Evening star., 1940-04-14
By Leila Mechlin.


the one a Venetian Chair" covered
in red velvet and standing before .
sunit window In q drawing room,
the other Summer Kitchen, Lee
Mansion; each is painted admira-
bly,, accurately and with proper illu-
sion Of atmosphere within doors.
Local interest finds expression In
the excellent paintings of "The
Letter House." by Vernon F. Duckett,
and "The Dupont Fountain" by
John j. Wellington. both of which
are to be reckoned with the best as
works of art.
John Butler, a resident of Virginia
but frequent exhibitor in WASH
ington, is at his best in a landscape
entitled "Chester's Gap" q rural.
woodland road-transcribed with
restraint and. at the same time.
consummate skill-as charming =
picture as there is in this compre-
hensive exhibition.
Eliot O'Hara, one of the most
skillful water colorists in this coun-
try end long identified with WASH
ington, though absent at present, is
twice represented In this exhibition,
showing Southern Arizona" land
scape-mountains In the distance,
almost melting into the sky, and q
few trees, like puff in the FORE
ground to the left, otherwise L.
lmitable space and fiatness, and
Beach in Autumn" painted, doubt
less. near his summer place in
Maine, and, curiously enough,
similar to the Arizona picture In
simplicity Of composition and spa
ciousness of view. These are more
reticent than Mr.. Hara's usual paint
ings in this medium, and therefore
not so effective in group showing,
but they are sincere and significant
paintings not merely to be seen
once and forgotten, but to live with
happily.
Strong Flower Studies.
In this connection, mention may
be made Of certain very engag-
ing flower studies which have found
their way into this showing-much
to its profit. Two of these are by
Frances Hungerford Combs, two by
Iona Miller Keplinger and one by
Clara r. Saunders. Especially pleas
ing is Mrs. Combs painting, Easter
Lilies" gray-blue vase standing
on a rose-colored cloth against
yellow background, q simple COM
position in which the color scheme
is perfectly attuned and the treat
ment admirable. Both of Mrs. KEEP
fingers paintings are colorful and
conserve the spirit Of the flowers
which are Transcribed, but that of
"Zinnias," in a decorative arrange
ment, is particularly noteworthy.
Comparatively few portraits or
figure paintings find their way into
water color exhibitions, and, in this
respect. the current show follows
the rule Of precedent. There are two
portraits In pastel-one of little
girl in her great-grandmother's
dress, pastel In full color by Edith
Mccartney, and another Of q head
OF a black boy by Charlotte Fuller
Eastman, in the same medium. Also,
there Is an interior with figure In
water color-'Knitting" by Marion
Stevens, which has much to COM
mend it. But by all means out
standing is a painting in water color
OF a Mexican girl, carrying on her
head basket of Gala lilies, which
she is offering for sale; this is the
work of Carolyn G. Bradley, who
also, by the way, contributes q bril-
liant rendition to the Volcano Santa
Maria" as simple and powerful q
landscape as one may chance to see,
painted with the utmost assurance
and intensity of feeling.
Gertrude g. Brown, who, as rule,
paints broadly and strongly, con-
tributes comparatively small
painting entitled ."At the Rabbits
House." in which are seen, in an
artificially- lighted room. five elderly
rabbis seated in conference at q
table. Partisan Theater" by
Richard Lahey Is an elaborate
composition and very knowingly
rendered, but not in itself engaging.
It Is certainly not satirical, nor is
1t Of historical significance, neither
has it any inherent beauty: but it
does demonstrate incontrovertibly
the painters skin. Likewise, ad-
miration for the cleverness Of rem
dition cannot be withheld from
Robert r. Gates for his large paint
ing in water color entitled New
England Quarry" nor from Nicolat
Cikovsky for his picture Of . ~vir-
ginia Farm; but for those who may
have to live in the vicinity of this
quarry or this farm, much pity must
be felt, for they are utterly dreary
nature despoiled and In the last
degree unlovely, hence dispiriting.
vulgaFized Type.
Still more depressing are such
paintings as i've Been Working
On the Railroad" BY Z. Ormond No
Mullen; Around the Corner" By
Thomas Attardi and 'eNr. and Nrs.'f
by Ia Force Bailey. al Of which hold
up to view human beings utterly
vllgarised. This Is the type of pic
tgre which. alas, parades today
under the banner Of tho "Amsrican
Scene" but falsely. being merely .
fragment thereof.