Evening star., 1943-04-25
Art
McBey Etchings on
Exhibition at the
National Museum
Bv Florence Berrvnan.

JdIIltS MCDey, Ollc VI 1lcdG div"
ein's most gifted contemporary
etchers, is honored this month with
a retrospective exhibition at the Ma
tional Museum, on the first floor OF
the Natural History Building. Origi-
nally native of Scotland, Mr.. Nc
Bey is now an American citizen
having adopted this country after
he had made three visits here. But
because of the magnitude of his
achievement as British subject and
official artist, during World War I
it is not possible for us to claim
credit for his career.
The exhibition, largely loan from
the collection of Mary Elizabeth
kynett of Wayne, Pa, comprises
prints illustrating nearly 40 years
work. The earliest, Boys Fishing, y
was done in 1902, when Mr.. McBey
still in his teens, was bank clerk in
Aberdeen by day, and self-taught
student of etching at night. "Old
Tory" a toneful harbor scene, of
1905, further demonstrates how we'll
the artist managed this arduous
double life.
In 1910, he felt able to give all his
time to his etching He visited Hol-
land and returned with set of
prints, Of picturesque subjects, fiat
landscape, windmills and Dutch
girls. Two of these are on view, and
two velvety drypoints which resulted
from a trip to Spain in 1911, where
he observed the national sport of
bull fighting. Ramblings in Scot
land and England produced some
charming prints in the next few
years, such as the pastoral Sky
lark" the beautiful water front
scene, The Pool" and the wind
iashed harbor, Sea and Rain.
Macduff."
Mr.. McBey was an officer in
France in 1916, where he gathered
material for his etchings of the
French front (several examples are
shown in 1917 he became an official
artist in Egypt, and accompanied
Allenby throughout the Palestine
campaign. Some magnificent and
now-famous prints were the fruit of
this stirring period, notably Dawn:
Camel Patrol Setting Out" on view
here with several others of the Pales-
tine sets.
Travels on the Continent are COM
memorated in six or seven prints,
outstanding being several from his
first and third Venetian sets. These
are entirely different from his other
prints-the majority are night
scenes, full of mysterious shadows.
ehimmering water and romantic
glimpses of ancient palaces and sing
Ing gondoliers. In fact, it is his abil-
tty to give not only the appearance
of places, but also to evoke some
thing of their Intangible overtones
and personalities, the atmosphere
which makes emotional appeal to
sensitive people, that gives his work
Its greatness.
sTwo views of New York City. from
the Jersey shore, done in 1941, are
among the handsomest prints on
views. They are dissimilar, but in
each, New York is seen as dream
city, as glamorous as any European
city of towers in the Middle Ages.
Those who have not seen this ar
resting display. have only until
Saturday to view it.
North african
Water ColorS Shopn.
A timely exhibition by Eliot
Hara of this city is On view al the
Whyte Gallery through next Friday.
These watercolors of Tunisia and
Algiers give Washingtonians a vivid
impression of the North African
country where American forces are
now fighting, as they cover the
coastal plain and mountains between
AlgierS and Tunis. They were
painted last year, several of them
from smaller paintings done on the
spot during three trips the artist
made to North Africa in happier
times. Hence. they show the country
in days of peace. But making due
allowance for all the changes
wrought by war, one can obtain
some idea of the territory as it is
today.
Kairouan, Tunisia, which was lib
Grated less than a fortnight ago by
United Nations forces, is a large
native city with population of
about 10000 Arabs and not more
than 200 Europeans. The Moslems
regard it as next to Mecca in hon-
ness. A glimpse of the city's pic
turesque beauty is revealed in Mr..
OHara's painting, Gate in Kai-
rouan."
Malta" he said, depicts a British
battleShip at anchor and a cleft in
the sandstone quarries of which
there are many, made by the knights
OF Malta at the time of the Cru
sades. These quarrieS and caves
now furnish protection from bomb
ing to Allied planes. The artist
also painted the Roman ruins at
Djemila, the most complete build
ings left by the Romans in Africa;
this painting, too, is included in
the show. "Sandstorm" was the
fruit of camel trip south from
Biskra. An exceptionally handsome
watercolor was painted from Hamil-
car, former site of Carthage, now
suburb of Tunis.
MIR. OHala says the sunsets and
light of North Africa are particu-
larly beautiful, because of the re-
fraction OF light by dust particles
in the air. Several particularly
beautiful paintings confirm this
statement: Copper Sunset Near
Timgad." THE Northern Desert in
Algiers at Sunset" and two or three
others. The colors are vivid, vet
carry conviction. These paintings,
Gone in Mr.. OHara's assured and
vigorous style, command ones ad-
miration for interest and charm
that transcends the temporary ap-
peal CT novel or picturesque subject
matter.
Washinsfon Soldier.Arfist's
Work on Vie,c.
Corpl. Olin Dows, formerly of
Washington, now stationed at Fort
Meade, Md, is having a one-man