Evening star., 1941-03-16


contain, making acquaintance with
not few through reproductions
but to have it, to know it is ours
that Is a different matter.
William M Chase once said that
over the entrance of every art
museum, where it would catch the
eve of visitors, should be inscribed
For your enjoyment; not your crit
icism," but our National Gallery OF
Art will need no such inscription.
Blind and inSenSitive would be the
person who did not find enjoyment
there and disputatious he who would
quest for that which is purely con-
troversial.
Richly Endowed.
The paintings and works in sculp-
ture with which the National Gal
lery will open are all world master
pieces, tried and found worthy by
the greatest of all critics and lev
elers-time; works which, in very
fact, generations have agreed to ad-
mire. Never before has national
gallery of art come into existence so
richly endowed and equipped. When
the National Gallery of London
opened its doors, in 1884, Ill paint
ings were included in its catalogue.
Our National Gallery of Art will,
upon its opening, list more than 500
all of which, it should be remem-
bered, however, are the gift to the
Nation of just two art-loving, pub
lic-Spirited citizens, Andrew w. Mel
lon and Samuel H. KresS. Already,
other gifts, such as the superb Wide
ner Collection, have been announc-
ed, and important loans are assured.
These include a distinguished COL
lection of more than 300 prints,
given by Miss Ellen T. Billiard and
three anonymous donors, and a
group of early American paintings
by various lenders.
To see, over a considerable length
Of years, the art collections of muse
ums built up as they have been in
this country in the past half CEN
tury, likewise through private mu-
nificence, is heartening experience
but by no means as exciting as to
witness, as now, one come into eX-
lstence full-f1edged as from the hand
of Zeus, gift from the heights of
Olympus.
Monumental Building.
There are those who have thought
that because of the size of the
building planned along classical
lines by the late John Russell Pope,
in consultation with Mr. Mellon,
for the National Gallery of Art, the
architecture might oVerpower the
exhibits, but this Is not the case.
The building is monumental within,
as without, but so excellent in pro-
portions, so perfect in design, that
mere size does not signify, save
perhaps in the great rotunda, fash
ioned after the Pantheon in Rome,
with its superb dome upheld by
towering pillars of rich green mar
BILE, highly polished. But even here
is a lovely fountain, fashioned for
the purpose. and topped by Gio-
vanni da Bologna's bronze figure
of Mercury, lightly poised on a
gust of wind blown from the mouth
of Aeolus, so graceful, so buoyant,
air, to- be in ascent. The bowl
of this fountain is high, and the
water with which it is filled over
flows its rim into a shallow pool
on floor level. BY clever wiring,
this fountain is to be lighted from
within, which will add much to
the ethereal illusion.
From the rotunda, stretching
east and west, are wide and stately
halls, to be used for sculpture, ex-
tending to the garden courts, in
which are other fountains with
sculpture, made in 1872 under COM
mission of Louis XIV, by Pierre
Legros and Jean-Baptiste Tubi, as
decorations for the Theatre dEau
at Versailles. These courts are filled
at present with blossoming acacias
given by Joseph Widener, and with
"fiSh-taip' palms and ground ivy.
Also, there are well-disposed bench
es, affording restful places of retreat.
High Ceilings.
The galleries in which the paint
tngs have been hung and the sculp-
ture placed encircle the building
and open one into another, not
confusingly but with natural Sc
quence as we'll as regard for i'm
preSSive vlStaS. The skyllghted
ceilings are high, but the door open
ings and the wall treatment in
variably prevent an impression of
overwhelming space. In fact, there
Is an intimacy about these several
rooms which is quite surprising.
Great care has been taken to pro-
vide effective backgrounds for all
the eXhibitS-the right tint of wall
covering as well as texture to har-
monte with and bring out the fine
qualities of the works shown therein.
Here Is an example which all gall
ler1eS and museums should take
to heart, for the way a work of
art is shown is of the utmost i'm
portance. Handsome as is the
building erected for our National
Gallery of Art, the feeling the visi-
tor derives from inspection is that
1t has been wrought with loving
care, as tribute, neither to designer
nor to donor, but rather to the
priceless art which it will house
and display-a tribute surprising
all others.
AS every one knows, through the
addition of the Kress Collection (375
paintings in all, many from world
famous collectionS), to those eX-
amples of finest quality acquired
and given by Mr.. Mellon, the Ma
tional Gallery is surprisingly rich
IN paintings of the Italian schools
In fact, it is said on excellent au-
thority that nowhere outside OF
Italy can the art of that country
be 30 well studied henceforth as
here.
Byzantine Influence.
In the arrangement of the Ma
tional Gallery collection, it is Ital-
ian art which has been given first
place, and reasonably, as it can
claim priority in the matter of age
-.