Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-05-14
Nv Leila Mechlin,

By interesting concurrence IL nap
pens that at the very time great
exhibition of etchings and drawings
by Rembrandt is being held in the
National Gallery of Art, a repre-
sentative collection of photographs
of modern Dutch architecture is on
view in the Octagon, headquarters
of the American Institute OF Archi-
tects.
Holland has much in her history
10 occasion national pride, but her
right to claim Rembrandt as ner
very own is indeed her special
crown of glory. 1t is very true
however, that such possession can
not be regarded complacently as
perpetual patent of nobility, life
goes on, the past can only point the
way to the future; from deep roots
genius springs to flower tomorrow
So it is that while war has been
raging and dangers lurking on every
side, Holland, subject country, mas
been thinking in terms of tomorrow
through the builders art-the art
of architecture.
AS early as 1901 buildings in the
so-called modern style were erected
in Holland. The first were for the
most part housing projects to meet
the need of slum clearance. In the
more than four decades since not
less than $4,000 such housing units
have been erected with the consent
and approval of the Board OF
Esthetic Supervision, the functions
and scope of which are similar TO
those of our National Commission
of Fine Arts, but more mandatory.
AS a result the health of jewellers
in these more sanitary living quar-
tiers has been greatly improved, but
not all have met with public favor
The Dutch are inately conservative
although enterprising, simple IN
habit, easily satisfied, but strong
and tenacious in matters OF pref
'erence. That so revolutionary an
art as that advocated by opponents
of the extreme modern school should
have found acceptance at all in
Holland is remarkable indeed.
Emphasis on Cleanliness
In part explanation of this phe-
nomena the suggestion has been
made that an outstanding char
acteristic and feature Of modern
art is it's emphasis on cleanliness. a
virtue which the Dutch have always
most highly esteemed. Be that as 1t
may, the modern idiom has, as in
stanced by the present exhibition,
been developed and refined by Hol-
lands leading architects.
Take for example two diverse but
equally notable buildings shown by
photographs in the current display
the Town Hall of HilverSum (de-
signed by M. Dudok) and q large
factory at Rotterdam, possibly no
longer standing (tne work of Brink
man and Van der Vlugt), the one
pictured by day, the other by night
both obviously functional and at the
same time truly beautiful.
Illustrated by the latter Is the ex-
tensive use of glass, providing, as
never before, floods of sunshine to
enter and illumine the great work.
rooms in which operatives must
spend a majority of daylight hours
Also the proportions of this building
are good, and the use of long, sweep
ing, horizontal lines in the construc-
ton of the wings is exceptionally
happy. In these one finds a sugges-
ton of the waves and tides which
wash so large a part Of Hollands
shore.
The TOscn Hall
The Town Hall at Hilversum like
wise seems to have been designed in
conformity to surroundings. Hilver-
sum is a small city, Is miles south
east of Amsterdam, set on extensive
meadows once dominated by wind
mills and an occasional church
spire. In its suburbs is Laren, the
home of Mauve and other men OF
his era who gave to Holland toward
the close of the past century true
though short lived renaissance In
art. Now it must be the Town Hall
which makes dominant impression
Essentially modern In use of cubical
forms it is, however, delightfully."-
unified composition, quiet in both
mood and manner, withdrawn but
dignified as a town hall should be
About this building is an air OF
completeness, a stability of purpose
which qualities are today rare. Ir
short, it is fine public building