Evening star., 1944-05-07
7 he Art World
Paintings and Drawings by British War
Artists on View in National Gallery
Bv Leila Mechlin

Artists on View IN u
By Leila Mechlin
At this time when every eye
turned toward Great Britain anc
the thought of invasion is upper
most in all minds, the exhibition o
paintings and drawings by British
war artists, which opened in tht
National Gallery of Art the last o.
April to continue to May 20, cannot
fail to be found of utmost interest.
It is a small collection of about 81
works, selected by Sir Kenneth
Clark, director of the National Gal
1ery, London, from many, many
more submitted under the Record.
ing British Plan," set up by the
British government with the double
purpose of establishing a pictorial
archive of a great period in the ma
TONS history and, at the same time
lending aid and encouragement tc
the artists whose activities other
wise would be sadly restricted.
The first step was taken by the
Ministry of Labor. which early in
the war formed a Committee on
the Employment of Artists in War
time" The Recording British
Plan" was the outgrowth of this
committee, and from it sprang ar
ARTISTS Advisory Committee" ap-
pointed by the Ministry of Informa
tion to pass on works submitted and
recommend those most worthy OF
acquisition. Thus a national collec.
ton of considerable size and impor-
tance has been built up, and the
artists of Great Britain not only
profitted, but stimulated in time
OF great anxiety and depression.
On Many Fronts .
Like our own combat artists in the
Army, Navy and Marine Corps, these
British artists have been assigned te
various theaters. of war, the Neal
and Far East, as well and on the
home front. Some are commissions
officers, others are of the home
guard; all have concerned them
selves with wars expedients and ac-
tivities. And yet, remarkable as 1t
may seem, the paintings and draw
ings now on view are in no instance
overdramatized, but, to the con-
trary, give expression to that calm
Indifference to danger, which, in the
face of terrible disaster. has enabled
the people of the British Isles to un-
dinchingly carry on.
OF the 13 artists represented, the
one Of greatest reputation and best
known in this country is Sir Muir
head Bone, the greatest exponent ot
the art Of dry-point etching of this
day, perhaps Of any day. He is here
represented by two large drawings
in black and white--I,ow Tide on
the Portsmouth Hard" and Mate
Of the S. S. Highlander Looking at
Damage" The former is unmis-
takably in Sir Muirhead's markedly
individual manner, a marvel OF
craftsmanship and profoundly sig
nif1cant. A broad view is given OF
wharves, a very long bridge swarm
ing with people, ships passing on the
river, a barrage of balloons over.
head. Curiously enough one Is re-
minded by this drawing of paintings
OF Venice made 50 long ago by Can.
aletto and Quardi and still so vital
Nearby on the same wall are hune
two pictures in line and wash by
Anthony Gross, official war artist
who has spent much time in the
Near East. One is of Mehariste:
resting among the ruins of Palmyra
and the other of Fedaan tribesmer
Notwithstanding across the
Euphrates. Both include camels-
ships OF the desert-in their compo.
sitions and are rendered in q light
touch and with charming apprecia.
ton OF effects wrought by light anc
color. At first glance these sug.
gest bouquets Of flowers rather thar
S"Nnes in a desert country.
Porfraying Action
In an entirely different manne
but equally engaging are four pic
lures in line and color by Edwar,
r. Ardizzone, Territorial gunner an,
official war artist in Tripoli AM
Sicily. They are ''On the Road t.
Tripol," soldiers crowded into
lory: "Ducking to Avoid Air Burst,
bombing; Battle Seen From Bat
talon Headquarters" looking from
land across bay at a great per
formance, and "Off to the Shelter,
civilian women Fastening to safety
All are graphic and in treatmen
direct.
More in the convention are waite
colors Of exceptional note by Vivial
Pitchforth, one of a huge airship-
the Sunderland-taking off a
Plymouth, the other of Early Morn
ing, Mount Batten"-airplanes (pre
sumably) returning home from
mission at early dawn-.a beautifu
and soul stirring sight.
Women's part In winning the wa
Or at least one phase of it-tha
assumed by the Land Army
1mpressively set forth by Evely
Dunbar, illustrator and author, Wit
of an airplane pilot, distinguished i
her own right, who shows three littl
oil paintings of threshing scenes /
various parts of the country-direc
in statement and fully significant.
The more tragic side OF war is we
presented by Richard Zurich, Admi
ralty artist. by an oil painting en-