Evening star., 1941-05-04

Again the public has registered
disagreement with the findings of a
jury of professional artists in the
matter of prize awards. During the
week ending last Sunday all visitors
to the Corcoran Gallery of Arts Sew
enteenth Biennial Exhibition of Con-
temporary American Oil Paintings
were invited to cast votes for the pic
tre they, individually, considered
best. When the ballots were counted
1t was found that the greatest num-
Der were for portrait of John La
Fargo, grandson of the celebrated
American painter of the same name,
painted by Luigi Lucioni, who was
therefore pronounced winner of the
5000 popular prize.
The second largest number of
votes went to a painting of mother
and child reading, entitled The
Story" by Gladys Rockmore Davis,
and the third largest number to a
painting of a shaded New England
street, August Shade" by Robert
Strong Woodward.
These selections were in sharp
contrast to those made by the Cor
coran Gallery's jury of five pro-
fessional painters, which were, it will
be recalled: First prize of $4,000 to
a landscape, Vermont Farm" by
John Edward Heliker, since pUlr-
chased for the gallery's permanent
collection; second prize, $500, to
"The Good Samaritan" by Fred
Nagler, and third prize, $1,000, to
poor Fishing" by Max Weber. For
the first prize, six votes were cast
in the popular ballot; for second, 3,
and for the third, none.
Variance of Viewpoint.
Why, some will ask, this diScrep-
ancy? 1t is hard to say, except
that. as a rule, the public judges
results; the artists, means; but IN
this variance of viewpoint is to be
found the explanation of decreased
sales-lack of public patronage for
current production. The public still
associates art with beauty, and is
comparatively little interested in
processes. The pictures which arouse
and satisfy esthetic emotions are
those which appeal.
The portrait by Mr.. Lucioni which
won the popular prize is painted
with great simplicity and retlcence,
Is beautifully drawn, distinctly per-
sonal and, at the same time, vital
Just such a portrait as one would
like to have of one near and dear.
It tells something of the young
man: not merely his appearance,
but his character and inclinations.
The artist is obviously skilled
craftsman, but he does not allow
his own personality to intrude. So
worked and created the great ar
fists of the past.
The other popular choices like
wise are paintings in which a COM
mon cord of sympathy and under
standing is touched. 1t is ever so.
The world yearns for beauty and 1t
looks to nature and to the artists.
Unhappily, the artists in recent
years, especially the painters, have
lost inspiration in fog of techni-
calities. and we are beWilderee and
beWildering. Instead of order and
clear seeing, a message. meaningful
and universal there is confusion
and silence, save with regard to
things ugly and material. The su-
perficial things, which perish, have
been mistaken and exalted for, or
In the place Of, the verities OF life,
which are eternal. All this must
be changed if painting is to regain
Ats rightful status.
Love of Art.
Mr.. Lucioni is an American by
adoption, having been brought to
this country from Italy in 1910,
when a little boy. He studied first
at Cooper Union and then at the
National Academy in New York; but,
undoubtedly, he had in his veins
that love of art which comes through
inheritance and association with
the works of the great masters. To
practically all Italians, art is a
badge of aristocracy, the measure
of things spiritual, something to be
respected and loved.
Two years ago, the Washington
public awarded the same prize to
Mr.. Lucioni for a painting of an
athlete resting, shown in the Cor
coran Gallery's Sixteenth Biennial
Exhibition-a fine, academic work,
but less subtle than this portrait of
young La Fargo.
Oddly enough, Mr.. Lucioni'S work
has received heretofore the approval
of both artists and public, as well
as purchasing committees for some
Of our leading museums, in which