Evening star., 1939-03-17
f. {. Watkins Wins
Clark Prize in
Corcoran Exhibit
Floral Subject Awarded
$1,000 and GoIIery's
Gold Medal

Gold Medal
A large oil painting of flowers,
entitled Summer Fragrance" today
won for its creator, Franklin C. Wat
kins of Philadelphia, the coveted
award of the first w. A. Clark prize
OF $4,000, accompanied by the Cor
coran Gold Medal for the best paint
ing in the 10th Biennial Exhibition
Of Contemporary American Oil
Paintings, to open at the Corcoran
Gallery of Art March 26.
Robert Philip of New York won
the second Clark prize of 81, 500 and
the Corcoran Silver Medal for his
figure painting Of young girl en-
titled Nude"
Third prize of $1,000 and the Cor
eoran Bronze Medal went to Morris
Kantor Of New York for his Cape
Cod landscape entitled Lighthouse. ;"
Fourth prize of $500 and the Cor
eoran Honorable Mention Certificate
were awarded to Ernest Fiene of
New York for his poetic landscape
entitled Spring Evening"
Extra Mentions Added.
Due to the high quality of work
Included in the exhibition, it was
announced by the Corcoran Gallery
Of Art that the jury of award added
three other honorable mentions,
which carry no money prizes.
Second honorable mention went to
Nicola Ziroli of Chicago for his
flower painting called White
Pitcher" third honorable mention
to Gladys Rockmore Davis of New
York for her portrait of a girl read
Ing called Morning Papers, and
fourth honorable mention to Albert
Serwazi of Philadelphia for his
''Model Resting"
The awards we're determined by a
fury of prominent American artists
consisting of Maurice Sterne, chair
man. of San Francisco and New
York; Randall Davey of Santa Fe,
N. Mex; Jerry Farnsworth of New
York and Truro, Mass; John C..
Johansen of New York and Carroll
Tyson of Philadelphia.
The exhibition contains 1863 paint
ings by 358 artists and the entries
came from every section of the coun-
try. The paintings were selected from
nearly 5000 submitted. The exhibition
Is one of the largest and most repre-
sentative showings of work by Amer
lean artists and is always the focus
Of attention of those interested in
contemporary trends in painting
The work ranges from that done in
a conservative academic style to
that Of the very modern school.
Among the pictures rejected, it
was learned, was painting by Peter
Blume of New York, satirizing Mus
solini. by depicting him in the form
Of big green head popping out of
a Jack in the Box" officials of
the Corcoran explained that the
picture was rejected not because
of any political implications. but on
the basis of merit as painting. 1t
was judged in New York City when
the jury of award sat there.
Watkins Versatile Artist.
Mr.. Watkins, who won the first
prize and Corcoran Gold Medal with
his Summer Fragrance" is better
known as figure painter, but has
done all sorts of subjects from the
"Crucifixion" to a side-show fire
eater.
His prize winning canvas at the
Corcoran is quite different in sub
ject from his better-known work.
being sensitive, quiet, still-life ar
Yangement, beautifully and deli
cately executed. He has done mu-
rails for the Rodin Museum in Phila-
delphia and examples of his work
are in the Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, and in
the Whitney Museum Of American
Art. New York.
Mr.. Watkins was born in New
York City in 1894, took his art train
ing at the Pennsylvania Academy of
the Fine Arts and was awarded two
travelling fellowships to Europe. He
was comparatively unknown as a
painter until he won the first prize
and Lehman Prize at the Carnegie
International Exhibition in Pitts
burgh in 1881 with his striking paint
ing entitled Suicide in Costume"
Many of his paintings are satirical
and characterized by keen wit.
Philip Noted as Colorist.
Mr.. Philip, whose second-prize
canvas of half-length nude figure
of young girl is characteristic of his
work, is known as an excellent
draughtsman and colorist. Born in
New York in 1895, he received his
art instruction at the National
Academy of Design and the Art
Students League in New York He
has done many fine character stud
les, in all of which a clearly defined
mood is found.
His talent has been recognized by
prizes in other exhibitions, includ-
Ing the second Hallgarten prize, Ma
tional Academy of Design, 1922: first
prize and Logan Medal, Art Insti-
tute of Chicago, 1886; first honor
able mention, Carnegie Institute
1887. He IS represented in the
Brooklyn IN. " Museum, Whitney
Museum of American Art and Mu-
scum of Fine Arts. Houston, Tex.
Mr.. Kantor often spends his sum-
mers at Provincetown, Mass, where
his prize winning painting was
made. 1t shows his Interpretation
OF the lighthouse on the end of Cape
Cod. The artist was born in Rus
sia In 1896. but now is an American
citizen. He studied with Homer
Boss in New York. and in Paris
without master. His canvases al
ways are distinctly personal in their
approach to subject matter, and all
y have the mark of the individual
artist in them. Many Of his pictures
are rather mysterious and some
times sinister interpretations of ma
ture. He won first prize of $2,500
and the Logan Medal at the Art
Institute of Chicago in 1881. and is
represented in the Whitney Museum