Evening star., 1950-03-19


foyer as q special exhibition.
But there is much beauty and
tranquility in these paintings of
the late 10Th and early Goth CEN
tury. There is also a thought
provoking demonstration of how
artists not greatly appreciated in
their own time sometimes gain
stature in later decades; and con-
versely, how those who are very
popular in their day. not infre-
quently sink to almost unknown"
status after their deaths.
Revisiting the Evans collection
is a SOLDERING experience.
y X
SeuIptor's Drawings
The collection of drawings by
Marino Marini at the Watkins
Gallery, erican University
through next Friday, is the sort
of exhibition which requires brief
ing of the public. The average
visitor to this show would never
suspect that the artist is one of
Italy's most widely known con-
temporary sculptors, who is said
to have considerable influence.
Now in this country. Signor
Marini came to Washington for
the opening at Watkins Gallery.
An exhibition of his sculpture is
currently on view at the Buchnolz
Gallery, New York City. and he
has participated in a number of
group shows, beginning with the
Third Sculpture international in
Philadelphia last summer. There
he was represented with "Cava-
liere," a much simplifed, limp
figure on frightened horse with
barred teeth and hattened ears. It
was one of a series of horsemen
begun in 1886. His preoccupation
with the theme had a strong i'm
petus during the war when he saw
the Lombard peasants on their
horses endeavoring to escape the
bombings.t -"
The artist was born in Pistoia
(Tuscany} in 1901; studied paint
ing and sculpture at the Academy
of Fine Arts, Florence. For some
years he worked as a painter and
draughtsman. He travelled widely
in Europe before the war, and
spent much time in Paris from
1928 to '38. Milan is his home.
In a little monograph by James
Thrall Soby, available at Watkins
Gallery, Signor Marini is quoted
as saying, MY sculpture starts
from an impression, often instan-
taneous, whose impact I try to
preserve. His drawings have the
same effect: Instantaneous i'm
pressions, hastily drawn, some in
cobwebby ink outline, others in
ink and brush, some touched with
gouache, a few In white lines
scratched on black. The drawings
have two themes: figures, mostly
single, some nude studies; and
men on horseback. To the lay
eye, they appear crude.
Clowns and Still Life
Sarah Bakers exhibition In the
adjoining room at Watkins Gal
lery, makes the Marini drawings
look even more thin and sparse
in contrast. Her first one-artist
show in several years, it is sound
and colorful, and doubtless has
much more popular appeal.
Still life subjects constitute
more than half of the show of Is
oil paintings. Simple o0jects-a
pitcher, fruit, eggs, fish, gourds,
etc., are used and repeated in un-
cluttered, well-composed arrange
ments with effective, often subtle,
color schemes. Clowns and other
circus performers, long favorite
subjects of Miss Baker, are inter-
preted in the remainder Of the
collection.
Born in Memphis, Tenn, Miss
Baker studied art at Maryland In
stitute, the Tiffany Foundation
and in Paris. She has received
several awards, and has taught in
a number Of schools. She has
been on the art faculty of Amer
ican University since 1945.
X X X
Georgetown Exhibition
The Peabody room in the
Georgetown Public Library, Wis
consin avenue and r street, is