The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-03-05

NtIG ldCtS " lOlStly
There were fires of grief and fear
that are a few forgotten ashes;
There were sparks of recognition
that are not forgotten yet"
On picking up tourist pamphlet of
Italy one is struck by the curious fact
that the chief points of interest, de-
/ scribed and illustrated, are the
churches. This appears to be true in
all parts Of the country This is be
cause within these religious shrines
one can gaze upon an old master.
This is typical of the modern tourist:
he goes to the church because he is
curious about art.
To satisfy this curiosity for culture
in America we build massive museums
and then by the fabulous wealth of a
private collector grab huge assign
ments Of the worlds art treasures,
and then open the show to the public.
The variety and multitude of pic
lures bewilder the visitor 1t is as
though he were to comprehend Beeth
oven, Bach and Brahmn being played
simultaneously. 1t just can't be done.
| The view of one picture of an old mas
ter in fine old church would do ones
culture more good than a visit to one
Of our museums. A picture must have
q, co+ +iOcr npJ &, ,oocoy, foY boi,cr ~, a
certain place. Isolating the worlds
art treasures from their natural hab-
itat is really the same thing as taking
a lion from the Congo and caging him
in the Bronx Zoo
Even though authentic American
art is not being employed with dis
erection, nor interpreted as having any
functional contribution to make by
way of symbolic decoration in thu
churches, it is most gratifying to OBJ
serve that public buildings which are
in daily use, like our postoffices, are
being given generous taste of Amer
Joanna, both rural and urban, with a
deity paint-brush.
Oakland's new postoffice is the
proud exhibitor of a mural, painted
by Robert Gates, an artist who lives
in Washington. D. c., and who has
influential friends in Government cir
cles. Mr.. Gates is a personable young
artist, who several summer seasons
past occupied one of the cabins in the
Youghiogheny Forest Colony, estab-
lished by Mr.. Frank Reeves about a
decade back. Gates did a good deal of
Illuminating about our landscape with
his sketchbook
The mural is a good sized piece
which you will sec on the upper part
Of the tight hand wall as you enter the
postofice lobby If it had been placed
ON the opposite side of the lobby it
would have had the advantage of bet
ter natural lighting, which is consid
cred an important item when placing
pictures, Gates has employed the con-
vcntional style for American murals,
which to my lay mind means a skill
full balance between symbolism and a
Photographic accuracy of incident If
this was the artists intention he sue
cecded very well.
As for color, | think he shows his
intimacy with our tabeland most con-
vincingly both as to landscape and
skyscape, showing forth their inter
dependence.
The two items | liked best were the
figures Of young men and young wom-
en-, and the horizon. Mr.. Gates was
rather uncomphmentary by failing
to reveal individuality in facial cN-
prcssions. He revealed but one type
and he used this as a mask, which he
put on all the faces 1t did reveal
alcrtncss and strength which should
have been incorporated in the individ-
ualizcd rather than the regimcnted-
yoEcl face
If he were painting a landscape, say
in France, he would have to take his
cue from Edwin Markham's "Thc
Man With The Hoe, because only
stubby and weak, old men are left for
the tilling of the soil: all the young
manhood has gone to the wars (as in
the days of Napolcon). 1t should
give us heart to know that when we
look upon this picture we are reminded
that our strong youths arc still among
us
The second item is the church. 1t
might be the school-house Anyhow it
is the focal spot of brightness on d
near horizon with the warmth of sun
light, and not too steep ascent from
the fields of commonplace toll. The
world Of the practical and the ideal
have a beautiful and real proximity.
Youth in the fields and lofty aspira-
/ ton and hope keeping watch upon the
home-ridgc beyond the fields is a SYM
bolism that is typical Of the life and
spirit of Garrett county folk. 1t is the
general effect of the picture that will
be searched with a growing satisfac,
ton
The whcatticld in the foreground
and the shocks nearby arc the features
of the DicturC that arc NOT so corr