Evening star., 1943-11-21
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Notes
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Bartlett Exhibition
At Corcoran Gallery
Rv Leila MechLin

OF sculpture py Lle laCe Faul way
land Bartlett, which opens in the
Corcoran Gallery Of Art today te
continue through December 10. Ow.
Ing to the eminence of Paul Bartlett
and the fact that he died over Is
years ago (Septemher 20, 1929, il
was surmised, when7 announcement
was made of the forthcoming exhi-
bition, that it would merely comprise
a group of his small works. How
great the surprise, therefore, to find
that, to the contrary, it exemplifies
his entire career, literally from his
boyhood beginnings to those of his
mature last years. One large gal
lery, that to the right of the stair
way, on the first floor, is given over
to the display. which is very hand
somely and effectively arranged.
Paul Bartlett was born in New
Haven, Conn.,, in 1865. His father
Truman H. Bartlett, was a sculptor
and a writer on art, Boston man
trained abroad From him young
Paul undoubtedly inherited talent
and a natural facility for modelling.
Furthermore, when his mother took
him to Paris to live, as very small
boy, the environment he found there
was that of artists and writers, and
the course of his career thus de-
termined.
At the age of Is he entered the
Ecole des BeauX-Arts, even then TAX
ing his art very seriously. There was
little money to fritter away, but he
was a hard worker and from early
youth made his own living pursuing
his profession through lucrative by
ways-such as casting and mold1ng
which experience later stood him
In good stead.
nimal Sculpture
While still a student at the Ecole
des BeauX-Arts he took course in
animal sculpture from his fathers
erstwhile master, Fremiet, at the
Jardin des Plantes, through which
he gained the proficiency which
made him a specialist in this field
From sculptors, not so trained but
desiring to include animals in their
compositions, he secured commits
sions-doing, for example, a three
headed dog to accompany an Or
pheus, and a now famous lion for
another group. Into all these he put
his best effort so that each piece,
completed, registered progress on his
part.
While still at the Ecole, young
Barlettt began working on group
to exhibit in the salon. This was
the Bohemian Bear Trainer" a
cast of which, in bronze, is included
in the current exhibition. On it he
spent two years, destroying it once
because of personal dissatisfaction
and beginning all over again. But
the result compensated for the
trouble; not only was the piece ac-
copied and shown in the salon, but
later acquired by the Chicago Art
Institute and the Metropolitan Mu-
scum of Art. the former in plaster
the latter in bronze.
For the Columbian Exposition,
Bartlett did a figure of a Hopi In
lian-"The Sun Dancer" also known
as THE Ghost Dancer" which, full
size, is now to be seen in the eXhibi-
ton opening here today. This has
been said to be more chronological
than artistic, but it is extremely ami
mated, keenly alive, full of loose
jointed vim, but by no means frozen
furthermore, it is excellent in line
A Jealous W0rker.
In the salon of 1895 Bartlett ex-
hibited group of small bronzes of
creatures of the woods and streams
beetles, reptiles, fish. etc, which
attracted exceptional attention, not
merely because of their modelling but
on. account of their beautiful patti
mas. 1t was this display which
brought forth the following tribute
from one of his confreres: Bartlett
reminds me-" he said, "of those art
lists of the Renaissance, who, jealous
of the perfection of their work,
would not think of leaving any part
of it; no matter how menial, to other
hands than their own-such men,
for instance, as Donatelo and Gel
lini" 1t was thus that Bartlett
scored, through rare combination
of faultless craftsmanship combined
with sensitive perception, sculptural
ability and imaginative insight.
But to return to the exhibition
At the far end of the gallery is
group consisting of parts from a
large composition symbolizing Vic
tory" The figure of the goddess
stands high and triumphant; on
either side are heads of her attend
ants; at the foot are heads of horses
and, strangely enough, one does not
miss the chariot, so strongly is it
suggested. This is indeed beauti-
full conception.
Against the wall, to the right, are
two casts of the pediment which
Mr.. Bartlett executed in his studio
here for the House wing of the Capt.
tol, the first sketch, the finished
model and separate heads.
Another important work, of which
small model is exhibited, is his
equestrian statue of Lafayette,
erected in 1900 in the Place du Cor
rousel, within the Court of the Tuil-
leries, Paris, position of great
honor. This is a gravely dignified
work, French in spirit, symbolical
and distinctly memorable. A full
sized cast in plaster of this distin-
guished work has been given perma-
nent place in the rotunda of the Ma
tional Museum.
Some of Finest FORKS Here.
We are fortunate here in Wash
ington in the possession of several