Evening star., 1948-02-01

ian, are the freshest and clearest of
the group in color; they are distin-
guished by deep warm light blue,
and a brilliant scarlet. The colors
appear to have been applied last
week, rather than four and quar-
ter centuries ago.
The last German portrait, that
of a nobleman done by Nicolaus
Kremer, is dated 1929 1.-TWO years
after the pair by StrigeD. 1t is not
surprising that the nobleman and
the mayor are wearing. costumes
very similar, have their hair cut
much alike, and are even posed in
what must have been a fashionable
manner at the time: against richly
colored drapery, as though at
window, through which is seen a
distant landscape. The nobleman is
said to bear strong resemblance
to the face of Count Friedrich Won
Kriehlingren, portrayed also by
Kremer in a drawing in the Louvre.
In making this munificent gift to
the Nation, Mrs. Booth has simul-
taneously made one to art lovers
resident in the Nations capital.
x y X
57th Annual Is Mediocre
The 57th annual exhibition of the
Society of Washington Artists, on
view at the Arts Club through Feb
ruary 13, is the most mediocre dis
play I am able to recall in its series
of yearly shows. 1t is painful to ad-
init this, for the venerable society,
oldest professional artists organi-
zation in the city, has history of
achievement and many good exhibit
tions to its credit Occasionally 1t
assemblies other exhibitions besides
the annual, and Washington art
lovers do not demand as much Of
them. But most of us expect the
artists to show their best in the
official annual.
The second disappointment Is in
the decision of the society's Execu-
tive Committee to award the prizes
(this year three of $25 each) by
spinning a wheel. I have not heard
heretofore. of more cynical
method. Whether they decided to do
this before or after the entries were
sent in, has not revealed. But it is
certainly no honor to the winning
artists, (Roy Clark, Cara Kimberly
and May C. Marshall) There is al
most never unanimity of agreement
with jury choices; and during the
past few years, acute discomfort has
been expressed over some of the
most important awards in national
ANIMALS (the 1916 and AT Pepsi
Cola firsts, and the latest La Tausca,
for example.) But at least, awards
by iuries represent honest human
efforts to honor what they consider
the best in some respect. If some
form of throwing dice were to be
adopted to any extent, for art
awards, the whole structure of
honors in this field would collapse.
40 Paintings Shown
The 57th annual comprises about
40 paintings in oil and watercolor,
and sculptures. Jean Donner
Grove and H. Van Natter show two
works each in the latter category.
Other artists are represented by
single items. AS matter of fact,
the above mentioned and two other
sculptors, Glare Fontanini and Rus
sell Houston, all have creditable
work, making the small sculpture
display proportionately better than
the paintings.
There is nothing disagreeable or
repellent about the latter. They de-
pict pleasant subject matter, and
quite a number of them are COM
petently done. But none of them
impressed me as outstanding for
freshness, originality, or even tech
nical adroitness. There are some
good works. but nothing that is ar
resting or unusual or deeply NOV
ing. Lee Atkyns September" is
noticeably good; and Paul Arts
Storm Warning" is decidedly the
best of the few modern works in
a strong, angular Semi-ab-
straction.
Emile Arlt, Norma Bose, Martha
Moffett Bache, Edward Grove,
Minor Jameson, Garnet Jex, Shef-
field Kagy, Benson B. Moore, DR..
Motley, Ruth Osgood, Samuel Pratt,
William F.. Walter and Marguerite
Zimmele are represented with pleas
ant paintings, typical of their &C
customed performances.