Evening star., 1940-06-23
Art Additions
In History
Contrasting Work
Deals With Vital
Events of Past
Bv Leila MechHn.

growing list OF PUBIC possessions.
One was mural designed for and
placed on the south wall of the
Hispanic room in the Library of
Congress; the other an enormous
canvas picturing THE Signing of
the Constitution" which was COM
missioned by Congress for place
ment in the Capitol. The former
was painted by Mrs. Buell. Mullen,
the latter by Howard Chandler
Christy. Almost nothing could be
more diverse than these works, for
the mural is a pure decoration and
the canvas a storytelling picture,
yet both are historically commem-
orative.
Mrs. Mullen's painting presents
the arms of Columbus and is hand
somely rendered in strong colors
with freedom and grace of line.
The surface upon which these arms
and the decortive border surround
ing them are painted is stainless
steel-pale, cold gray in color and
shimmering as might a still pool
slightly rippled by the breeze in
strong light. It's use was expert
mental but successful, the artist
discovering how to roughen the
polished metal sufficiently to hold
the paint, applied heavily but with
fiat color. The design admirably
fits the space occupied and, while
the color may seem a bit vivid at
first, it is not out of harmony with
the other decorative features mo-
saics. painted blinds, etc. which
give the Hispanic room flavor OF
Old Spain from which the nations
to our south are rich inherltors.
This panel executed under the su-
pervision and with the approval OF
Paul Cret, consulting architect to
the Library of Congress, was the
gift of the Allegheny Ludlum Steel
Corp. of Pittsburgh as a friendly
gesture to our Latin American
neighbors and in appreciation OF the
services to be rendered by the His
panic Division in promoting cultural
relations and scholarship.
Classed as Easel Picture.
The painting of The Signing OF
the Constitution" is primarily pic
torial. The canvas painted Is 80
feet in length by 20 in height,
despite which, surrounded by a gold
frame, it must be classified as an
easel picture, to be hung on a wall
and, at pleasure, changed from one
location to another. In other words,
it is not a mural-attached to the
wall, permanently fixed and inner
emily a decoration in accord with
architectural design. Emphasis Is
placed upon this inherent dlfterence
because judgment of the work must
hinge somewhat thereon. We have
a tendency in this country OF con-
fusing size with greatness; we boast
of our big rivers, lofty skyscrapers,
huge cities, vast fortunes, even enor-
nous attendance at art museums, as
if virtue were attained through this
attribute, regardless of what actual
beneficent end it serves. so now
we have a picture OF the signing
of the Constitutions great event
in our national history, that upon
which the cornerstone of our Gov
ernment is laid-and it is so big
that there seems to be no suitable
place in the Capitol to hang 1t.
At the time of its acceptance ana
dedication, on May % it was set up
in the rotunda of the Capitol, to the
right of the main entrance, on a
wooden easel or upright frame. and
there it will probably remain for the
present. as the only other places IN
which it could be shown are the
staircase walls in the House and
Senate wings. which, however, are
already occupied. The occupants OF
the wall spaces-two each-on these
stairways are the painting by Eman-
uel Leutze entitled westward the
Star of Empire Takes Its Way" a
true mural done on plaster and
hence immovable; "The Emancipa-
ton Proclamation" Lincoln seated
at a table with his associates, the
work of Francis Bicknell Carpenter;
the Battle of Chapultepec," by
James Walker, supposedly an eye
witness. and THE Battle OF Lake
Erie" by William H. Powell-au OF
which have occupied their present
positions for many years. But II
these could be removed, would the
painting by Mr.. Christy, which is in
a high KEY and of Colonial interior
accord with such setting or therein
be seen to good advantage? 1t would
seem unlikely.
Here is as serious dilemma IN
the field of art as when Congress
received Greenough's seated statue
of Washington. done under commits
sion, and found that, because OF It's
weight, it could not be placed under
the dome in the great rotunda. Con-
gress paid Mr.. Christy $4,000 for
this painting, and on it he spent five
wears in research and seven months
at painting.
It was the custom half century
ago to paint very large canvases fol
display in the Paris Salon, each
painter thus striving to outdo his
associates in securing attention
until finally the practice defeated
itself. In recent years we are sup
posed to have gathered more wisdom
and come to understand that, in art
size is not significant. Are not the
paintings of the miniaturists of Per-
sia and Gothic of Europe infinitely
precious, the portraits by Holbeir
Sven more valuable than the full
lengths of Romney? Also, it shoulc
be remembered that the human eye
kan see distinctly only within small
Urea, beyond which objects become
S1creasingly indefinite as the cir
sumference widens To see the new
bainting of 'The Signing of the Con-