inducing undue stress to be put
upon the dramatic. Faces are dis
torted by forced emotion: subjects
are chosen which are or are sup
posed to be breath-taking. The OBJ
ject is to catch and hold attention
by way Of the unusual rather than
through effort to make the usual
more significant and beautiful. This
augurs badly both for the photog.
raphers' art and for the art OF the
cinema which they serve. A far bet
ter understanding Of the purpose
and character Of art with the cam
era as medium Is shown annually by
the members Of the Telephone Cam
era Club, set forth in the National
Museums exhibits.
Evening star., 1939-11-26
r Staff Photo.

ican salad bowls hare more than the
Danish.
The Danes have produced particu.
larly distinguished work In metals.
Their sturdy silver fiat ware was
well represented in the exhibition
at Gardnckel's, although 1t did not
include any items by the craftsmen
OF Georg Jensen, whose work already
has many outlets in this country.
The familiar little figures In royal
Copenhagen porcelain were missing
for the same reason.
There were also excellent bronzes,
a particularly striking piece being a
large platter by Staehr Nielsen, in q
dark grayish-green color, decorated
with silver signs Of the zodiac.
Evening star., 1939-11-26

this authentic American school,"
so triumphantly proclaimed, and
what is their contribution? Head
ing the list is John Sloan, who is
pictorially represented by his we'll
known painting Of women on q
New York roof drying their hair
on . Sunday: then. in regimented
review, come John steuart Curry,
Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood,
Henry Varnum Poor, Reginald
Marsh and George Biddle, as high
lights, with following close by-Jon
Corbino, Arnold Blanch, Paul Cad
mus, John Kane, Doris Lee, Yasuo
Kuniyoshi and others Of the same
ilk, many of whom are of foreign
birth or heritage, all bent, 1t would
seem, upon showing to the world
the lowest and worst In American
LIE today. II this art Is truly
American there Is little cause for
national pride or patriotism. But
1t is not. The omissions from the
list OF painters making up the cur
rent American school" are many
and conspicuous.
Evening star., 1939-11-26

Danish craftsmen, when mixed in
other climates and countries, do not
produce the same colors, even when
the ingredients are identical. This
Is an interesting theory, but difficult
to believe. It is easier to assume
that any differences in the effects
are due to race and environment of
the artists employing the colors.
An outstanding display at Gar
flnckel's was the Hansen living
dining room, with furniture in nat
ural colored wood and dark blue
upholstery, the blue and golden-tan
color scheme being echoed in pottery
dishes, draperies and table linen.
Several tables were set with similar
services Of pottery or stoneware,
Evening star., 1939-11-26

this portrait Of Mrs. ODonnell be-
longs. Somewhat in the manner Of
Copley it is more broadly and per-
haps less skillfully painted, but in
style freer, more original. The
young woman, in the dress of the
period, sits rather stihny in a
straight-back chair turned to the
right, but she looks toward the OBJ
server and bangles from the FORE
finger of her appraised hand min
iature of q man, presumably her
husband, which has been rendered
with extraordinary care. Thus this
becomes q double portrait and rep
resents not only painting in oils on
canvas, but miniature painting,
which, in the early days Of our Re-
public, attained to q very consider
able height. It is very vital and
charming picture. Also 1t calls at
tention to the excellent collection
of miniatures which, through the
Catherine Walden Myer Fund, has
been acquired by the Smithsonian
Institution as sponsor Of the Ma
tonal Collection Of Fine Arts.
Evening star., 1939-11-26

CIOWQeo appearance, Wnlch has now
been remedied. The result Is very
pleasing.
These galleries were improvised by
the skillful use Of structural screens
In 1910, when the Natural History
Building was but just completed, to
provide exhibition facilities for the
Harriet Lane Johnston collection,
received In 1906, and the William T..
Evans Collection, given likewise to a
National Gallery of Art in 1907.
They comprise one large and seven
small galleries, which were adequate
for the display of the paintings pre-
sented by these two donors. But
then came the Ralph Cross john
son collection Of "a works by the old
masters and the % World War por-
traits by distinguished American
artists, the gift of a National Art
Committee, with last, but not least,
In 1888, the varied and extensive COL
lection Of paintings and objects OF
art assembled by John Gellatly of
New York and four years earlier
decided to the Nation. Obviously,
some of the gifts had to go into
storage, and there they still are,
awaiting the completion of the
Smithsonian Gallery of Art, for
which plans have been drawn and
are now under consideration. Mean
while, however, the stored paintings
have been drawn on now and then
for special exhibitions and have sup
piled material for rotating shows.
Because Of the size and variety of
the Gellatly collection it was neces-
sary to assign to it the large main
gallery-which is more than filled
and the small gallery to the south.
Then, as now, the walls and floor
space were much overcrowded, pic
lures hanging frame to frame on the
Evening star., 1939-11-26

walls and vistas obstructed by nu-
merous cases. In some way, through
rearrangement, this condition is now
seen to have been much improved.
The sense of clutter is gone and
one Of airiness and space instituted.
Nothing has been withdrawn, but
each object now seems to have hap
PLY found its place, due, no doubt,
to the skill and good taste Of the
director, Ruel P. Tolman.
The Gellatly collection is espe-
cially rich in paintings by Abbott
H. Thayer, including in its cata-
logue some of his most famous can
vases-such as THE Virgin En-
throned," the Stevenson Memorial"
Q double portrait of his young son
and daughter and a most lovely
Angel" all in white. It also in
cludes outstanding paintings by
Dewing, Hassam, Carl Melchers,
Ryder Duveneck and others of the
same generation. Among the preci-
Gus objects of art Is q jeweled
pendant representing Triton which
Is attributed to Cellini and might
well, indeed, have come from his
workshop fashioned for some power
full patron-perhaps Of one of the
ruling houses. Likewise reminiscent
of the remote past are two statues
Of the Virgin standing with the
Christ Child in her arms, cut in
stone, one in the 18th, the other in
the 18th century.
In one of the smaller galleries to
the north hangs now, practically
without change, the Ralph Cross
johnson collection, assembled with
the utmost discrimination and the
collectors proverbial glee, which
may boast supreme examples Of such
painters of renown as Raeburn,
Gainsborough, Lawrence, Guard
and some Of the Dutch masters. A
majority Of these works might well
be included in the National Gallery
OF Art, provided there are no con-
ditions OF gift which require all to
be shown as an entity.
The Harriet Lane Johnston COL
lection occupies gallery beyond,
the first to the right, which the
visitor entering from Constitution
avenue reaches, and this, too, is
practically shown in its entirety
an engaging group Of works assem-
bled in the early part Of the second
half of the 18th century.
This leaves only two small gal
leries with the intervening corri-
dors for paintings by American ar
lists. But here are portraits of Mr.
Gellatly, by Irving Wiles, and o1
Mr.. Evans, and his friend. the
painter, Ranger, both by Alphonse
longer. Here are Winslow Homer's
masterpiece, High Clifi, Coast oi
Maine.' and two beautiful panels +
Evening star., 1939-11-26


glass and pottery are now to be seen
ut Chalet Nonpareil Art Gallery,
Bethesda, Nd, until mid December.
The Danish exhibition Is recipro.
cal, organized by the Permanent Ex-
hibttion In Copenhagen under the
of his royal highness,
Frederik, Crown Prince Of Denmark,
to demonstrate that nations achieve
ments In crafts and industrial arts,
IN return for the exhibition sent to
Copenhagen last year by American
manufacturers.
Despite the arguments against ma
tionalism, no one can doubt there
Is . strong national flavor to the
respective shows, and 1t Is probably
subconscious, to . considerable ex-
tent. Careful study Of the objects
IN each exhibition Is likely to con-
vince the observer that tho crafts
men are following their individual
bents, and that any general similar
ity In q single group show between
the output Of different artists, Is
due to some pervasive racial or ma
tional influences.
Beautifully Done.
Those who saw the Danish exhi.
bition at Garfinckel's must inevitably
have thought Of the display in the
Danish Pavilion at the New York
Fair Cf they visited that. Danish
crafts are beautifully finished, SIM
pie In design, restrained in color
schemes. Miss Dorothy Hayes, as
sistant director of the travelling
exhibition, pointed out that the
colors are predominantly cool, in
spred by the sea and rocks and
other elements Of Danish scenery
and climate. She also said that the
formulas for certain dyes used by
Evening star., 1939-11-26
One Exhibition Extended and
Others Opening Today

The exhibition Of designs for
mural paintings and sculpture for
public buildings in the Corcoran
Gallery of Art, which was to have
closed on the twenty-second, has
been continued through today. 1t has
attracted an uncommonly large at
tendance and called forth much
praise. The exhibition Of paintings
and prints by members of the Cor
coran School alumni and advanced
students has also been very success
full, more than 20 works therein
having been purchased. Today in
the gallery Of special exhibitions q
collection of oil paintings and water
colors by Russell Cowles will be
placed on view, to continue until
January 2.
Evening star., 1939-11-26

stained glass by John La Fargo, be-
sides such other words of special
local interest as a marine by Hobart
Nichols, formerly of this city. now
president Of the National Academy
OF Design, and q portrait of Ellen
Day Hale by Mrs. Bush-Brown-
both fully worthy Of inclusion In
this goodly company.
Important Recent Acquisii-
tion and Loan
With the American paintings are
shown at this time three-quarter-
length portrait of "A Lady In Black" I"
by Robert Henri, acquired recently
through the Ranger Fund, and q
very engaging portrait of q Mrs.
John ODonnell by Charles Wilson
Peale, lent by Miss Mary Eugenia
Parke, not previously shown here.
Peale, born in Maryland in 1741,
pupil Of West, and during the great
er part Of his life resident of Phila-
delphia, exerted, through his work
and his initiative in matters educa-
tional, a powerful influence on the
development of art in America.
Henri, born in Cincinnati in 1865,
educated largely abroad and influ-
enced by the new currents originat-
ing IN France in his student days,
which he interpreted literally, also
by teaching and example made con-
tribution of q substantial character
and one still active.
Peale is said to have been at his
best between the time that Copley
left Boston for London and that
Gilbert Stuart came from London
to the United States-and it is to
this period in all probability that
Evening star., 1939-11-26
Guy Pene du Bois' Drawings
and Water CoIors Now on
View

A collection of water colors and
drawings by Guy Pene du Bois
has been placed on exhibition by
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art from
November 18 to December Is.
Mr.. du Bois was at one time q
pupil Of Henri, but he studied also
under William M. Chase and Frank
Vincent Dumond. His work is to be
seen In almost every important ex-
hibition of contemporary art, and he
has received many honors and
awards, not least of which was the
second w. A. Clark prize of 1900
and the Corcoran Silver Medal in
the gallery's fifteenth biennial ex-
hibition in 1887. He Is distinctly q
painter Of contemporary Nfe-that
Of the race track, the cafe and the
street. In his paintings he makes,
as q rule, the vulgar even more vul-
gar than they may be, and the
homely more unpleasant to look
upon. In doing this he may be
laughing up his sleeve, but certainly
without intention of rescue. There
is not one spark of pity or kindliness
in his presentations. The absence
of this quality need not prevent his
paintings from being works Of art
but, strangely enough, while he
paints cleverly, his work utterly
lacks distinction. It Is furthermore
seriously marred by mannerism. The
figures he puts In his pictures are
invariably clothed in coats of mail,
garments made Of something hard
which does not fall in folds or pos
sesS variety in texture. This is an
outstanding characteristic of his
work which has been much copied
by imitators.
Because Mr.. du Bois' paintings in
oils are what they are, it is all the
more interesting and enlightening
to see the current exhibition OF his
water colors and drawings. First
because these show that he can draw
not only well but sensitively and
that he is capable at times Of real
humor. Oddly enough he is still
vulgar, save In his drawings of the
nude-which have extreme beauty
and refinement. But when it comes
to the people he meets here and
there, he Is either attracted by
those who appear to be low or is
merciless to their folly and falseness.
Obviously he is q bit merciless even
to his colleagues and those who be-
long, or assume to belong, to the
intelligensia-as for instance in his
drawings-humorous enough both
Of two men-connoisseurs perhaps
or artists-looking over prints in q
portfolio - and Of The English
Author in America" His portrait
Of e. Barnard Lintott, the painter,
which, while listed among the water
colors, Is In fact q drawing colored,
is vital but a bit cruel. However. 1t
IS also extraordinarily clever.
But why, one asks oneself, this
wave of vulgarity in art? Is it q re-
volt from mere prettiness or Is it an
effort to evade what Gauguin char
acterized as the disease Of civiliza-
tion?" Or does it truly reflect the
present downward slant of contem-
porary life? If the last, it is indeed
time to sit up and take notice. Some
Of the masters of the Renaissance
were coarse men-as for that matter
was Rembrandt-but neither he nor
they painted coarse pictures. In
their art they reached up to an ideal
which in every day life evaded them
When art flaunts vulgarity, 1t has
in 1t the seeds Of death and decay.
Evening star., 1939-11-26
Gellatly Collection Gets
Adequate Showing That
Is Attractive to Public
Copley Has Been Added to
National Exhibition of
Miniature Works
Bv Leila Meckl;n.

49, Within fortnight or more the galleries assigned the
Tenth street and Constitution NV
pubic completely
walls OF these galleries
surplus presented somewhst
Evening star., 1939-11-26
Finer Background Provided for Display Natural History
Danish Arts and Crafts
Shown Here in Return
For American Exhibit
Cabin Handicrafters Have
Exhibition of Domestic
Products of This Type
By Florence S. Bergman.

By Florence S. Bergman.
An excellent opportunity applied has
oe AFFORDED BY recent exhibitions Washington Danish applied
ana crafts have been at Julius Garhncke
by artists have supplemented the Iceandc paintings
Howard University Gallery
OF the United States
Evening star., 1939-11-26
Mrs. Chose's Water CoIors
to Be Shown at Arts Club

There will open in the Arts Club
this afternoon with the usual tea
from 5 to $50 o'clock an exhibition
of water colors by Susan B. Chase
Of this city, who was prize winner
in the metropolitan art contest or
ganized by the District of Columbia
branch of the General Federation
of Women's Clubs in the United
States National Museum and of pic
torial photographs by George r.
Slade of Boston. These exhibitions
are. during week days, open to the
public.
Evening star., 1939-11-26

professor Of painting ut the new
Bauhaus in Chicago (evicted from
Germany, which Is Temporarily
closed" Since 1927 he has exhibited
extensively and his work is held in
high esteem by those who are at
tracted by this strange form Of In
explicable art.
At the present moment interest
is increased in abstract art by the
comprehensive exhibition of the
paintings Of Picasso now on view in
the Museum of Modern Art, New
York, for 1t Is this experimenter,
this playboy Of the art world. who
has led the way into this thorny
field, and for the last IS years kept
young painters on the Jump and the
public in bewilderment. But Picasso
is academically trained, he knows
form, and he can correctly repre-
sent it If and when he pleases to
do so. And yet not one jot or one
little has he added to beauty in the
world or to the increase of esthetic
powers Of enjoyment. The acrobatic
feat Of such one, or those of his
followers, may amaze and mystify,
and thus gain momentary attention
and applause, but 1t serves no great
er purpose. That which in art can
not be understood is more often than
not without reason, for what value
is expression under such circum-
stances?
Evening star., 1939-11-26
A Streomiined Exhibition H.
Iustrotes 'Shrines of WASH
inqton'

At the Arts Club recently. A. ].
Ted Meurer. whose oil painting 'Our
Trailer Trip" won the popular prize
in the Landscape Clubs latest an
nual exhibition. gave q unique talk
on "Shrines of George Washington.
illustrated by his own paintings-32
in number-made as opportunity af-
forded during q series of years.
These paintings, which were excel
lent portraits of place." were shown
on a revolving screen skillfully oper-
ated by Mrs. Meurer, behind the
scenes. In this way the pictures
came to the audience rather than
the individual, being, as in most ex-
hibitions, obliged to go to them. In
cluded in the Shrines illustrated and
Evening star., 1939-11-26

described with historical setting
were Wakefield, Kenmore. Gadsbys
Tavern. Mount Vernon, Bruton Par.
ish Church, Old Christ Church, Po-
hick Church and many less well.
known structures, all Of which were
presented by the artist with pleasing
casualness rather than forbidding
formality. The pictorial material
and its manner Of presentation COM
bined to give exceptional educational
value and import. Mr.. Meurer is
chief Of the graphic section Of the
Tariff Commission and secretary Of
the Arts Club.
Evening star., 1939-04-30
A New Chief of Stuff

Reaching we'll down in the list Of
eligibles, President Roosevelt has
chosen as the next chief of staff of
the Army brilliant officer of the
younger group, exceptionally well
fitted to supervise Americas military
machine in a most critical period of
its development. In appointing Brig
adler General George C. Marshall to
the key staff job, Mr.. Roosevelt ad-
heres to his general policy of infus-
ing young blood into the high COM
mand of national defense in prepara-
ton for any emergency-and it is
just one crisis after another in these
troubled times. The Commander in
Chief of the Army and Navy already
has practiced his rejuvenation policy
on the Navy, having recently ordered
the comparatively youthful Rear
Admiral Harold r. Stark to succeed
Admiral William D. Leahy as chief
Of naval operations upon the latter's
retirement on June /. In addition,
there have been other shifts in high
ranking posts in the Navy, with the
accent always on youth.
The selection Of ty-eaght-year-
Evening star., 1939-04-30
May Day Commemorotion

Tomorrow, as on three previous
occasions, May Day will be celebrated
in the American manner in the Cap
ital of the United States. Members
of cooperating patriotic organiza-
tions, including the American Legion
and its auxiliaries, will JOIN in a
service of commemoration at the
District World War Memorial, in
Potomac Park. Assembling at four
o'clock in the afternoon, they will
pay tribute to the fallen and pledge
anew their devotion to the Nation
for which the heroic dead have died.
Likewise, they will honor themselves
and their country in remembrance
Of the fact that the date, once in
foreign lands associated with revo-
lutionary violence, now under the
Stars and Stripes is sacred to the
cause of national child health. The
two purposes are allied in the hearts
Of thousands. 1t is natural philos-
ophy which holds that the brave men
lost on the battlefields Of the past
are immortal so long as youth, we'll
born and we'll nurtured in their sa-
cred tradition, is privileged to survive.
The world is turbulent with threats
against the ideals embraced in the
May Day celebration in Washington,
but there are few Americans indeed
who do not have confidence in the
democratic principles of the Republic
whose first President took Office a
century and half ago today. 1t is
in popular faith in freedom that the
United States enjoys its rational hope
for 4 future blessed with prosperity
and progress, liberty and peace. The
people of the District of Columbia
require no dictator to command their
presence at such a commemoration
as that arranged for tomorrow. They
will attend with keen appreciation of
the opportunity for voluntary partic-
ipation in the inspiring ceremony.
Evening star., 1939-04-30

bootheel and to Belgium, even well
into 1918. "The Versailles treaty was
an instrument mild in comparison
with these German conceptions" OBJ
serves Churchill sententiously. And
not only were reparations abolished,
but British and American capital was
lavishly placed at Germany's disposal
after the war-money used primarily
to create "the hideous apparatus OF
slaughter whereby Nazi Germany
would hold the world in ransom and
reduce it to servitude."
Mr.. Churchill contends it is "psy-
Geological, not military or economic,
encirclement" of Germany which
Britain and her associates plan. He
boldly proclaims its purpose-"to
produce a change of heart in Ger
manys leaders, or a change of
leaders,"
Evening star., 1939-04-30

macy in all their proud assumptions, has
never been more obvious than during
these recent troublous years. We may
have just pride in all these manifesto
tions of our skill and cleverness, but we
are discovering that 1t is not in the pos
session of material wealth that we find
assurance Of security and peace. Sub
tract moral and spiritual values from our
accumulated riches OF culture and ma
terial wealth and we show bad balance.
Somehow we have come to think Of
what we call practical things" as wholly
unrelated to our moral and religious con-
victions. The latter we hold in proud
isolation. you can't mix business and
religion" has been popular slogan. 1t
may be that the confusions and trials Of
these recent years are forcing us to think
differently. Certainly human nature and
so-called human agencies have not
shown their capacity to meet and over
come emergency conditions. Even the
seemingly well-conceived agreements be-
tween nations, pacts apd conventions Of
every sort and kind, have failed. In the
more intimate relations of life something
has been lacking to maintain those de-
cent and wholesome conditions that con-
tribute to orderly living.
There is an ancient passage that sug-
gests course of action that is pertinent
to the present situation. It is: Stand ye
in the ways and see and ask for the old
paths wherein is the prosperous ways and
walk therein and ye shall find rest unto
your, souls"
Religion is relevant to the conditions
that face us, and the sooner we recognize
1t the sooner will we emerge from the
shadows. Jesus Christ was not dream
er, thinking in terms of world that is
to be; He was attempting to lift the
whole level of life, to make 1t more salts
flying. more real, more complete. Any
study of His teachings clearly indicates
the universally Of His teaching and its
application to conditions that seriously
affect human society today.