Evening star., 1942-05-17
Art
Notes
Western Hemisphere
Sculpture on View
AT Corcoran Gallery
By Leila MechHn.

Inere opened yeSIcIud III dlo
Corcoran Galley of Art compre-
hensive Exhibition of Contemporary
Sculpture of the Western Hemi-
sphere assembled by the Interna-
tional Business Machines Corp,
under expert advice, which, after
being shown here. will make tour
of art museums in Canada, the
United States and the countries OF
Latin America, obviously with the
intention of bringing the peoples Of
this half of the world into closer
touch and understanding through
the universal language Of art.
Thomas J. Watson, president OF
the International Business Machines
Corp, is accredited with having
originated the idea, but the fact is
that he has done much more than
this, for the works composing this
exhibition, and those of prints and
of paintings previously circulated
under these auspices, have not been
borrowed from artists or owners
but purchased outright, something
which has never been done before,
and goes far to assure valuation
from the standpoint of possession.
The first piece of sculpture ac-
ouired for this interesting and
unique collection was the statue OF
q little lad, in bronze, by Dorothea
S. Greenbaum of this city, which
was shown here last November in
the National Art Week Exhibition
held in the departmental auditor
ium on Constitution avenue. The
choice was made by committee OF
three experts headed by c. Powell
Minnigerode, director of the Corco-
ran Gallery of Art, on the request
of Mr.. Watson.
Since then nearly 100 other works
have joined Mrs. Greenbaum' S
David" practically all Of which
have been acquired in like manner.
Surprising as it may seem, almost
every State in the Union is repre-
sented, from Maine to Oregon and
from Minnesota to Louisiana. Five
years ago such breadth of repre-
sentation in this field in the United
States would have been impossible.
Even now it seems almost unbeliev-
able. Also it Is of interest to note
that of the 40 or more citizens Of
this country represented less than
a fourth have as yet attained what
may be termed interstate reputa-
ton. And yet the majority of the
works shown are done with a seri-
BUSINESS and professional skill which
is quite astounding.
This is not to say, to be sure, that
outstanding genius reveals itself, but
that is not to be expected; such are
the peaks which, towering above
the plains, take the eye heavenward.
1t is on the plains however, that
they stand. Casson, writing on
"Some Modern Sculptors," claims
that it was from the hack-work of
the fourth century Greece and Of
the Middle Ages that new genera
ton of sculptors was produced, and
laments the lack of such background
Of fertile mediocrity" today from
which artists of the future may be
drawn. But certainly this fertility
has lately in this country been
greatly increased. One wonders
how; by the competitions set up
by the Government for sculpture
for public buildings or by those
instituted annually, now for some
years, by a well-known manufac-
turer, for sculpture in soap. Perhaps
both. But it should not be forgot
ten that it was the mountains,
sculptured by the hand of God,
which gave to Cyrus E. Dallin, when
still a lad in Utah, inspiration to
turn to sculpture as means of
expression. Like other seeds, that
of genius seems to be miraculously
carried on the wind.
Washineton Well Chosen.
There could be no better city
than this in which to study the de-
velopment of sculpture in America
or to exhibit against our historical
background the sprightly work of
today. On the Capitol we have
examples of sculpture wrought in
Italy, by American sculptors, in
the early days of our Republic, who
were bravely reaching up to clas-
sical ideals and losing, however,
themselves in the process. In La
fayette Square is the first equestri-
an statue ever produced and cast
in this country bv an American
sculptor-Gen. Jackson by Clark
Mills. In Rock Greek Cemetery is
Saint Gauden's masterpiece, the
Adams memorial; the statue of
Gen. Mcclellan on Connecticut
avenue is by Macmonnies; at Gal
laudet College, Kendall Green, Is
French's beautiful memorial to the
teacher of the deaf, all famous
works from, so far, our richest Pc
riod. The Corcoran Gallery has
not only an excellent collection Of