Evening star., 1942-02-15
Annual Exhibition
Of Miniature Works
By Florence S. Berrym0n.


The Miniature Painters, Sculptors
and Gravers Society's annual exhi-
bition is deservedly one of the most
popular in Washington. A large
majority of the works exemplify
good craftsmanship; they have
beauty or some other appeal; their
size makes them suitable decora-
tions for the smallest living quar-
ters, and their prices in most in
stances place them within the reach
of every one who has an income
above the subsistence margin. In
fact, some prices are so low that
one reads them several times to be
sure one Is not mistaken. The
public responded to these numerous
attractions by acquiring about 40
works in the exhibitions first 10
days.
This Washington annual Is open
to all artists working In miniature.
Only rs local artists are among
the 10 exhibitors, who represent
New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Milwaukee, st. Louis, New Orleans,
Cincinnati, Indianapolis and smaller
cities in New England States, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as
Virginia and Maryland.
Since SO many OF the. 180 works
on view are commendable, 1t is diff
cult to select a few for mention
without seeming tnvidious. There
are miniatures on ivory by such
outstanding exponents Of this me-
dunn as Mabel r. WEIGH and Mar
garetta Archambault, and several
works by Jay Trueworthy, now resi-
dent In Washington, among them
an enchanting portrait Of a young
girl with reddish gold hair. Minia-
ture oil paintings are few but in
clude Sally F. Haley's engaging
portraits OF children. Edith Hoyts
"Alpenglow." mountain landscape,
and Elizabeth Muhlholfer's deco
rative little Fruit and Still Life"
as well as several Of her water
colors of flowers.
Water colors are more numerous
and comprise groups of works in
some instances: Eleanor Parke Gus
It's little gouaches of New England
villages, charming both in subject
matter and execution; Benson B.
Moore's water colors of Washing
ton and vicinity, with strong pic
torial appeal; flowers and still life
by Frances Hungerford Combs,
landscapes by Susan Chase and Roy
Clark. Among the few progress
sive" works are several surrealist
paintings by John Lear, In which
(as is the case with many surreal-
ist painters) technique is meticu.
lously traditional while subject mat.
ter comprises impossible situations
and .ludicrous juxtapositions, such
as appear in dreams and the Sub
conscious"
A few Of Marian U. M. Lanes ex-
quisite illuminations, silhouettes by
Eveline Maydell (seen recently in
her solo exhibition at the Corcoran)
and single example of bookbind-
ing by George Scheirer give these
mediums representation.
Several groups Of soldiers by 1t.
Col: Henry A. Barber, jr.. give the
sculpture section q martial air.
These little figures are humorous In
character. with a tough, loose joint
ed verve; they represent United
States forces in 1886, 1918 and 1896,
with q group also of West Point
cadets. Most Of the sculptures are
local in origin. Kathleen Wheeler
contributes several ceramic groups,
Young Colt" being the most nota-
BILE; Fausta Mengarini's "Duckling"
affords a contrast to her work In
the Society of Washington Artists
annual; Arabella Kossiakoff's BAL
lerina" has both charm and humor;
Harry Lewis Raul shows q group
of terra Gotta character studies,
each little face being but an inch
high.
Etchings, woodcuts and block
prints are most numerous and in
clude some exquisite work by John
Taylor Arms, requiring microscopic
vision; E. w. Bartlett, Norman An
derson, Minnie L. Briggs, Edwin
G. Cassidy, James H. Fincken Chis-
toric houses, James D. Havens
(birds) and Reynold n. Weidener,
to mention but a few. This exhibi-
ton should not be missed. II re.
mains to March !,