Evening star., 1943-08-08
Art
Rare Chinese Art
On View in the
Freer Gallery
Bv Leila MechIn.

v IGEtu lEl HftHs
Writing in "Art and Progress
later "The American Magazine OF
Art"-in 1911, Thomas Nelson Page
author and diplomat, called atten-
ton tc the fact that the spirit OF
people is invariably manifested in
their art, citing several of the great
nations of antiquity, of whose life
and culture we would know COM
paratively little but for such evil
dence left in imperishable mate
rails. Egypt and Assyria, Greece
and Rome come quickly to mind, but
another striking example and one
of especial interest today is China
our valiant ally in the great war
We are waging for the preservation
of civilization and all for which it
stands.
The roots of Chinese art sink deep
in Chinese soil, beginning with the
Han Dynasty the dates of which are
22o5-1766 B. c. This art is found
ed upon a devotion to ceremony
respect for rulers and reverence for
elders-parents and others-which
found expression in good workman
ship and the search for perfection
through beauty. Centuries came
and went, changes took. place, but
these nationalistic qualities have
persisted up to the time when art
throughout the world temporarily
went into eclipse.
Nowhere can the art of China be
better studied than here in the
Freer Gallery of Art, which stands
on the south side of the Mall and to
the vest Of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition. In this charming little GAL
lery, given by Charles L. Freer and
designed by Charles A. Platt. more
than half of the exhibition space
Is now devoted to Chinese art, be-
ginning with that of the earliest dy-
nasy and continuing through those
periods when the great heights were
attained. Not only are these heights
represented in their several fields
but by outstanding examples,
searched for and secured by those
who have IN some instances given
a Al1CbAlilC W pllc SGuuy.
Chinese Art INDIGENOUS
The art Of China will be found by
those who study it carefully to be
essentially idigenous. Contacts have
perhaps enriched it but it has re-
mained always nationalistic-it is
essentially in this respect stable-as
are the Chinese people. Further
more, it is said that the laws and
principles which even today govern
criticism and production in China
are those which, unchanging, have
come down through the many CEN
turies of national life. Certain
standards long since set up still pre-
vail. This Is the rock upon which
the Chinese stand so firmly and with
such heroic confidence of victory in
the end. Changes in customs, in
ways of life, new outlooks and mod
ern education are accepted for what
they are worth, but that which we
call culture was long since ap-
praised. and for all time.
The Freer Gallery shows magnifi-
cent works in bronze and other
metals, some dating back to more
than 1000 years before Christ. These
are chiefly for ceremonial uses,
handsomely shaped and richly en-
bellished by surface designs. On
the part Of the workmen there must
have been keen sense of beauty
Of form as well as suitability in or
namentation. In some instances
beauty is added by the patina which
time has given-in others there Is
seen delightful combination of
metals giving variety in coloring as
well as design. There is nothing
crude about these vessels, nothing
to suggest the work of a savage or
uncultured people-but rather one
both imaginative and strong. The
art OF decorative design is carried
to a high level in all this metal work
NOT only in the vessels but the
mirror backs, the toilet boxes, the
pole ends and even the delightfully."-
ferocious tigers, originally meant. it
would seem, as post holders, but to-
day most excellent examples of
modernistic simplification originat-
ing centuries ago.
Exhibit of Porcelains
The Freer Gallery is not especial
ly rich in Chinese porcelains but
has some fine examples of rare
beauty in form, color and texture
three of which, by the way - two
peach bloom vases and one sang-de-
boeuf-have been added this year.
Mr.. Freer's interest in the art of the
Orient began in Japan with Ernest
Fenellosa as mentor and guide. But
during his later years he discovered
and became enchanted with Chi
nese sculpture and other Chinese
arts and began the upbuilding of
this portion of his great collection.
Included in his gift was not only
the building which is the Freer
Gallery and the works which he had
collected but a very considerable
sum for acquisition. That all buy
ing should be by experts, trained in
the field, and in accordance with
Mr.. Freer's wishes, students have
been sent by the Freer Gallery to
China to study the language and
become acquainted at first hand
with Chinese art - through which
practise the gallery has greatly
profted. The collection is there
fore, it will be seen, by no means
static.
Nor is 1t restricted in representa-
tive examples. In the section of
paintings and drawings are some
very engaging works-fgures as well
as landscapes-panoramic presen-
tations and also decorative panels.
Among the former is one of wood
ed Hills and Autumn Mistp-ink on