Evening star., 1939-03-12

art OF painting was seriously weak
ened and violent measures had to
be resorted to in order to restore
1t to life.
Obviously the first move was in
the right direction, and when Monet
and his colleagues, bringing science
to bear upon their art. discovered
a way to simulate the effect of light
by reversing the order of the spec
troscope, they literally threw open
the shutters and illumined the dull
painting of the day. The day of
landscapes rendered In tones of
brown molasses was over. But there
is always danger in wedding gar
den, of pulling up flowers as we'll as
thistles. Also bricks can more easily
be made without straw, but they
will not last. AS impressionism got
complete hold of the Imagination,
the weaker painters found it pleas
ant short cut to fame. It was the
eXcesses of impressionism that
brought into existence cubism as
corrective measure, and if the cubists
went too far-as no doubt they did
it was because it was necessary to
jolt art out of the rut which threat
ened to engulf it.
Old AcquaintanceS, Again Vie1Ded,
Sho1U Change in Tempo of Day.
All of these happenings and ten
denotes are brought to mind by the
collection of works by impressionists
now on view in the Arts Club. Some
OF the painters are still alive, but
the majority date back to the early
days when the Phillips Gallery COL
lection was in the making, and in
some instances earlier still. Much
water has run under the bridge since
then, and in reviewing these old ac-
qualntances one cannot fail to be
struck by the change in attitude
toward them, for no longer do they
accord with the tempo of the day.
OF the works of the great masters
OF the past this is not true-theirs
is a continuing effulgence-Whereas
here we would seem to have a glim-
mer, while it lasted, of exceeding
loveliness, but utterly transient. Only
OF the best is this not so.
Among those canvases which
have retained their interest and
beauty are Ernest Lawsons Sun
set, High Bridge'-one of the finest
OF all his productions; Childe Has
sans Spring, Washington Arch"
which is, perhaps. a little illus
trative-and Noon on the Rocks"
which is even more characteristic;
w. L. Lathrop's "Elys Bridge
which is, perhaps, more academic
than impressionistic-an Helen
Turner's delightful interior with
figure, entitled For One of the
Boys" THE Evangelist" by Rob-
ert Spencer is impressionistic in
avoidance of detail. but it is ad-
mirably drawn and very strongly
painted, dramatic work nearer to
the modern school than to the
school of impressionism
But what has happened to
Twachtman and Weir and Theo-
dore Robinson? Have their colors
faded or have our eyes become so
accustomed to greater strength that
we can no longer discern the nu-
ances of their scale? Surely one
or the other. There are STILL how
ever, TWachtmans which thrill-as,
for examples, certain paintings of
waterfalls such as those owned by
the National Collection of Fine Arts
and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Also there are Weirs, which, de-
spite the passing of years, are, as
works of art, reflections of that
which is most lovely in nature.
Color and Freshness of
Treatment Mark CanUas OF
Colonial Type.
In the matter of color and fresh
ness of treatment, no picture in
this collection makes stronger ap-
peal than the little canvas by Helen
Turner. 1t shows young woman
In blue dress, seated in Colonial
bedroom by a blue -curtained WIN
dow knitting. Examine it closely
and the outlines become vague-see
it at distance and the effect is
atmospheric but positive. 1t is
charming as well as a very skillful
work.
There are two canvases by Maui
rice Prendergast in this collection
very typical (who was ever more
individualistic than he?)-and very
welcome; delightful as color notes
and merry in thought, as were all
his paintings. Here, again, one
finds Iaf0;fe t,ofr,n