Evening star., 1949-06-19
A\rt
Contemporary Work
BY Poles Exhibited;
Unusual Technique
Of Bernice Cross
BY Florence S. Berrymon

An exhibition of recent and con-
temporary graphic arts from Po-
land, circulated by the Polish Re-
search and Information Service,
has Just opened at the Library of
Congress. second floor gallery,
main building. to remain through
July Is. Nearness to Pennell
show permits visitors to study
differences between Polish and
American achievements in wood
engraving Chiefly.
The Polish exhibition consists
OF some 40 original prints and
drawings, a good selection of H.
lustrations in water color and
gouache, and about 60 paper
bound volumes printed in Poland
since the war. including children's
books, textbooks and volumes on
arts and sciences. as well as trans
lations into Polish. of a number
of English classics.
The majority Of the Polish
prints are woodcuts and wood
engravings, In which, 1t is said.
1.-The national spirit (of Poland)
has probably found its highest
expression" Wood Is the medium
closest to the Polish people, who
have used 1t extensively in archi-
lecture Of all kinds, and In sculp-
lures, particularly religious fig
ures. Creation of fine prints by
the wood medium has likewise be-
come traditional.
A group of nearly 20 prints
by stanislaw Ostoja -Chrostowski
(who died in 194D gives q we'll
rounded idea of this outstanding
artists work. His technique is
exquisitely precise. with q virtuos-
ity that enabled him to handle q
wide range Of subjects with great
facility. The current group COM
prises several illustrations for q
recent London edition of Shakes
peare's "Pericles, Prince Of Tyre"
which have dramatic impact; also
landscapes, marines, figures, ami
mails. portraits, and architecture.
Edmund Bartlomiejczyk is an
other important artist represented
(notably by Tightening" a wood
engraving of q man controlling
frightened horsel who has in
fiuenced the development Of the
medium In his country by fusing
q modern trend in design with the
native qualities Of the peasant
woodcut. BY Maria Hiszpanska
are q number of prints ranging
from conservative drypoints and
acquatints to modern wood engrav-
tngs. Antoni Uniechowski's freely
handled, vivacious pen drawings
for "Candide" constitute another
outstanding group.
It is probably superf1uous to
call attention to groups Of original
gouaches and watercolors. Illus
trations for children's books. by
Anna Lipinska. Stefan Bernacin-
ski, Olga Siemaszkowa and Mice
zyslaw Piotrowski. for they are
so bright, gay. imaginative and
colorful that they seem to have
an unfair advantage over the
beautiful but less insistent black
and white prints and drawings.
~
Bernice Cross Show
The Phillips Memorial Gallery
has presented an interesting con-
trast In the past few weeks by
showing in May a large exhibition
by Grandma Moses" a natural
primitive, and following 1t with
an exhibition Ito remain through
July - by Bernice Cross, a con-
scious or deliberate primitive.
Miss Cross paintings give the
impression Of having been done
by one who retains the vision Of
child, fortified with the training
and experience Of an sdult.
The arbitrary shapes. the solemn
pointed faces. the free-roaming
imagination, add UP to childlike
work on q heightened scale.
This brand Of whimsy will not
be every ones meat; but those