davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Bulletin of Current Exhibitions

Gallery
by old and modern masters tapestries ace Barge
brons and prints eh annual exhibition Society OF Washington
Gavers February 23 French prints of 18th century lent
by Oscar Soessel to March g.
Washington N.W-Water coors by
Edward Paine water coors and drawings China by Mary Augusta
Mulikin echings by Bradbury; February %.
Phillips Gallery, NW-Loan
exhibition illustrating The Functions OF Color in Painting to
Public Library Eighth and streets
assembled through cooperation Of Rene danonco through Feb
ruary and March.
Library Congress- Division Fine Arts-hographs by Joseph
contemporary prinmakers
original Illustrations photographs of early American architecture
Freer Gallery of Art the Mall at Twelfth street sWorienta
prints; Peacock room American paintings
textiles the Mondays Wednesdays
Fridays Admission by card obtainabe office of George
Hewitt Myers, 73O Fifteenth street NV.
National Museum Natural History Building Tenth street and
Constitution NWFoye Water coors and paste by Ethel
Waterman North lobby Silk stencil prints by so artists through
February.
National Building south
Mall at Eighth street sWSecion OF photography American an
nual salon prints; during February.
Christian Art 1903 street NWMondays Thursdays
and admission 5 card card only issued on written
p. A. ALLEGATIONS Gallery BIG Independence avenue sW-
Work by artists of the District of Columbia unit.
Childrens Gallery addressWork of five talented children
under instruction of District of Columbia w P A artists
to March 5.
Daughters of the American Revo-
ica $50 43O weekdays $50 ANIL pm Saturdays
through March.
sculpture by artists of Chicago to February 25
whye Galery. 1907 street NW-Wood carvings by Earle
Chalet Nonpare 71O3 Old Georgetown
exhibition Chinese paintings and obe dart to March
Columbia Branch. National League American Pen
otesketches in water color and white
Studio Gallery George Washington University 5l street
NW.-Work by Auriel Bessemer. March 8.
Building Catholic UniversityCreave work by
Western High School, Cleveland through February
Evening star., 1941-02-23

being credited with having origi-
mated the pastel and crayon method
of printing in white on a gray
ground and also a method for print
ing in gold, the latter of doubtful
value. His three genres. lie De-
jeune," lie Diner" and lie Souper," "
all after paintings by Huet who
was a long way from being Char
din, but talented and capable), give
another side of French life and one
which is worthy of remembrance.
His lie Coulter" after Baudin, is
interesting in the same way. Diff
ferent and noteworthy as excellent
examples of the crayon manner is
his print, La Sagesse ct la Jus
tice," and his aquatint in color
with gold in semblance of frame,
Milk Woman" after Boucher
who. by the way, is said to have
inspired Bonnet's invention of the
pastel method.
There is one print in this exhibit
ton which is engraved in line. This
is lie Concert" by Augustin de
Saint-Aubin, whose art is referred to
by connoisseurs as brilliant, ele-
CANT and versatile" and of whom
it is said that "even his pot-boiling
designs, which were many, were
Evening star., 1941-02-23

ton of ignorance and technical
clumsiness. AS a sculptor of very
excellent standing and achievement,
he is classical rather than modern
istic-but the sculptor's sense of
form is observable in his paintings,
even when, to all appearances, his
brush work and craftsmanship are
faulty.
1t was Mr.. Phillips who first in
troduced Maurice Sterne to Wash
ington, holding an exhibition of his
paintings in the Phillips Memorial
Gallery, and later including, from
time to time, paintings by him in
the gallerys permanent collection
At about the time of this first exhi-
bition here, Mr.. Phillips epitomizeo
the artists achievement in single
sentence. "Sterne," he said, has
built his form massively with color
in an architecture of space" This
is true today, but in the mural
paintings depicting THE Struggle
for Justice" he has cultured his
space with unrelated symbols
through which, rather than his art
he has striven to find expression
and so minimized architectural OF
monumental effect. Allegory is in
evitably universal and impersonal
and therefore cannot be mated with
the immediate and particular. Here
is where the trouble lies.
Eight of the panels by Mr.. Sterne
now in the law library of the JUS
tice Department were reproduced
last Sunday in the rotogravure Sec
ton of The Star.
Evening star., 1941-02-23

and green. Missouri Landscape"
by David Ross, has the charac-
teristic lush green of trees and the
reddish brown clay of the State.
An interesting demonstration that
beauty is in the artists eye COR
viewpoint rather than in the sub
ject is given by two of the paint
ings: My World" by Charles
Davis, and Earl Walkers Land
scape" Although they are not at
all similar, each depicts mean
dwellings in a poor section of
city; but they appear to have been
painted with affection and with due
regard for shimmering color and
poetic sky effects. Another COM
monplace subject attractive in its
presentation is a small gouache by
Charles Haig, entitled Dead End" ."
showing a couple of red freight
cars on siding, in deep grass, with
a delicate blue sky balancing the
complementary color scheme.
Treatment Is Emphatic.
There are numerous figure paint
ings in the group, with surprising
variety of treatment. Charles
Whites Fatigue" is outstanding.
1t shows a Negro laborer leaning
upon a table and is executed with
an emphatic treatment of muscles
that recalls the work of the we'll
known Chicago painter, ivan AL
bright. At the opposite pole is a
painting of Negro boy half hidden
in clump of sunfowers twice his
height, by Eldzier Cortor, which has
been acquired by Washington COL
lector.
George Neal, the painter who
gave the group its start, is repre-
sented with four paintings, the best
being gouache entitled THE Hat"
a carefully balanced rendering of
blond girl in a broad -brimmed straw.
OF the small but laudable group
of sculptures, Joseph Kersey's "Spir-
itual Singer" is most impressive
with its rapt facial expression. All
the works are naturalistic in char
acter. The entire exhibition, in fact,
is predominantly traditional in
handling. 1t is interesting to note
that more than 10 of these Chi
cago artists are included in the
biographical section of The Negro
in Art" by Alain Locke of the fac
ulty of Howard University, recently
published in this city AS this sec
ton comprises less than 100 artists
of all periods, the inclusion of so
large a group from one city has
added significance.
This exhibition is presented in
observance of National Negro His
tory Week and the 18th anniversary
Evening star., 1941-02-23

ating the general theme. One of the
best of these is that representing
Greed" which, while perhaps over
dramatized, presents a Well-balanced
and decorative composition. OF
the worst, enough already has been
said
These panels are painted on dur
able composition board, not with a
brush, but by cubes of paint, with
margins lightly, at the end, brushed
together. The painter claims they
are as durable as freSco or any other
known medium. On their execution,
he spent four years.
Lived in Monastery.
And what of the artist? Born at
Libau, in distant Latvia, he went to
New Yorks East Side as an immi-
grant with his widowed mother
when but a lad. He studied at the
National Academy, and later in Eu-
rope, under a scholarship won by his
student work. In Paris he came in
contact with Cezanne, and in Italy
with the great masters of the past,
under which influences his own art
matured. He lived for a while in
monastery in Greece, then spent
three years in Bali. after which he
returned TO New York. But not to
stay. Before long he was off to
Mexico and from there back to Italy.
where, for a time, he became a fix
ture. 1t was at Antioch that, If we
are rightly informed, Edward Bruce,
head of the Section of Fine Arts,
then just beginning to paint, met
Sterne and came under his inf1u-
ence. skillfully adapting his modern
mode to what he already knew of
the classical art of the Chinese
masters.
The desire for study of primitive
types which took Sterne to Bali and
among primitive people has colored
his art and found expression in al
most all his painting, in his affecta-
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Phillips Exhibition Attracts

The exhibition illustrative of The
Function of Color in Painting,
which opened in the Phillips Me-
mortal Gallery last Sunday, is at
tracing very considerable attention,
and with good reason, for it is a
unique and distinctly impressive
showing-much too much so to be
dismissed with a few words. Com
prising nearly 200 exhibits, it covers
an extraordinarily wide range, in
Guiding outstanding examples from
ancient times up to today. From
the educational viewpoint. it has
much to offer, the explanatory cata-
logue opening to the thoughtful new
angles of vision as well as avenues
of pursuit, and the labels to be
found in each room pointing the
way. The arrangement, moreover, is
excellent and very effective. But
whether one wants to learn or mere
ly enjoy, it is one and the same,
for here there is abundant oppor-
tunity for either or both. Never
before has there been shown in
Washington so comprehensive COL
lection of works by exponents of the
so-called modern school-and rarely
are such to be seen, as in this ex-
hibition, in conjunction with the
works by old or conservative mas
ters. Velasquez consorts with
Matisse, Cezanne with Whistler.
1t has always been Mr.. Phillips
conviction that good art of all
periods may be shown in the same
gallery, and again by demonstration
he proves himself correct.
No pains have been spared to show
this exhibition effectively, back
grounds being especially provided in
some cases and hangings being either
added or changed. The result is al
together pleasing. Further refer
ence to certain features of this
exhibition will follow later, the ex-
hibition remaining open until
March %. The necessity for sec
ond edition Of the catalogue already
Ia under consideration.
Evening star., 1941-02-23

informed, at least, by an artists in
telligence." This little print is, in
deed, a triumph of engraving
sensitively rendered, so complex in
composition, but so simple in effect.
1t pictures as many as so persons
assembled in a typical French salon
of the period, making music or
listening intently thereto. How typ
ical of the French and their love OF
art, instructive, inherent, part of
life, strengthening its timbers and
gladdening its way. With its artistry
as we'll as its message to us to-
day, this single print may well be
regarded as an "envoy extraordi-
nary" from the artistic world Of
France.
The owner and lender of these
prints, Oscar Stoessel, is himself an
etcher, and special exhibition of
his work will be held in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art in April.
Evening star., 1941-02-23

by both the color scheme and the
general effect of forms which are
monumental compositions and,
merely in design, do have decorative
suggestion and feeling. To the
trained eye, here is the work of an
artist of no mean ability; in fact,
of one capable of attaining the
heights. Whether he has smothered
this gift under too heavy a load of
allegory, however, is hard to say.
But it would seem so, for, as one
studies his compositions, the illusion
of harmonious and decorative effect
is lost and that of confusion and
catastrophy takes its place.
The fact is that, in these paintings,
in so pleasant a key, there is a
restlessness of movement which, on
acquaintance, discounts their mon
umental dignity. And to what pur-
pose is motion without result-mo-
ton which swirls and plunges but
gets nowhere? Again, it should
be noted that allegory clothed in
contemporary garments slips cog
and is hard to follow. Justice Holmes
is readily recognized on pranc1ng
white horse, but in what strange
company we find him, and what a
hazardous journey, heading straight
for a mammoth cobweb with not a
spider, but squirrel, at its center,
toward which he aims spear. That
this Is Red Tape"-governmental
red tape-does not sufficiently
justify the exploit.
Beautifully Lighted.
So 1t is with other panels. What
are they all about? Titles may be
given, but the composition, if they
are to speak to the people at large,
must explain themselves, which they
do not do. The crossword puzzle
is capable of solution, but not Mr..
Sterne's allegories. Under these
circumstances, they are meaningless
save as en- masse decorations, or
evidence of the painters art OF de-
sign and expression.
OF these 20 panels, all placed le
feet above the floor in the light
well-and, for that matter, Incl
dentally, beautifully lighted-three
at each end are purely allegorical
or symbolical and show figures, for
the most part nude, representing
qualities such as Intuition" and
Reason" and a state of being, such
as Continuity of the Law" The
remaining IA are, seven each, in
RsexaAcs On the side walls, elabor-
Evening star., 1941-02-23

South Side and congestion and pow
erty in the rapidly growing district
offered little opportunity for crea-
tive expression. But Negro painter
who lived there, George Neal, OBJ
served the latent talent in many
young people in the vicinity and he
formed a group Of painters to whom
he gave instruction without charge
and, what was more important,
impaired his enthusiasm so that the
group has flourished despite his
death two years ago. Considerable
impetus was given to the group by
the Federal Art Project, the work of
which is now carried on by the Illi-
nois Art Project. Under project
leadership, the Negro artists have
established the South Side Art Gen.
ter, where they teach and exhibit.
Subjects Are Pleasing.
Perhaps the most impressive fea-
ture of this exhibition is the vision
of beauty these artists have had,
despite the hardships of their child
hood. A number of the paintings
would make engaging decorations
for any home. as they have fresh,
harmonious color schemes and def
nitely pleasing subject matter. All
the paintings by William Carter are
in this category, with their soft,
grayed colors, simple planes and at
tractive subjects: Three oil paint
ings, Forest Park" a landscape
with trees, in gray-green and blue;
"Hesters House" obviously rural,
silhouetted against a lovely sky;
'.Peonies," which received honorable
mention in the Art of American
Negro Exposition in Chicago last
year, and a water color, Landscape
With Houses" owned by Alonzo
Alden, curator of Howard University
Gallery.
Another decorative canvas is Clar-
ence LaWson's "Malayan Village" in
fresh tints of salmon pink, yellow
Evening star., 1941-02-23

other works included therein, on
view in the National Museum.
A winter landscape entitled Sun
ny Slopes, it pictures a little open
stream flowing briskly between
noW-covered, tree-groWn shores.
The air is obviously crisp, the sun
light dazzling. and the shadows
across the surface of the snow &C
centuate its shimmering white
ness. The distinction of the work
undoubtedly lies in the way in which
the artist has interpreted the L.
lusions of light and air by what
would seem to be the simplest and
most direct method. Symons, like
Redfeld and Schofield, who also
specialized in winter pictures, stud
led in Paris when Impressionism
was in vogue, but, like Benson and
Tarbell, while fascinated by the
theory of light, never adopted the
impreSSionistS' means of its tran
scription. Instead, all these paint
ers came back to this country with
extended vision, but a determina-
ton to solve technical problems in
their own way. And how well they
did it! All, being realiStS. sought
truth in nature. at whose shrine
they worshiped; but, in the matter
of interpretation, they employed the
simplest means to their end.
Hamilton Mabie once llkened art
to an open window in the work.
shop, and the canvaseS which these
men produced were precisely this
-enlightening, delightful, re-cre-
ative. 1t was wide step from the
days of the brown landscape to
those of the sun-flooded ones by
these "plein-air" painters, who so
boldly and successfully threw open
the shutters and let in the light.
Happily, Redfield and Schofield are
still living, but Symons passed away
more than 10 years ago. He is rep
resented in the Corcoran Gallery
of Art by superb canvas, Where
Long Shadows Lie" which is also
a picture of sunny slopes covered
by a network of shadows on snow
and a swift-flowing river. There
is quite a little to remind one of
this familiar painting in that late
ly acquired for the national COL
lection-as, for instance, in the
transparency of the snow shadows,
the brightness of the light, the
freshness of the color as well as
the competence of the brushwork
and, as an example of the art of
one of our most gifted American
landscape painters, it is, indeed,
a welcome addition. Would that
it might turn some of our younger
painters away from the drab and
ugly which they seem to find so
engaging to that which is beautiful
and more worthy of perpetuation.
AS Alfred Noyes once said, it is,
after all, with the verities of life
that We should concern ourselves,
rather than. as many seem to think,
the superficial facts of death. Mr..
Symons' paintings are very much
alive and very true.
Evening star., 1941-02-23

tural changes that naQ 10 DC Hldue
to accommodate them, they have but
lately found permanent placement
The theme of the series is "The
Struggle for Justice" from the time
of the cave man to today. The treat
ment, subjectively, is allegorlcal'
with, however, a strange co-mlnglng
of present-day realism, which per-
haps. always will be found difficult
as we'll as confusing.
Execution Is Strong.
When these panels were exhibited
in New York, they did not find favor
with the critics, and since they have
been placed here, the public reaction
to them has been distinctly adverse.
1t is quite understandable that mu-
raj panels shown, badly, IN a gal
lerv. rather than on the walls for
which they were designed and exc
cuted, would appear to the worst
advantage and should not be so
Judged: also, the probabilities are
that the public always will be re-
pulsed by the hideouS and beWlld-
cred by it's association with art, con-
ceived as synonymous with beauty
and employed primarily for decora-
tive purposes. Every one has the
right to dislike Mr.. Sterne's interpre-
tations of THE Struggle for JUS
tice," and many-including the
lwriter-will; but, in the name of JUS
'tice, no one should fail to recognize,
back of the work, the artists monu-
mental conception, or the eXtraordi-
nary strength and understanding OF
his execution-not merely technl-
cal, but artistic and intellectual.
These works cannot be judged
in black -and-white reproductions,
for one of their chief merits lies
in their color scheme, which is well
unified and in complete harmony
with their surroundings-the color
of the walls and wood work. In
fact, the first impression on entering
the library is one of pleasure created
Evening star., 1941-02-23

George Washington University's
studio gallery now has an exhibi-
ton of recent work of Auriel BeS-
semer. Nearly all of it comprises
preliminary sketches and studies for
his projected mural Destruction,
Regeneration and Redemption Of
Man He has been working on
this at intervals for several years,
and has made various changes as
the work progressed. 1t is an am
bilious scheme, involving hundreds
of figures many Of which are to be
portraits of great men and women
of the past.
The work has a noble theme; in
the lower part, destructive modern
warfare is taking its toll, with Hit
Ter, Mussolini and their generals
planning objectives while the de-
mocracies are to be shown defend-
ing the higher values realized in
the contributions of the great souls
whose lives are the key TO the
/ meaning of mans existence on
earth" according to Mr.. Bessemer's
explanation. From this realistic
portion, columns of figures rise with
upstretched arms, giving a general
upward movement to the compo-
sition, to the climatic figure Of
Christ in the top center.
Sketches for this mural have been
shown in several exhibitions Of Mr..
Bessemer's work held in Washing
| ton in the last year or two, among
them one at the Georgetown GAL
leries, and another at the Chalet
Nonpareil, Bethesda, last fall. The
present group, however, includes
several sketches not heretofore
shown. Among them is a detailed
study of the uppermost group, which
has in several strata. great teach.
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Cartoons Are Exhibited

The national woman's division OF
the Committee to Defend America
by Aiding the Allies recently held
at its headquarters in New York
an exhibition of cartoons from news
papers throughout the United States
which had as their theme the idea
of aid to Britain. Exhibits were per-
sonally invited, and in response
both Clifford and James Bergman
sent cartoons which have been pub
liShed in The Star during the last
few months. BY the former were
campaign cartoon of President
Roosevelt and Wendell L. Willkie
vying with each other in promising
planes to John Bull and one OF
John Bull informing Uncle Sam he
would need credit this year C'There's
Only One AnSWer-Yes'D BY James
Bergman were cartoons of Hitler
distributing juicy portions of the
world to Russia, Italy and Japan,
and of Uncle Sam placing a gun
in the hands of a young man in
the selective service. but unable to
do anything about a strike closed
war industries plant. Another car
toon exhibition by the same organi-
cation is now being prepared.
Evening star., 1941-02-23
French Color Prints
Works OF 18th Century Are

A most engaging and diverting
collection of French prints of the
18th century, lent by oscar Stoessel
of New York, is now on view in the
Corcoran Gallery of Art Set forth
in the little corner gallery at the
south end of the first floor, reached
through the main entrance, this col
lection comprises but 27 prints, but
among these are works by those
printmakers of France, who, during
two decades .toward the end of this
eventful century, lifted this particu-
lar art to the highest plane.
There is something refreshing in
these souvenirs of the past from
abroad. Malcolm Salaman has called
them "a pleasant nttls legacy Of
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Painting by Symons

Through the instrumentality OF
the Ranger Fund an oil painting
by the late Gardner Symons has
been added to the National Collec-
ton of Fine Arts and is now, with
Evening star., 1941-02-23

Maurice Sterne's Murals
For Justice Department
Are Strongly Executed
French Prints of 18th Century
Make Engaging Display at
Corcoran Art Gallery
By Leila MechHn.

commissions for mural paintings given by the
Federa Works
20
library on of Justice Building The
completed
han owing to certain
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Negro Artists of Chicago,
George Neal Proteges,
Exhibit Works Here
Group Founded Shortly After
World War Brings Varied
Collection to Howard L.
By Florence S. Berryman.

Negro artists Chicago exhibition which
been University Gallery
month and will Tuesday
and including
The had its inception shortly after the World
which expanding industries had
Evening star., 1941-02-23

ers and philosophical thinkers and
statesmen; beneath them, poets
and other literary figures; artists,
scientific benefactors of mankind,
and finally, composers.
This exhibition will remain un-
til March g.
Evening star., 1941-02-23
Bessemer Exhibits

of the proclamation OF the 18th
amendment TO the Constitution.
Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-30

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