Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-01

~ tCLlCUld1l bCoh4oVS&C Va
the 18th century eagerly acquired
the superb volumes from the press
of Nicolaus Jensen, whose Roman
type design set the style still fol-
lowed today. There are two vol
umes from his press, one of them
an edition of Cicero decorated with
large colored and gold initials with
miniatures. Another Renaissance
Venetian press was that of Aldus
Manutius, whose Hero and Lean
der" has woodcuts of their tragic
love affair. Still another famous
volume in the Italian section is part
of the first printed edition OF the
works of Homer, one of four known
copies on vellum printed at Flor
ence in 1889. There is also a rare
| tract by the great 18th century
religious teacher, Savonarola.
I A group of rare Spanish and Bel
gian volumes represents late 18th
and early 18th century printing
and book illustration.
A 18th century Biblical manu.
script, believed to have the oldest
binding in the Library of Congress,
rounds out the exhibition. Writ
ten in Germany about 1150, this
Bible is particularly notable for
its we'll preserved contemporary
stamped leather binding, one of
perhaps so specimens of its kind
that have survived through the
centuries. Seven different dies
we're used to decorate its front and
back covers, which are made OF
white deerskin stretched over
wooden boards.
1t is impossible to convey the
charm of this exhibition, which for
most of us, lies in the wealth OF
woodcut illustrations and engrav.
ings in the books. Through these
little windows we look straight into
the world of four and five cen
turtles ago,
4 X
Alden ACQUISITIONS
The Barnet-Aden Gallery, during
it's first five years, has acquired by
gift and purchase. permanent
collection OF good quality. interest
and variety. Furthermore. it is not
one-sided; 1t ranges from traditional
to abstract. Thirty paintings are
on view through August, demon
strating a remarkable achievement
for small private art gallery. About
half CT the artists represented are
present or past Washingtonians.
The others are from New York, Chi
cago, Atlanta and elsewhere.
Negro artists are responsible for
two-thirds of the paintings on view.
Negroes supply the subject matter
of about half Of them. In some in
stances, there are portraits of indi-
viduals or types: in others, they are
incidental figures in landscapes or
urban settings.
An outstanding work is Flight
into Egypt" by the late Henry o.
Tanner, internationally noted for
his interpretations of religious sub
jects; this painting is nocturne In
tender blues. Another work by a
Negro artist Of an earlier generation
lis Frederic Flemister's self-portrait,
which, framed in a window opening
upon a far-reaching landscape. sug-
gests that it may have been inspired
by Della Francesca.
Laura Wheeler Waring (who died
early this year, and Jack Berkman
each painted the same type of SUBJ
ject-a little Negro girl. Mrs. War
ing's is a close likeness Of the child,
additionally portrayed, and very
appealing. Mr.. Berkman made his
model angular with an elongated
neck, recalling portraits by Modig-
liani, whose giraffe-like necks upset
a great many people quarter CEN
turv ago. Edlizer Cortor employs
distortion Gin "Gullah GirlD more
successfully, it seems to me, than
does Mr.. Berkman.
There is plenty Of variety in other
paintings of Negroes. Hale Wood
RIFFS little Bow has a t1auntinrly