Evening star., 1939-02-26

when one recalls their forebears,
such as Raeburn and Allen Ramsay,
or, in the immediate past, Guthrie,
Hornet, Nc Taggart and a host of
other sound, sincere, fine artists.
Perhaps this exhibition comes
more as a shock at this time, when
magnificent exhibition of Scottish
art is being held at Burlington
House. London. and the memory of
the notable display in the Palace of
Arts of the Empire Exhibition in
Glasgow last summer is still fresh.
In both instances Scottish art holds,
or has held, It's own with the best
that Great Britain has produced,
maintaining the tradition of nobility,
courage and integrity that the Scots
long since set for themselves.
1t has been truly said that the
great portrait painters of the 18th
century, among them Ramsay, Ma
smyth, Geddes and Raeburn-exer-
cised a profound influence in Eng
land and, incidentally, on early
American painters in London, such
as West and Stuart; while a century
later the Glasgow School, set its
mark upon the art world of its time.
But, this being the case, how great
is the present downfall!
Obviously there may be differences
of opinion. Some may like slovenly
painting. and poor drawing. and If
SO it should be permitted to them.
But the time seems to have come
when every one must make up his or
her mind whether art is or is not
properly visual means of express
sion. and if it is. insist upon clarity
and integrity. The musician who has
not mastered technique is given little
tolerance and short hearing, the
writer who has no command of words
gets scant charity or attention. Why
should there be a different rule for
the art of painting? And after all,
what is the value of art which is
neither inspired nor inspiring?
There is long gap between mere
representation and creative express
sion. The use of natural forms is
legitimate to convey spiritual mean
ing. but not when such SO intrude
that they obliterate the deeper sig
nificance. The great masters of the
past knew this full we'll. There is a
sheer beauty of paint on canvas. but
VIXEN paint is not put on knowingly
-right-this beauty quickly van
ishes. Once artists painted because
they wished to make known and per-
petuate beauty which they them
selves had discovered. Now it would
seem that the chief aim of many is
to share with the world their bad
dreams. Art Of this sort does not re-
fleet healthiness.
OF all the paintings included in
the current exhibition of Scottish
art. now in the Whyte Gallery, the
most serious and best rendered are
works of eminent etchers-James
McBey and Sir Muirhead Bone. The
former is a sketchily rendered por-
trait study of Mrs. Robert K. Black
of Charlottesville, Va, painted when
she was abroad last summer: the
latter a water color of "Brora, Suth-
erlandshire gray and very subtle.
Both of these men, being expert with
the etching needle, know that the
A B Cs of art must be learned by
heart before one can obtain adequate
expression: therefore, while drawing
also upon their inherent ability, they
have attained success. Both of these
paintings are hung on the stairway.
S. j. Peploe is four times repre-
sented and in each instance by
works pleasing in color, but best of
all by still life owned and lent
by the Phillips Memorial Gallery.
"The Green Vase" by Duncan
Grant, is a decorative composition,
broadly rendered with a bold style,
calling attention to itself by the use
OF exaggeration in size and the use
of bold color. r. o. Dunlop's Heb
ridean Peasant" suggests a little the
loose handling of Zorn, but with
out any of his sleight-of hand or
cunning. Also, incidentally without
his sense of structure. Farm Girl"
by S. dHorne Shepherd, is more
crude in color and craftsmanship
but perhaps more modern" in man.
ner. "Schoolroom,' by Agnes Mil
Ter Parker, is purely cubistic-the
figures each being clothed as it
were, in angular coats of mail, thus
taking to themselves the aspect of