Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-16
TheArt
World
Corcoran Gallery
Opens Britannica
Exhibition TODAY
By Florence S. Berryman

The Encyclopaedia Britannica
Collection of Contemporary Amer
lean Painting, which opens this
afternoon at the Corcoran Gallery
of Art, will probably be Washing
tons major exhibition in this field,
throughout the season just begin
ming. 1t comprises 1876 oils and
watercolors, Is of which will be
exhibited in this group for the first
time.
The collection made its debut in
an exhibition at the Art Institute
Of Chicago last April. In June it
was shown at Rockefeller Center,
New York City; thence it went to
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Washington is fourth place on a
tour of the United States, which
is expected to keep the collection
travelling for about five years.
Active patronage of living Amer
lean art by so-long established and
important a business firm as the
Encyclopaedia Britannica, is a
factor of outstanding importance
The collection is a good illustra-
ton of the oak-from- de-
velopment, in this case accomplished
with BREATH taking rapidity. 1t had
Its inception just two years ago
this month, when company exec
utives decided to commission al
number of paintings to illustrate
several articles in Britannica publi-
cations. At that time, Britannica
was ITS years old. It's first edition
in 1853 was embellished with 1861
full-page copper engravings; it's
1943 printing had 10000 line draw
ings, black and white and color
plates.
Collections Beginning
To illustrate a number of ar
ticles, particularly for Britannica,
jr., Paul Sample, Doris Lee and
several other artists we're commits !
stoned to paint specified subjects
Cali of these works are in the cur
rent show Their arrival in 1943
at the Britannica headquarters
Offices in Chicago, inspired the exec
utives to enlarge the project, toi
comprehend an adequate collection
of works ranging from academic
to abstract, by outstanding Amer
lean artists who have painted dur
ing the Goth century.
The paintings represent cross
section of American art, assembled
from the collective opinions of about !
so artists, museum directors and art
dealers throughout the United
States, obtained by means of a
QUESTIONABLE devised by E. H.
Powell, Britannica president. Qnci-
dentally, one wonders why few art
critics of long experience were not
asked for suggestions. They have
probably looked at more different
artists works in the past four
decades than any other group
1t Is estimated that about one
third of the artists represented are
nationally we'll known. Approx
maely 10 per cent are comparatively
new names. All others should be
familiar to those who read the art
press and regularly attend exhibit
tons.
Britannica's frank acknowledge
ment that certain prominent paint
ers are not yet represented, and
its statement that it expects to add
good works as they become avail
able, forestall criticism on these
grounds. Painters now represented
inadequately will be invited to re-
place present works when better
examples can be obtained. Ex-
changes have already been made
by Rockwell Kent, Fletcher Martin
and Anton Refregier.
Distribution of Artists
In period as full of change and
movement as the past half century
has been origins of artists may not
have much significance. 1t is in
teresting, nevertheless, to consider
the birthplaces of those represented
in this collection. Nearly Is per cent
of them were born in New York
City or State. One or more started
life in each of % other States and
the District of Columbia (Hobart
Nichols and Lawrence Beall Smith
are the two from Washington, but
they have lived away from here for
SO many years that we can hardly
claim them) Thirty-seven artists
came from 16 foreign countries,
Russia leading as the original home
Of 8; Italy second, as the native
land of S. Many of the foreign
born artists are now American