Evening star., 1941-12-28
Bv Leila MechHn.

A few weeks ago the Natlonal
Gallery Of Art received as an in
definite loan from Mr.. and Mrs.
Copley Amory Of this city and Bos-
ton, the well-known portrait Of The
Copley Family" painted by John
Singleton Copley in London in 1902
and always held in the possession OF
his descendants. 1t was lmme-
diatel, placed on view In one OF
of the American rooms and hung
opposite the painting of the wash
ington family at Mount Vernon by
Savage. But during December 1t
has been withdrawn and given an
adjacent gallery all to itself in or
der that it might be copied by
Mrs. Emeline H. Gordon OF Bos-
ton under commission OF Mr.
Amory. The entrance to this gal
lery has been roped of but the
doors left open so that visitors may
have the privilege of seeing the
work of copying in process.
The original painting OF "The
Cooley Family" is on canvas ABOUT
8 feet long by 6 high whereas the
COPY Is about one-fourth less IN
dimensions. 1t is to hang in the
Amory's home while the public has
the privilege of viewing the original
This is, without question, one
OF Copley's most distingulsheo1
vorks-a brilliant achievement and
as fresh In color as though it had
lust been finished. Mrs. Copley'
in a blue silk gown, sits to the right
on a red damask sofa, little glrl
beside her, and her son standing
at her knee with his arm around
her neck and looking up into her
face most lovingly. An older
daughter, in lace cap and quaint
long dress, occupies the front. CEN
ter. Behind her, to the left, Is her
grandfather with the baby on MS
knee. who, because OF delicate
health. was left in America when
the Copleys went to England, and
died very shortly after their depar-
ture. A little farther back STANDS
Cooley himself with head turned
to the right and eyes looking ol-
rectly into those of the observer.
There is a landscape background,
trees to right and left with an op-
ening and vista in the center. Bal
ancing the composition in the lower
left-hand corner is a doll, thrown
down on the ground beside a
feather trimmed hat. 1t is most
engaging composition, the figures
very much alive and about the whole
there is a sense of dignity and re-
pose.
DISTINGUISHED Family
Coplevs wife was Susannah Far
mum Clarke, daughter OF wealthy
Boston merchant, and, through her
mother, Maylower descendant.
The marriage took place in 1859
when Copley was about 81 years
of age. In 1774 Copley, urged by
BENJAMIN West, went to LONDON
and from there to France and Italy
to acouaint himself with the great
works of the past. In Parma ne
made a copy of Correglos 81
Jerome" for Lord Grosvenor. Whlle
on this tour, Mrs. Copley, with her
son. who was later to become Loro
Lvndhurst, and two little daughters,
accompanied by her father, Richard
Clarke and Copley's half brother,
Henry Pelham, arrived in London
ord were there to receive him upon
his return. A great house IN George
street. Hanover Square, was pur-
chased and remained their residence
as long as Copley lived.
Copley's career is too well known
to need repetition. He took ms
place with the great painters OF the
British school. The portraits that
he painted in this country were
more rigid than those after contact
with the works of the Italian mas
ters but this contact enriched his
art without taking from it any OF
his fresh originality. In any COM
pany this portrait of The Coplev
Family" would take its place with
dignity.
To COPY such a work is COM
mission of considerable proportions.
To do so has taken Mrs. Gordon
nearly a month working six days
week from 10:30 to o'clock. But
she has achieved exceptional sue
cess for her copy is not only true
but imbued with the spirit OF the
original. Though an accomplished
painter in her own right, she de-
clares that in making this copy she
has learned much, just as the
painters of the past learned by
studying and frequently copying the
works of their great predecessors.
There are two kinds of copying, that
which aims merely for imitation and
that which strives to catch and IN
terpret spirit. 1t is of the latter
kind to which Mrs. Gordon's copy
OF The Copley Family belongs.
Mrs. Gordon is a native Bostonlan
and studied in the Boston Museum
School under Tarbell and Benson.
For 20 years, however, after her
marriage she and her husband,
Beirne Gordon. made their home
in Savannah, and there a good many
of her portraits have been painted:
Now her permanent residence ana
studio is in Walpole, Mass.
Architects Drawings on View
Since the National Gallery OF Art
vas opened on March II attention
has been chiefly directed to the
magnificent collection of paintings
and sculpture given by Mr.. Mellon
and Mr.. Kress and works indefl-
nitely loaned by other art-lovlng
public-spirited collectors, such a.
the Chester Dales. Whittmores anc
the .Copley Amorys, Now, however