Evening star., 1942-07-26

power to shock rather than appeal,
using art to serve their own per-
sonal ends regardless of others. This
is not to say that one was better
than the other-both have their ad-
vocates and with reason-but GER
tainly they became violently op-
posed.
The French artists of the 18th
century of the salons and the Le-
gion of Honor were painters of
pictures, and not infrequently pic
lures which told stories. But so
were the painters of the Italian
Renaissance and OF Holland at a
later period. For this reason they
are no less masterpieces. The mar
rative picture of the last century
was to the people of the time some
what as the moving picture Is to
the public now-it told them stories,
often very well, and also trans
ported them to new and enchant-
ing fields. The majority of the
French paintings which Mr.. Walters
purchased for the Corcoran Gallery
of Art at Mr.. Corcoran's request, are
of this type, and during the long
years they have hung in the Cor
coran Gallery they have given much
| pleasure.
Typical Examples
An excellent example is the paint
ing by Frere, entitled Preparing for
Church." which shows the interior
of French peasants cottage
wherein are seen a mother putting
the last touch to her young sons
tie much to his displeasure, and,
measurably, to that of his sister who
stands by impatient to be of to
church, prayer book held in her
hand, time swiftly passing. 1t is
very engaging scene in the life
OF simple people among their
homely possessions, and it is painted
with sympathy as well as skill.
Freres style is quite different from
Chardin's but his pictures have
somewhat the same feeling.
Other typical examples OF the
story telling French painting in
the Corcoran Gallery are the semi
humorous "Schism, by Vibert: "Tro-
jan Horse" by Motto, and Morning
at Auvergne," by Bail. all of which
were done about 1874-5 and are
both technically good and pictorially
attractive. They are comparatively
small works which might find place.
ment in the home. More remini-
scent therefore of the solon are
the very large canvases which were
painted for gallery showing and
with the knowledge that the more
space occupied on the wall the more
attention they would get. To an
extent these great canvases parallel
the mural paintings of today. I'm
doubtedly for gallery showing they
are particularly effective.
Most Popular Painting
OF this class in the Corcoran COL
lection are Family of Satyrs," by
Prior; 'The Vestal Tuccia," by Le-
roux; "The Family" by L'Hermitte,
and THE Helping Hand" by Renouf,
which is without question the most
popular picture that the Corcoran
Gallery of Art possesses. This is,
as almost every one knows, a pic
ture OF an old fisherman and little
girl in a typical French fishing
boat Of generous proportions. Seated
side by side, the child has her hands
on the long oar which the old man
is pulling and soberly strives to do
her share. There is something very
touching in the expression on the
face of the old man and charming
about the attitude of the little lass.
AS painting the composition is
good. the color pleasing and the
effect of atmosphere, sky and water
admirable. The thing expressed is
elementally human and the mode
of expression is so genuinely good
that it passes without remark. 1t
is not the painter but his work
which fxes and holds attention. To
compare THE Helping Hand by
Renouf, with Renoir's famous
Luncheon of the Canoeing Party"
OF the Phillips Gallery will be con-
sidered by some as sacrilege, but the
element which makes appeal is
similar.