Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-23
Bv Florence S. Bergman.

BY Florence S. Bergman.
Encyclopaedia Britannica did not
undertake deliberately to compile a
portrait of America" when it began
to assemble its collection of con-
temporary American painting, now
on view at the Corcoran Galley OF
Art. But kaleidoscope portrait Is
what it has, to large extent. The
prevailing character of the collection
was probably inevitable, in view of
the basis of selection. According to
statements issued, the first paintings
were commissioned to illustrate arti-
Giles in Britannica. Jr. and many of
the later acquisitions will be repro
duced in other Britannica publica-
tons.
This subject interest is all to the
good, from the standpoint of the
public. The exhibition shows us
beauty and sordidness. 1t makes a
few references to the recent past,
but places chief emphasis on life
today. 1t affords us glimpses OF the
Atlantic Coast, of lovely New Eng
land, of busting city life, of the
rural South, the great plains, the
Southwestern desert. 1t introduces
us to many Americans, old and
young, some charming, some dis
reputable, others merely mediocre
1t takes us to the theater, to State
fairs, circuses, rodeos, sports events.
We do not like all we see-far from
it!-but we are never bored.
AS mentioned in the preliminary
article on this page last Sunday, the
Encyclopaedia Britannica collection
is living thing. 1t will grow and it
will change, according to plans
announced by company executives
This relieves us of the trouble OF
pointing out the absence of certain
artists; they will probably be in
cluded some day. And we can fur
Their hope that certain paintings
now in the show will be eliminated
eventually in favor of better ex-
amples.
Earliest PAINTINGS
Encyclopaedia Britannica chose to
start its collection in point of time,
with the Eight of 1908" who were
considered in that year alarmingly
revolutionary. We today wonder
why. At any rate. six of the, eight
are represented, with few Of their
contemporaries.
Several aspects of New York City
are offered in these earliest paint
ings. Summer City" painted in
1908 by George Bellows, is cheerful
view of the Hudson River in the
vicinity of 155th street, with boys
swimming from the nearer bank,
and the city opposite, stretch of
sun fecked buildings. William
Glackens' March Day, Washington
Square," just after rain. with pedes-
TRANS reflected in the wet pave
ments, is lively glimpse of bit of
New York we can still recognize. In
Chinese Restaurant" John Sloan
admits us to an eating place on
Sixth avenue, warm colored, deep
toned interior with considerable hu-
man interest in the patrons depicted
We are carried back to World
War 1 by Childe Hassam's Avenue
of the Allies" New York's flag
bedecked Fifth avenue, a sunny
fresh colored painting by the earnest
artist represented in the Britannica
collection. who during his lifetime
was dean of American opponents OF
impresslonism.
A characteristic marine, March
North Atlantic" by Frederick j
Waugh, second earliest artist repre-
scented Che was born in 1861 has
proved to be the most popular paint
ing in the Britannica collection
During it's exhibitions in New York
and Boston, this past summer, WIS.,
itors were polled, and voted first
place to this painting with wide
margin in each city. One recalls
that marines by Waugh won the
popular prize at the Carnegie In
ternational five consecutive years
(1934-38).
In addition to Glackens and Sloan
four others of the original eight
are in the Britannica collection
Arthur B. Davies, Robert Henri
George Luks and Everett Shinn
Davies painting, while Characters
tic OF his work in subject and design
is disappointingly sketchy and un-
finished in appearance; one hopes II
will be replaced. Henri and Luks
on the other hand, are seen in typi-
cal portraits, the former with vita
capture OF a "Fisherman's Boy" ano
Luks with "Cabby," a mellow char.
acter study OF type once familiar
in New York.
Sloan and Shinn are the survivors
of the eight" and still vigorous
The latter is represented with a re.