Evening star., 1940-07-14
War Disrupts
i. S. Exhibit
At Venice
Americans Vote to
Withdraw Works
AS Italy Enters
By Leila Mechlin.

Oy LSttU lN CCHUUs
Although the United States a. q
nation may succeed In keeping out
of the European war. 1t is not pos
sible for us to remain completely
free. For more than q quarter Of
a century, we have maintained very
close relations in the field Of art
with France. italy. Holland and
Belgium. In France we have had
our American School Of Art and
Music at Fontainebleau, now closed
and under German rule; at Rome,
since the first Of the present CEN
tury, the American Academy,
handsome property located near the
Vatican and overlooking the. I'm
perial City; and at Venice, erected
through private generosity, an
American Pavilion in the Public
Gardens in order to participate
nationally in the great Venetian
Biennial Exhibitions.
AS rule. the American exhibit at
the Venice Biennial consists chiefly
of paintings, but this year, because
of war clouds over Italy, as well as
other European nations, 1t was
decided to send only prints. very
fine collection of which was as
sembled by John Taylor Arms, presi-
dent of the American National Com
mittee on Engraving, and forwarded,
on an italian liner. from New York,
on April Goth.
Leading Artists Represented.
The sponsors for this exhibition
were the Grand Central Galleries,
donors Of the American Pavilion,
the National Academy of Design
and the Society of American Etch-
ers. 1t arrived safely, was duly in
stalled and on view when the ex-
hibition opened May 16 and highly
commended. There were In this
collection 800 prints. etchings,
Autographs and engravings by the
leading graphic artists Of this coun-
try, and as it became suddenly OBJ
vious that Italy would enter the
war, ballot was taken among the
contributing artists In regard to
action to be taken under such
circumstances. Because the vote
was rs per cent in favor Of with
drawal when Italy joined forces
with Germany, a cablegram was
sent to the managers Of the Inter-
national Exposition asking that the
American exhibit be taken away,
the Pavilion closed and the prints
stored in some safe place" until
1t might become possible to return
them.
In making this request, Mr.. Arms
made it as clear as possible that
the action taken was not intended
to reflect in any way an official or
governmental policy. But 1t was
an unfortunate happening K one
more straw, on the part Of neutral
nation, indicative of the direction
of the wind-especially when 1t is
recalled with what generosity Italy
lent us Of her best, with infinitely
greater risk, after the seas had
become exceedingly unsafe. The
total value of this collection at
current market prices cannot ex.
ceed $4,000. After all, where in
Europe can any safe place" be
found for man or beast, much less
works Of art? The printmakers in
this instance could not have thought
how trivial their action would
seem. They are really generous
people, as well as gifted.
No blame whatsoever attaches to
Mr. Arms, who merely carried out
the wishes of the contributors and
the sponsoring institutions. There
Is, In fact, probably no artist in
this country who realizes, more
fully than he, the terrible threat of
doom which hangs over the great
monuments of the past which are
the glory of European countries. It
has been his privilege and delight
to etch some of the finest buildings
of the Gothic period. To him they
are unspeakably beautiful and sig
nif1cant. In this connection, note
may be made Of his magnificent
etching of the Porch Of Chartres
Cathedral made two years ago
and entitled for personal reasons,
"1n Memoriam," Of his more lately
executed Tower Of the Madeleine
at Verneiul-sur-Av Normandy,
which he. himself, believes most
nearly approximates the ideal to-
ward which he has striven, and also
OF the tiny etching, smaller than a
postage stamp, of Chartres Cathedral
made to adorn Titania's Palace, and
sent to his friends the first of Janu-
ary with New Year greetings.
Precious Trust.
OF the making of the last of
these etchings, Mrs. Arms has
written:
1t took fine pins from a great museum,
A ground like tissue, laid Nth tediunu,
An optical surgeons slender needle,
To etch the iDhole OF a great cathedral
On a copper plate 80 small, 80 small,
That only the magic OF fairies all
Con squeeze In less than an inch of
space
Our hopes for the coming Year OF
Grace.
This brings to mind the fact that
up to the present time very little
has been reported concerning
damage to the great works of art
which are the worlds heritage from
the past, and have stood in the
path of warfare, mechanized war
fare, which is without comprehen-
sion or heart. We know that the
Library at Louvain is in ruins
again. 1t has been said that the