Evening star., 1947-06-22
Art and Artists
Arts Clubs Summer Exhibit
Is Conservative; Many Subjects Included
By Florence S. Berrymon

representatives of this subject class.
Catherine Melton's colorful Straw
Market, Nassau" Ralph Totten's
Wharf" and Margaret Hers sui
try group on beach, introduce peo-
pie as incidental figures.
Ethel Pyne's coat-of-arms repre-
sents type of work not often seen
In exhibitions, but in considerable
demand by the public.
Hero of Three Wars
washingtonians will want to be-
COM acquainted soon with Capt.
Che les Stewart" the handsome
life-size portrait by Thomas Sully,
Just given to the National Gallery
of Art Reproduced on this page last
Sunday by Mrs. Georg Vetlesen Of
New York City.
Stewart, Philadelphian of poor
Irish parentage, went to sea at l3,
and later fought with distinction in
the Tripolitan War and the War of
1812-14, and was made a rear ad-
miral in the Civil War. His bril-
liant exploits when in command OF
the CONSTITUTION" earned for him,
too, the ships affectionate sobriquet
"Old Ironsides." 1t is interesting to
reflect that this glittering career
had begun IA years before this por-
trait was painted; for in the paint
ing, Capt. Stewart is only SO years
old. 1t is obvious from the express
sion on his face that he Is COM
pletely confident, well aware Of
his good looks and abilities.
Sully worked on this portrait for
nine months, and received for it the
sum of $500, the highest price paid
to him up to that time. He had COM
pleted his first full-length portrait
the same month (June, 181D that
he began the Stewart" This fact
makes the accomplished quality of
the picture all the more remarkable,
in the opinion of John Walker, chief
curator of the National Gallery of
Art. With this superb addition he
thinks the gallery now owns the out
standing collection of Thomas
Sully's work Q3 paintings).
1.-THE portrait of Capt. Charles
Stewart" he said, "is Sully at his
most virile. It is beautifully and
carefully drawn. While it reminds
one of Lawrence in its fine color ano
decisive lighting, it has also a
strength of Characterization rival
ing Raeburn's."
Capt. Stewart Is wearing a Navy
blue coat, lavishly embellished with
gold braid, buttons and epaulettes,
and skin-tight, cream -colored trous-
ers. The background is warm
red-broWn. Without any actual re-
semblance, the portrait reminds me
of Raeburn's "Sir John Sinclair OF
U1bster," as the pose is somewhat
similar, and both have dramatic
force in presentation.
Kansas Surrealist
International Galleries, 2010 S
street NV, which has been dormant
in the exhibition field for some
months, is now showing group OF
oil paintings by Fred Wassau OF
Wichita, Kans.
Although he resides in our Middle
West, Mr.. Wassall has derived his
art from more radical backgrounds
Born in England, he studied at
Brighton Institute and at Slade
School, London. He came to the
United States about 18 years ago
and has worked much in Mexico
as we'll as here.
About IL paintings are on view
three of them Mexican in inspira-
ton, the others. abstruse, magma
tive works which require good deal
of explanation if the public is to get
anything out of them. The Mexican
paintings, all of women, depict a
single type, earth-red in complexion
dubious of feature, black-shawled
and heavy with grief.
Lacking labels, the public will find
it difficult to get much from these
paintings, One, entitled Mood, u
looked to me like violet woman
snake with long hair, holding GRIM
son scarfs. Floating figures with