Evening star., 1944-06-25
By Leila Mechiin

After having held, by invitation
q special exhibition in the Virginia
Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond
late in May, Richard Lahey, prin-
cipal of the Corcoran School, is now
showing a similar but much larger
collection of his works here in the
Corcoran Gallery, opening 10 days
ago to continue through July 9.
Comprising about 100 paintings
drawings and prints, the collection
fills the large gallery on the second
floor, assigned to special exhibi-
tions, and overf1ows into the cases
in the upper atrium, making in its
entirety an interesting and i'm
pressive showing.
1t is comprehensively RETROSPECT
tive, the earliest work included be-
ing dated 1920 and the latest that
of the present year. Thus it repre-
sents quite fully the artists output
for nearly a quarter of a century
and reflects, perhaps unconsciously
but inevitably, the gradual shifting
of view. point, not only on the part
of the painter, but the art world at
large during these crucial years.
At "The Gross Roads"
Born in Jersey City, N. j., in 1898
when the academic school was
reaching its height and a double
decade before impressionism made
its influence felt here and abroad
Richard Lahey began his study OF
art at the crossroads marking a
parting of the ways. He attended
the Art Students League in New
York and had Robert Henri as his
master. About the same time Bel
lows, who had also studied under
Henri, was winning his well-meritet
iaurels and the famous Cor infa-
nous, If you prefer Armory Exhi-
bition was held on the recommen-
dation Of Davies, Sloan and others
seeking new avenues Of expression.
For seven summers Mr.. Lahey
went abroad to see things for him
self, and some of the things in the
present exhibition-such as "Pont
Neuf," Luxembourg Gardens" and
place de la Concorde"-are of that
period--1920-27. While factual they
are sensitive and knowing.
Beginning in 1921 he taught for
two winters in the Minneapolis Art
School, after which he returned to
the Art Students League, not as a
pupil but instructor-which posi-
tion he held until 1885. when he
came to the Corcoran School here
as director as well as teacher.
His Gift for Teaching
BY those who have studied under
him, Mr.. Lahey is said to have a
gift for teaching, but his work
shows him to be distinctly an in
dividualist, allied to no particular
school of thought or practice, but
in recent years he has, it would
seem, thrown of the traditional and
become law unto himself.
This shows itself chiefly in his
line and his painting technique
judged by those standards estab-
lished more than five centuries
among and still generally adhered
70 in appraisal of merit-but even
so it must be admitted thai the
works he produces are effective anc
do carry conviction.
One may not like them, but thai
Is largely a personal matter-tha'
they have merit none can deny
This comes in part by their bold.
ness and surety. Also they ar,
simple and direct. What they lacl
is grace and charm and elegance
together with that art which
through its own perfection, conceal
all effort.
These shortcomings are perhap
most obvious in his portraits IL
which the art of the painter is NOR,
emphatic than the character O
those portrayed. With one or tw,
exceptions Mr.. Laheys figure paint
ings are rather hard and lifeless-
without spirit. The outstanding ex
ception is the full-length portrait O
his artist wife, which it will be re
called was given the place of great
est honor few years ago in one 0
the COrcOran Callervs hieDpjal eY