Evening star., 1941-08-10
By Henry Gem mill.

If a popularity contest is ever held
to determine the best-loved Government
agency, the National Gallery OF Art is
likely to strut off with the blue ribbon.
BY Just standing there on the Mall,
looking beautiful, the museum and its
collection have been bang-up success
with crowds coming to Washington ever
since they were presented to surprised
Nation by the late Andrew w. Mellon
and Samuel Kress, chain store magnate
White curves and interior adornment
attracted more than a million visitors
from town and country within less than
four and a half months. To give an
idea of the triumph it must be stated
that not half this number Of persons
have chosen to shoot up $50 feet in the
Washington Monument elevator during
the same period.
This is impressive to those who under
stand values of tourist appeal in the
Capital, but art enthusiasts may be more
enlightened when told that the gallery
has packed in almost twice as many WIS.,
itors as the Metropolitan Museum Of
Art, during these months.
In its bid for popularity the gallery has
gracefully abandoned stiff formalities.
It is true that guards have required tour
lists to leave their ice cream cones out
side the 12-ton bronze doors, but Direc-
tor David E. Finley says he Is happy to
see men in shirtsleeves wandering freely
among million-dollar Raphaels in the
largest marble building in the world.
Such popularity cannot be unalloyed.
Some prominent American artists be-
lieve, as they variously put it, that the
National Gallery is an art graveyard"
"mortuary," Or "catacombs." A spirited
but little publicized controversy exists
between them and other modern
painters who defend the gallery.
Seven, all noted for ability to put on
canvas an America which the common
man can understand, have communi-
Gated their opinions to the writer of
this article.
Debate circles around one fact and
one gallery policy. The fact: AS is
readily admitted by its officials, Amer
ica's gallery is relatively lacking ir
Americas art The official booklet Of
information lists 452 paintings of the
Italian school; II paintings OF tht
American school. Not listed are les
than score of additional native paint
, ings on loan to the museum.
The policy: An American or foreign
painter must be dead for 20 years be
, fore any of his works may be acquired
by the gallery.
S Criticism is voiced by Artists Thoma
l Hart Benton, John Sloan, George Biddl
e and William Gropper.
e Mr.. Benton takes the occasion to ex
/ pand a feud he has been waging agains
p museums of art from New York to hi
= home State of Missouri. Loading nj
\ gun with buckshot, he lets fly with tn
h comment that "the gallery is like mos
other American museums; 1t is monu
ment to the memory of dead vanity
= Like those others it represents tn
, average big businessman's notion {
~ culture as rarity to be bargained ft
n and bought" Benton asserts. -
Is externalizes the simplest motive Il
human display-that ancient satisfat
b. ton which comes from the secret say
l. ing to the self, I got something yo
IN amt
" "The National Gallery owns a fe
4 examples of American authentic cultur
,e They are very safe examples. The
Ia, makers are, long since under ground ar