Evening star., 1944-04-23
Bv Leila Mechin

Nv Lena w ecHtfH
For the first time since its found
ing, in 1918, the Phillips Memoria
Gallery is, for the remainder O.
this month, and all of May, giver
over to the exhibition of painting
by American artists, nearly 20(
works in all, selected from the Phil.
lips Collection, assembled, as tht
years have passed, chiefly from the
studios of living artists. never static
A few months ago there came
from the oxford University Press 8
book, of which John Walker anc
Macgill James of the National Gal
lery of Art were joint authors, or
Great American Paintings From
Smibert to Bellows" The current
exhibition in the Phillips Memorial
Gallery now takes up the tale where
this book leaves of and brings il
up to date.
To be sure, the finish and the
beginning do not precisely coincide
Included in the exhibition are works
by George Inness, Whistler, Eakins
Fuller and others, who were before
Bellows day, but for him and his
colleagues helped to build tradition
and supply foundation. There are
three landscapes by Inness in the
present showing, one quite early
and in the classical style, two later
when the artist had found himself
and opened the way to broader see.
ing and expression.
With these landscapes are hung ir
the library (now so generously usee
as music room, as well, portraits b,
Fuller and by Whistler-the formel
an Ideal Head" of a young woman
and the latter the well-known por.
trait Of Miss Woakes, both subtly
rendered. Here, too, are works BY
Albert Ryder, the great romanticist
and Arthur Davies, who, likewise
was a dreamer and strove to paint
not merely what he saw, but felt;
half poet, half painter.
Return of Old Friends
It is here on the first floor thai
acquaintance can be renewed with
old friends, who, let 1t be instantly
said, return without diminished
loveliness nor power to enchant.
Hung in the little reception room
to the left of the entrance are Rock.
well Kent's impressive Road Roll.
er," superb in composition anc
strength OF effect; Guy Pene Dt
Bois' Blue Arm Chair" one of the
best things he ever painted, with
beside the latter, an early work by
John Sloan, "Six O'Clock Rush,
New York in the day of the "L,
showing his power of memory a.
well as control of medium.
And here we come to Bellows
magnificently represented by hi
hree-querJer-length, seated portrai
of his wife, Emma in Black" which
will always hold its own in whateve,
distinguished company it may b.
found-and for a moment yer.
high peak in American painting i
reached. But the story goes on
Bellows was undoubtedly an orignia
genius but he was also one of /,
group of gifted painters among
whom was George Luks, who j
represented by his "Sulking Boy,
and other canvases, among which
hung in the entrance hall, is hi
well remembered portrait of Oti
Skinner in the part OF Col. Bridau
in THE Honor Of the Family"
Matching the loveliness of Spring
time leaf and blossom are the paint
ings of the impressionists schoc
hung in the drawing room. Her
again we greet and are greeted b
such exquisite airy transcriptions @
the outdoor world, in town an
country, as washington Arch
Spring" by Childe Hassam; "Sprin
Night, Harlem River" by Ernes
Lawson, and Visiting Neighbors,
by j. Alden Weir, not to mentio
other significant paintings in simi
lar style by Twachtman, Lathro
and Spencer. Surely even S
cursory survey as this must con
vince the visitor of the unity i
diversity presented by related we
diversified groups of works by thos
of talent and vision.
Vide Diversity
Above stairs the diversity is sti
more strongly emphasized-th
newer school and later acquisition
having here been given space an
prominence. But even here anon
themselves the canvases do nc
. quarrel. The end wall of the mai
gallery carries just four canvases-
two in the center by John Marin
fianked to the right by an Eilshemiu
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