Evening star., 1939-10-01


activity and acquisition along these
lines.
Herein are shown photographs OF
houses in all of the seaboard and
Gulf states. from Virginia to LOU
isiana, which, in the aggregate
witness 10 a culture of which we
as a Nation, have every right and
reason to be very proud. With the
country houses of Virginia, built IN
many instances in pre-Revolutionary
days and the years of the early Re-
public, with the plantation houses
of the Carolina lowlands, and the
urban mansions of the city OF
Charleston, we are all comparatively
familiar; but concerning the beau
tiful homes of the same period in
Georgia and Alabama, stately and
stable, which are illustrated in this
showing, we are much less well in
formed. 1t is strange that this
should be the case, for these are no
less fine in design and skilful in exc
cution.
The so-called Deep South" has
long been regarded as tagging in en-
terprize and industry, but here is
evidence of highly developed taste
and extraordinarily keen under
standing of values, in terms OF art
and of everyday living, which puts
such supposition utterly to shame
These are the standards that we
want to hold fast to today when
World culture seems to stand in
jeopardy. and here, in this exhibi-
ton, we have something tangible on
which to rest our faith.
Has Great Talent.
That Miss Johnston's photographs
are good goes without saying. Her
transcriptions of old houses in Fred
ericksburg that have been exhibited
in the Library of Congress in years
past, and collections of her work
shown at the Arts Club and in the
National Museum have testified pa
tently to her exceptional skill and
artistic perception, but in the cur
rent display she seems to have eX-
ceeded all her past achievements
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not, it would seem, be surpassed.
Not only has she interpreted,
through the medium of the camera,
actualtities but subtle, spiritual
qualities. For the architect and the
historian she has furnished invalu-
able data. but also in so doing
she has re-created, through her keen
perception and art, the atmosphere
and spirit which envelop and en-
liven work in wood and brick and
stone, and give it perpetual signi-
fcance.
The camera may be depended
upon invariably for a measure of
truth, but only in the hands of an
artist can it be made to perform
this miracle. Not only does Miss
Johnston show us the houses of
the Deep South under the most
favorable circumstances, but her use
and Interpretation of effects of SUM-
light and shade are handled with
such perfection that it is almost
unbelievable. Her prints are never
fiat or sterile, never, one may be
sure, produced according to formula
In every instance she seems to
suit her time and light to her parti-
cular subject, thus bringing out and
emphasizing its most significant
features. Surely no one who did
not love these examples of the early
architecture of the Deep South could
have so sympathetically interpreted
them.
Turning to the exhibition. AS in
PRODUCTION is shown group of
houses in South Carolina, among
which are the William Drayton
house, the William Gibbes house,
and the Governor Thomas Bennett
house of Charleston, each quite diff
ferent and yet very original sources
of design, are Spanish house and
a French house in this same group.
Old New Orleans.
Next the visitor is given glimpse
of old New Orleans-great houses,
four-square and many windowed,
with much ornamental ironwork
overlaid, as we'll as little houses in
the old French Quarter, very foreign
in aspect and style. With these are
shown two Louisiana plantation
houses, most lovely-"Oak Alley" in
st. James Parish, and Greenwood
In st. Francisville, West Feliciana
Parish, the former glimpsed through
vista framed by magnificent live
oaks and across a long grass carpet
on which the shadows, dripping
from the trees, seem fairly to dance,
and the latter a stately, porticoed
home. PARTLY reflected in the still
waters of an ad jacent lake or pool.
Comparable with these are houses
In Mobile, Alabama, where, by the
way, some of the most beautiful
specimens of wrought iron-grills
balconies and gates-literally lace
like, in exquisite pattern as well as
workmanship, are to be found. The
Capitol of the State, handsome
building we'll designed for its pur-
pose. is included in this section. as
is also the Bibb Grave house, a
private home shown with sharp con-
trast of light and shade playing
across it's facade and testifying to
wealthy and gracious living.
Domestic Types.
Much likewise can be said in praise
and admiration of the early domestic
architecture of Georgia, especially
that of Athens, appropriately the
seat of learning, the State Univer-
sity. True to its name this city
seems to have adopted the classical
style for both domestic and scholas-
tic buildings, and in such examples
as the Upson. Gray and Bradshaw
houses, used it we'll, not bombastic-
ally nor artificially but as befitting
climate and living needs. The uni
versity has held to this style ano
has also assured the preservation
of some of the finest houses by put.
ting them to student use.
At Columbus and at Tuscalooss
are two houses, fine architecturally
which have attained special fame