Evening star., 1939-06-04
Galpin Works
InOne>Man
Exhibition
Five Media Used
Reveal Scope of
Artists Skill
By Florence S. Bergman.

William Galpin of New York is
now having a one-man exhibition
at the Little Gallery, Georgetown,
until June a. Approximately 60
works in media give a compre-
hensive idea of his talent, and also
reveal his profession of fashion
draughtsman for large Fifth ave-
nue. department store. The revela-
ton is indirect, for not a fashion
drawing is shown; but his interest
in costumed figures, and his predi-
lection for the slender -limbed, elon-
gated type associated with fashions,
appear to indicate a connection with
his habitual work.
Furthermore, his forte is line
rather than color. Although four
flfths of the exhibits at the Little
Gallery are in color-oils, tempera
and water colors-it is used SPAR
ingly in many of these In the in
stances where he makes bold use
of color, 1t is inclined to be in some
cases harsh, in others chalky C"Sym-
bolic Portrait"D. There are, of course,
a few exceptions. His oil painting,
yellow Roses" for instance, has
an attractive scheme of yellow and
dark blue, with an earth-red accent
in the table. and cubistic back
ground arrangement. His water
color, John Gielgud's Hamlet" too
is an arresting little work, with an
effective resemblance, not to Mr..
Gielgud himself, but to the i'm
passioned Hamlet he conjured up
hence, Mr. Galpin's portrait" is
psychic rather than physical.
The world of the theater has great
fascination for Mr.. Galpin, to judge
from the fact that fully third
of his subjects in the current exhi-
bition are of costumed figures,
harlequins, clowns. ballet girls, cir
Gus performers. The raw. fiat colors
seem appropriate to these figures,
as do the artificial backgrounds
composed frequently of abstract
motifs that suggest the unreality
of the stage, circus ring or whatever.
An interesting feature of Mr.. Gal
pins performers is that in most
cases they are shown in sad repose.
Possibly he is depicting the legend
ary tragic clown whose heart is
breaking under his garish apparel,
his mouth bitter under the painted
smile. However, the fact that none
of this artists subjects have facial
expressions other than somber, may
indicate merely another influence of
fashion draughtmanship. One Won
ders at times why the women de-
picted in thousands of fashion plates,
every month, never break into a
smile. Their faces are amiable, pen
sive or merely blank; yet in view
of the happy circumstances in which
they are invariably represented, one
would expect the artists to make
them look happy occasionally.
But there is no doubt that Mr..
Galpin has an expressive line, even
though he is experimenting in as
many directions as his present show
reveals. He is at his best in the
large tempera figure, Turkish
Pants" water colors, Sleep" the
wistful ''Lillith," SHOW Girl" large
portraits of Toby" a grave-eyed
lad, and "Lisbet Shramm" (Which
remind one of the linear portraits
by Russian painter, Savely Sorin,
shown in the National Museum some
years ago. and the pen-and-ink
drawings of Charles" and ALBERT" !"
These are all naturalistic. Then
there are several works limiting of
cubist influence, such as Adam and
Eve; still others employing a diff
ferent type of distortion c'Wild
Figures" "Suicide'D. 1t would ap-
pear to be a healthy sign for a
young artist CMr. Galpin is in his
twenties) to experiment, until he is
certain of the shape he wants his
talent to assume.
Mr.. Galpin studied at the John
Heron Art Institute, Indianapolis,
also at the Art Institute Of Chicago.
Under the w. P. A. he painted two
murals in the Indianapolis Public
Library. He has previously exhibited
in Washington, at the Phillips Gal
lery and with the Society Of Wash
ington Artists.