Evening star., 1947-01-05
Art
and
Artists
U.S..Sponsored Tours
Are a High Light of
Activities in 1916
Rv EIorenee & Berrvmon
By Florence S. Berrymon

BY Florence S. Berrymon
From the vantage point of few
days of 1947, it is interesting to sur
vey last years history in the field
of art. Having collected several
hundred items from all parts OF the
United States for an annual review,
I find that Washington had its share
of events and situations OF more
than local interest. Paradoxically,
some of those which touched wash
ingtonians least directly were most
significant from the national and
international standpoints.
The State Department entered the
touring g-art-exhibition field in big
way. In response to requests from
many places, it is endeavoring to
scatter good will far and wide with
exhibitions of American art, past
hand present. Some of its projects
Are composed of outright acquisi-
tions of contemporary art, in charge
of j. Leroy Davidson, while others
are organized by institutions and ex-
perts at the invitation and under
the sponsorship of the State De-
partment.
Among the shows assembled by
Mr.. Davidson were four exhibitions
of original prints bought and sent
to South America. Two collections
of oil paintings, entitled advancing
American Art" one comprising 49
paintings to be shown in the East
ern Hemisphere, the other of 80 for
exhibition in Latin America, were
displayed at the Metropolitan Mu-
scum, New York City, in October,
before they embarked on travels to
last for five years. The State De-
partment finds that buying works
outright is less expensive than rent
ing them for so long period.
Some Protests Expressed.
AS one-man jury, Mr.. Davidson
has chosen paintings and prints gen.
orally of an esthetically radical
character, with the result that his
travelling shows are "leftist' rather
than cross sections. This brought
protests to the Department of State
from such conservative art groups
as the American Artists Profession
al League, the National Academy,
the Salmagundi Club of New York,
the Society of Illustrators and Al
lied Artists, who considered the
touring shows "one sided"
The United States outstanding
art export last year was the large
collection of 230 American oils and
water colors by 106 artists, proVid-
ing a panorama of American art
from Colonial times to the present.
Shortly after We Day, the State
Department received request for
such a loan from the Tate Gallery,
London, which bore all expenses OF
the show outside our country. The
National Gallery of Art organized II,
with selections made by twin juries
of outstanding American Museum
officials, including two Washing
tonians.
John Walker, curator of the Ma
tional Gallery, who directed the as
sembling, served on the jury for 18th
and 18th century paintings. Dun
can Phillips was on the jury for 10th
century work. Mr.. Walker went to
London with the show, which was
opened in June by British royalty
and the United States Ambassador,
and remained on view six weeks.
Twenty-four of these paintings
we're lent by the Phillips Memorial
Gallery, nine by the National Gal
lery and one each by, the Corcoran
Gallery and the War Department.
It is regrettable that no arrange
ment was made for this important
survey to be shown in the United
States.
Water Colors on Tour.
"Watercolors, U. S. A." also organ
lied by the National Gallery, was
assembled by Walker Art Center for
a six-months' tour of Latin America
1t illustrated important trends In
the medium during the half century
between Homer and Morris Graves.
This exhibition and a selection OF
the original prints were shown at
the Pan American Union last sea-
son, before leaving the country.
The art section of the Council
for Inter-American Cooperation,
sponsored by the State Department,
brought two exhibitions to tour the
United States; so paintings by six
Latin Americans, and paintings and
drawings by nine young Mexicans.
THE section also started a third
show, work by Bolivian artist
Antonio Sotomayor, who has lived
in San Francisco for 20 years.
In November, Mr.. Davidson
selected a loan travelling exhibition
for the State Department, so paint
ings from International Business
Machines show of Sixty Ameri-
cans Since 1900" displayed at Grand
Central Galleries, New York City
This latest State Department ex-
hibition will open in Cairo, Egypt
this month, under sponsorship OF
King Farouk. Thence it will go to
italy, and will tour Europe as
american Industry Sponsors Art"
It ranges from Samuel F. B. Morse
to Karl Zerbe.
German Art Caused Dispute.
Washington was the storm center
of the major art controversy OF
1916, which began the end of 1915
when 202 old master paintings, in
cluding some of the worlds greatest
were brought to the United States
"for safe keeping until conditions
In Germany inSuring their proper
care have been re-established" ano
were stored in the National Gallery
Press releases from the White House
and State Department made it cleal
to the average person, that these
. treasures from the Kaiser Friedrich
Berlin and other German museums
; were in no sense war loot.
However, the February issue o1
Magazine of Art, official organ OF