Evening star., 1947-07-27

| work to the Watkins Gallery, not
later than September IS. The exhi-
bition will be held later in the fall.
The gallery announcement con-
tinues, 1T has been commented that
there Is a great dearth of so-called
Younger generation painters in our
city. This exhibition is planned as
an effort to seek out and encourage
such talent" It is further hoped
that there will be enough response
to this first invitation to warrant
the periodic repetition OF such an
exhibition"
The Gallery does not identify the
commentator on w a h / n g t IN S
"dearth." 1t seems to me that there
are quite a number of young and
promising artists around the city.
Since few artists earn good living
solely from the practice of their
art, the provision of more oppor-
tunit..5 for those already engaged
in this precarious profession would
appear to be more important than
organizing a search for new recruits.
Army Sponsors Textiles
Devotees of Oriental art, as well
as students of design, will be In
terested in an unusual exhibition
row on a circuit of American mu-
seums. 1t comprises silk textiles
which are hand-loomed reproduc-
tions of celebrated and ancient fab
RIGS preserved in Japanese museums,
temples and private collections. The
materials were sent from Japan by
the Supreme Commander for the
Allied Powers, Toyko, with the
purpose of creating an interest in
and a possible market for textiles
of the kinds exhibited. Any pro-
ceeds from sales will be used to de-
fray expenses incurred by the
United States in the occupation OF
Japan ssE3 3tgis *, *fF
An American museum curator of
Oriental art. while a major in the
United States Army on duty in
Japan, saw this material at the re-
quest of representatives of the
import-eXport division, economic
and scientific section, General Head
quarters. The reproductions were
made by craftsmen of the TatSu-
mura Textile firm of Kyoto, who had
studied the originals thoroughly and
wove the reproductions with the
greatest accuracy possible, in color,
design and technique The Ameri-
can expert considered them to be OF
the highest quality of contemporary
craftsmanship, and recommended
their circulation in the United
States.
The show was prepared for tour
and sponsored by the William Rock
hill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas
City. The American Federation of
Arts, this city, took it over for two
years of travel The engagement
closest to Washington, so far, will
be at the Baltimore Museum of Art
for one month beginning October
IS. 1t is decidedly worth visit.
More ancient Oriental textiles
are preserved in Japan than in any
other country of Asia. The major
ity of these fabrics is in the 9th GEN.
tury treasure house "Shoso-in';
others are the property of famous
temples, while still others are pri-
vate possessions such as the great
textile collection of the Marquis
Mayeda. Most of the original tex
tiles are .fragmentary and fragile
They are rightly regarded by the
Japanese as such precious remains
of ancient eastern culture that they
are zealously guarded, and it is only
on rare occasions that foreign visit
ors have the opportunity to see
them. The importance of these tex
tiles in the history Of Oriental de-
sign, weaving and material culture
cannot be exaggerated. 1t is. there
fore, especially fortunate that these
reproductions are available for ex-
laibition, and present the oppor-
tunity to study an important phase
of Oriental culture almost un-
known in this country.
The weavers of these fabrics are,
for the most part, elderly Japanese
who have spent their lives at the
loom. Only through many years of