Evening star., 1941-11-23

Work Holds Honor
Place in Display
Of Modern Art
By Leila MechHn.

lIlk UN IlldCSO. SEoAiASiA ny DAh VA va
French by choice and residence. i
is The Three Musicians" and i
is shown as an anonymous loan
through the courtesy of the Museum
Of Modern Art, New York. To i
has been given the place OF honor
in the main gallery, and with it art
set forth a number of paintings
from the Phillips collection by ar.
fists, chiefly French. who likewise
but diversely, find expression
through the use of the modern
idiom. Thus is carried on the story
told by the 10Th century French
paintings from the Chester Dale
collection so recently placed on view
In the National Gallery of Art.
The contrast between the two
groups is very striking. Probably al
no time in the history of art has
such revolutionary change taken
place in so short time-the allotted
span of mans life.
Note of UneaSinesS.
To be sure, the painters repre-
sented in the Dale group were them
selves innovators, and in their works
there may be perceived, now and
then. a note of uneasiness which
possibly foreshadowed. if 1t did not
foretell. future trends. But these
painters of the 18th century still
had their feet on the ground, sought
inspiration at the source. considered
art primarily visual, representative
and regarded beauty as an essential
factor given tangibility through in
tangible common agreement. But
they had not, it must be remem-
bered been Whirled into space by
the acceleration of living, the doubts
and fears and turmoil of modern
life, stimulated by mans own inven-
ton.
Picasso and his confreres repre-
sented in the current showing, pos
sibly because of these changed con-
ditions, seem to have tossed aside
as, useless those canons of art which
for so long had been thought i'm
mutable, and given themselves the
task of creating a new vocabulary
if not language, by which might
be interpreted visually the sensa-
tions caused by shock, sound, dis
tortion, motion and other things of
which they were conscious outside
of the field of visual expression.
Springtime of Art.
Ellie Faure, the great French
critic, perceived in this new art a
kind of "artless genesis" a new
"springtime" for both art and man
kind, but springtime "imbued with
tragedy. confusion, suffering" ele-
ments almost always implicit with
birth or rebirth.
The Three Musicians" was paint
ed 20 years ago at Fontainebleau,
where beauty abounds and the
American school, especially stressing
music, was located. A very large
canvas rendered in strong colors, it
would seem to be more concerned
with the decorative and intriguing
use of cubism than the more subtle
evocations, but undoubtedly the
painters desire was to give musical
sound visual expression. His inter-
probation is purely abstract. What
he has created is a puzzle picture
something to be studied out but
never perfectly realized-despite the
allure OF its clear-cut arabesques,
which demand attention and en-
courage imaginative flights.
OF later date and, in some re-
spects, even less comprehensive are
the paintings with which this bor-
roWed work is shown. Partly, per-
haps, because they are more self
conscious, partly on account of what
would once have been adjudged poor
craftsmanship - technique which
makes medium oppressively OBJ
vious. But in this assemblage there
are big names-Braque, Rouault,
MatiSse and others. Although small
In compass, the collection will be
found fully representative of the
"advanced" art of today, for which
reason it is especially thought
provoking.
Inception in France.
The movement which these goth
century artists lead is not so new
as some may suppose. 1t had its
inception in France between go and
70 years ago and has steadily gath
cred momentum. While it may, and
probably does, reflect the chaotic
state of the world eliminating in
world war, it goes deeper than this
and is not to be waved away as a
thing without significance.
Carol Aronovici, city planner,
throws light on the subject in an
article recently published in the
Journal of the American Association
Of University Women. I'VE are still
at loss to know what is good and
what is bard art, except as a work
of art satisfies the need for lending
grace to the realities of life" he
says. ''We should not be con-
cerned with the laws of art and
ways of its creation, but with the
values which it creates-those values
which serve the spirit and a sense
of beauty"
In the present day. when war and
death and sorrow ride the world, it
is time that every creative artist
should search out his own sincerity
with regard to his contributions
and not only the artist but all who
love art, even if, like beauty, we
find it indeflnable; for, otherwise
the springtime M. Faure prophesied
will have, turned to autumn and
autumn to desolate winter before
we are aware, and the night will be
without stars.
The Phillips collection is especially
rich in paintings of the modern
French school, chief among which
is the Luncheon of the Boating
Party" included at present in thu