Evening star., 1939-12-03
Subjects Are
Handled
With Zeal
Pictorial Work of
Camera a Receives
Great Praise
By Leila Mechlin.

BY Leila Mechlin.
An almost bewildering number OF
new exhibitions opened in Washing
ton during the past week, or are
scheduled to open within the next
few days. Very varied in character,
these. collectively, witness to the
breadth and independence Of tech
nioue and expression which charac-
terize the art of today, and also,
perhaps, to a more lively interest on
the part of the public therein than
ever before. That artists should in
variably be free to express them
selves as they desire, none will deny,
but ii their expression is not intelli-
gible or satisfying to the public, to
which it is actually addressed, 1t
will ultimately lose its allure. This
is very present danger and one to
which the artists should give heed,
for it must be confessed that boun-
tiful as the feast spread would seem
to be, it is at times found little
thin. However, out of the hum of
the vast present-day activity may
come-in fact. almost surely will
come-the genius for whom we look
to give us again such masterpieces
of art as surpaSs our imagining.
The hope of such discovery un-
doubtedly underlies the eagerness
and interest of painters and their
fellow artists, as we'll as OF the public
today.
The mental attitude of the modern
artist is admirably reflected in the
exhibition of paintings in oil and
water color by Russell CoWleS. which
opened in the Corcoran Gallery OF
Art a week ago and will continue to
January 2. Mr.. Cowles was born in
Algona, Iowa, in October, 1887, and
there attended public school, until
his family removed to Des MONIES.
He went first to Cornell College,
Mount Vernon, Iowa, and then to
Dartmouth, from which he grad
uated cum laude in 1909. Choosing
the career of art, he studied at the
Art Students League and the school
of the National Academy of Design
New York, and his first professional
work was done with Douglas Volk,
Kenyon Cox and Barry Faulkner
all of which was distinctly along the
lines of the traditional.
In 1915, he won fellowship in
painting in the American Academy
in Rome, which brought him face
to face with the sources of tradl-
tion-the classical and that art
which even antedates it's founda-
ton He stayed five, rather man
the usual three. years in Rome, be-
cause the World War intervened
and for year he did war service in
Italy. When he returned to the
United States in 1920, he exhibited
with other Prix de Rome men as a
matter of course. but presumably
he was even then beginning to ask
himself questions concerning this
new world, which had been saved
for Democracy, and his place in it..
The result was that during 1867
he travelled in the Orient. took les
sons of an old Chinese artist in the
traditional Chinese manner, travelled
to China, Japan, Bali, Indo-China,
Siam, India. Egypt and Greece-a
long and diligent quest.
What secrets did he learn? Per-
haps that art is personal matter,
not formula, and that the artist
inevitably must work out his own
salvation-With fear and trembling,
but determination. These con-
victions may have been strength
ened by sojourn in Paris and con-
tact with the works of the modern
ist leaders In any event. he has
been painting ever since. but until
quite recently exhibited little. His
admirers declare his present work
fully mature but beneath its
surface there is still to be found
some of the element of exploration
and discovery. Few have had a
richer experience than he. Heir
to the greatest traditions in art
that exist, he still is seeking way
of his own. and perhaps is still a
little uncertain of its turnings. BY
looking into the mirror of the past
he has not lost his own image, but
perhaps confused it. There is much
knowledge behind his art, but as yet
he has no message. He paints what
he sees with an evident keen love
of expression. but he apparently
sees nothing beneath the surface, he
has nothing either stirring or pro-
found to say.
Most pleasing are Mr.. Cowles'
water colors, done with freshness
and individuality which evidence the
potentialities of the medium. Less
technically accomplished are his
paintings in oil, which are some
times overweighted with pigment,
but invariably attractive in color.
Distinctly disenchanting are his
lifesize figures which are in the East
ern style but without subtlety-
wooden In his paintings of still
life he is probably at his best-and
at the same time most individual
his color in them is at times quite
lovely and there is no mistaking the
artists own admiration for his sub
ject. based on inherent charm.
Four landscapes, three with fig
ures, "The Woodcutter," "Westbound
Freight Country Folk and Hot
Springs, N. Mex" are all interest
Ing compositions, solidly interpreted
with an excellent sense of form. and
good in color-but with story told at
a glance. Water colors of scenes at
An aquarium are very skillful in
rendering and subjectively comic
A picture of New York, Vertical
World" is a good portrait of place.
but with the thrill left out. Here is
a great deal of more than clever
work, and work of very evident sim
certify, but nothing which points us
to the stars or gives CLINT to tighten
the future Perhaps we ask toe
much while the world is still in such
disorder-but here is tangible anc
tantalizing promise without fulfill
ment.