Evening star., 1948-06-13

took, is enough to frighten us out
of our wits.
The many individual heads and
figures, gorgeous costumes, exotic
temple interiors, strange musical
instruments and other equipment,
are depicted in detail. The prev
alence of rich crimson and warm
golden yellow gives the paintings
decorative appeal. 1t is even strong
er in a few large flower and figure
paintings from Java, Bali and else
where.
A curious convention in the COL
lection is Nine. Lafugie's treatment
of landscapes (mostly mountainous
and Tibetan villages In their pre-
carious locations. Her oil paintings
of these themes appear to be devoid
of any feeling of distance. height
or grandeur; they have the un-
reality of backdrops. But her water
colors of similar scenes do have the
third dimension and other qualities
one misses in the oils. 1t is obvious,
though, that people constitute this
French artists forte. 49,
X "a
Maine Disaster
Flood and Fire In Maine" have
been turned into striking beauty by
Vincent A. Hartgen in his group OF
"a large watercolors of that title,
on view at Howard University
through June 80. Because OF an
other exhibition in the art gallery,
the Hartgen paintings are hung In
the browsing room and visitors are
to apply to Albert ]. Carter, gallery
curator, for admittance.
Prof. Hartgen's watercolors are
impressive, IN effect as well as sizA
Done in transparent wash on wet
paper, with dry-brush details for
emphasis, they are near-abStrac-
tions, vital with the feeling of the
Maine coast. High tide and spray,
rushing water foaning over the
rocks, pine trees in flames, cypress
swamp, frozen marshes spiked with
dead trees and kindred subjects are
seen in sure, confident work that
has wrested beauty out of chaos.
Prof. Hartgen, now instructor In
art at the University of Maine
(since 1946) is an etcher and de-
signer as well as a painter. He
was born In Pennsylvania 191D,
acquired two degrees at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania. His first
award was from the Beaux Arts In
stitute Of Design, New York City, In
1885. Ten years later he won first
prize in the Army art contest and
was represented in the soldier art"
exhibition here at the National
Gallery of Art. He has also ex-
hibited In other cities, including
New York, where he had one-man
show last autumn.
One of his first positions was that
of travelling curator with the Anna
Hyatt Huntington sculpture exhibit
ton, which toured the country for
two seasons. He was on the art
staff of the University of Pennsyl-
vania for several years. During the
war he served in the Army Camou-
f1age Corps.
X
Beauty of the Ordinary
Some years ago I used to be fas-
cinated and startled by the remarks
of a family friend. Columbia Uni
versity professor who visited us oc-
casionally. Sitting down to lunch
con, for instance. he would take a
peach from the bowl of fruit and
say:
Look at this exquisite object!
How shameful to eat it before one
has noted its tender curves, its
merging rose and golden colors, the
misty bloom of its skim"
The paintings Of Ethel Robertson
Gath, comprising one of the four
solo exhibitions by Washington
artists at the Corcoran Gallery Of
Art, remind me strongly of the pro-
fessor,s feeling for the commonplace.
She has painted the kitchen sink,
with its load of breakfast dishes;