Evening star., 1941-12-07
Offers
Art for Yule
Gift Buyers
Phillips Gallery's
Display Includes
About 100 Works
By Florence S. Bergman.

The Christmas sales exhibition OF
small paintings, prints and draw
ings by artists of Washington, Bal
timore and vicinity, on view at the
Phillips Memorial Gallery until De-
cember rs, seems likely to prompt
thoughtful observers to ponder the
whole question of public support
of contemporary American art. 1t
would be difficult to imagine a
simpler case of artist versus lay
man than this exhibition exem-
plifles. 1t is open one month before
Christmas, when most people are
selecting gifts. and its primary pur-
pose is to display original works
priced within reach Of the average
person. 1t is shown under auspices
of a gallery renowned for its sup
port of living artists and centrally
located, convenient to the majority
of Washingtonians likely to pur-
chase art. In every respect the cir
cumstances of presentation seem
exceptionally favorable
But, on examination OF the works
shown, many persons will conclude,
with regret, that majority Of the
contributing artists do not seem to
be acquainted with public tastes in
art. One assumes the artists sent
works which they thought would
make acceptable gifts, in view of
the shows purpose. Nevertheless,
of approximately 100 works on view
not more than Is per cent would
impress the average person as de-
sirable for home decoration. The
public has demonstrated its prefer
ences many times. by popular votes
at the Corcoran Biennials and other
shows, by choices Of lay juries for
exhibitions (such as that in Phila-
delphia last year. and by what the
average person buys and hangs in
his home. According to these
measures Of taste, the public has a
strong liking for pleasant subject
matter. good craftsmanship and
clean, fresh colors that will har-
monize with the homes decorative
scheme.
Among the pictures in the current
with which one could
imagine living contentedly are Mar
jorie Phillips "Poplars From Ter
race" fresh and airy; Olin DoWs'
North Carolina Shacks," common
Y,lo
into thing of beauty; c. Law Wat
kins' Mickey" pretty meditative
young girl in a quiet atmosphere;
two mountain scenes in water color,
"Moat Mountain by Aida Con-
over, and Allen Squire's "Old Rag:
Auriel Bessemers Timber Takers,
Robert Carr's pleasant Interior"
still-life of cauliflowers by Mary
Elizabeth Partridge, another STILL
life by Esther Stewart. a near-ab-
straction entitled Fall" involving
oak leaves and apples. and Amalie
Rothschild's little painting. "Busi-
ness as Usual" which is almost over
shadowed by its large frame. Aaron
Sopher's Red Hat" is an incisive
revelation of an unlovely type. a
work for portfolio collection rather
than a room wall.
But many of the works on dis
play, far from meeting the public's
standards, would seem to the av-
erage person to be unfinished. or
hasty sketches. Some are so
dark in tone as to add a somber
note to room. Others have brown
ish color schemes which would tend
to merge with dark woodwork and
furniture. Many Of the painters
chose subjects attractive per Sc. but
presented them in unattractive
ways-blurred. distorted, bleak or
Intellectually simplified. A number
of subjects seem completely inap-
propriate-scenes and types which
cannot possibly stir ones enthusi-
asm as adjuncts to daily living.
A number Of sales had been made
from the exhibition during its first
week. In some cases one hopes
that the prospective recipient had a
voice in the selection. For pictures
in the home are very personal mat
ters-as personal as draperies and
furniture-and it would seem ad-
visable for each householder to
select the works with which ne is
to be closely associated.