Evening star., 1939-09-17


Obviously, war is antagoniStic to
art, being primarily destructive
rather than constructive, and suffers
not only as a product of civilization
which is outraged, but because its
creative source, the artist, suffers In
undue proportion. 1t is impossible
to hurt the artist and not hurt art.
From the injuries done Is years ago
the art of this country, as well as
that of Europe, is still suffering. In
these years, the whole trend of art
has been changed by the blight of
warfare and the continuous haunt
Ing specters of insecurity and fear.
The present war, like that which
preceded it, will of necessity destroy,
during its duration. the artists mar
ket; even that which our own Gov
ernment has valiantly endeavored to
build up through encouragement and
support. Living costs will increase;
humanitarian causes call for extra
ordinary expenditures; art will
languish as will those other purely
joy-giving things which may be listed
as luXuries, even though the fact that
man cannot live by bread alone has
been so completely demonstrated
that it has become an axiom.
French Art Of 1914.
It was the sad plight of the artists
of France in 1914 and 1915 which first
brought home to us here IN America
this economic relation of art to war
fare. with the result that steps we're
taken to raise sufficient funds to
alleviate the distress Many Wash
ingtonians will remember the lee
ture given in the Willard Hotel ball
room by the late James Barnes, au-
thor and traveller, under the au-
spices of a local committee with the
cordial support of leaders in official
and social life. when the boxes were
filled by diplomats, at one with one
another in this instance.
1t was not long. however, before
the artists themselves began making
contributions in their own field,
Abbott H. Thayer came to Washing
ton on his own initiative to demon
strate the possibility of cloaklng
ships and war machines with invis-
ibility by following natures practice
of protective coloration for birds and
other wild creatures. The outgrowth
of this was the establishment of the
Camoufage Corps of our Army and
Navy and the widespread use by the
Allied Nations of the system scien-
tif1cally worked out along suggested
lines, by its artist members, among
whom, rendering especially valuable
service, was Charles Bittinger of this
city, now president of the Society
of Washington Artists, whose scien-
tific knowledge of color is outstand-
ing.
In wartime it is essential to keep
up public morale, to have the people
In sympathy with those who are
IN command The surest and best
way of attaining this end was found
to be visual exposition; in short,
the poster which caught the eye
and delivered its message in swift,
single blow. In England, France
and, later. America, excellent service
was rendered by the artists in this
particular. And what stunning work
they did! Work which has not been
eoualled since. primarily because no
such great necessity has arisen.
Effect of Posters.
I; was the poster which brought
In recruits. wrung hearts with the
sufferings of participants; held out
possibilities of victory and indicated
ways of usefulness. 1t was the
poster makers who gave the masses
courage and fired their zeal. The
success of Herbert Hoovers Food
Administration was largely traceable
to the efficient use of posters. Then,
too, it was necessary to acquaint
the people with what the Govern
ment was doing in the way of war
work. Thornton Oakley and Joseph
Pennell each did series of war-Work
Autographs. Mr.. Oakleys were of
our shipbuilding on Hogg Island;
Mr Pennell's were of steel and
munition factories in this country
and abroad; drawings which take
their place today with the great
works of art by contemporary Amer
lean artists; illustrations with ex-
tldOI ullldly pun pOoc
To keep up the morale of the Ia
boring man the Government sought
the aid of Gerrit Beneker, who,
through poster portraits and pic
lures of the men at work, showed
us the substantial and ennobling
side of labor, with sincerity and
without sentimental implication. 1t
was the then Assistant Secretary of
the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
who sanctioned Mr.. Beneker's en-
ployment, recognizing his ability
and the potentialities of the service
to be rendered. Here was, perhaps,
an early indication of the Presi-
dents sympathy with the laboring
man and appreciation of the de-
pendence to be placed upon him.
Etchings Made in War.
When the United States entered
the Great War and troops were
sent to France. by special appoint
ment went with them some of our
foremost artists to record the con-
f1ict at the front. Among them was
Kerr Eby, whose etchings of war,
the presence of death, have done
much to take away the romance and
manifest the fearfulness of war, then
and now, between highly civilized
nations. George Harding's drawings
of the A. E. F. at the front and
in action were published in port
folio form.
George Bellows did not go abroad
but his painting subsequently litho-
graphed) of Edith Cavell on her way
to execution did as much as any
thing else to create indignation
against the aggressive power and
eventually to lead us into partici-
patton in the conflict. When chided
with not having actually witnessed
the scene he pictured so vividly, Mr.
Bellows is said to have replied that
Da Vinci was not present at "The
w, LofI, it,rf TO, 1nc