Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1930, Page 113

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 16, 1930. N\ ASHINGTON is apparently be- coming not merely a national but an international art center. At the Corcoran Gallery of Art paintings by Canadian artists are now on view. At Gordon Dunthorne’s portraits by a French painter are to be seem, and at the Yorke Gallery three Chilean artists have been exhibiting; while at the Italian ema- bassy last Wednesday was privately shown & group of sculpture by Fausta Vittoria Men- garini of Rome, a collection of whose work will be exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery this week and next. HAT the opening reception and private view of the Canadian exhibition last Saturday evening had to be abandoned, and at the last minute, caused great disappointment to many, but it was felt by the director and trustees of the gallery that as this opening took on the - form of a social function it would not only have been inappropriate but distasteful to many if held within a few hours after the announce- ment of Mr. Taft’s death. Therefore the open- ing occurred informally and without ceremony on Sunday afternoon, at which time more than 800 persons were in atiendance. On Monday morning two of the paintings in- cluded in the exhibition were purchased—"“A Street in Hull,” by George D. Pepper, illustrated in connection with The Star’s review of the exhibition last Sunday morning, and “Joseph and Marie-Louise,” by Sarah M. Robertson, both small canvases, but very representative. It is earnestly to be hoped that more of the paintings will be acquired by local collectors and thus eventually find permanent placement in Washington. In many respects this is one of the most interesting exhibitions that has been held here, not only this Winter, but for several Winters. The work shown is distinctly nationalistic; is - in the Corcoran Gallery of Art to after which it will go to Providence, R. ], be shown in the Rhode Island Museum, and was extremely popular among the laity. M. d'Escars, like Chartran, paints what be called essentially drawing-room pictures, portraits for the most part rather pleasing in color and inclined He uses apparently thin color brush, so that in some instances the appearance of tempera. It is of an illus- trative type, well adapted for purposes production; enormously clever, but of ment. In two or three of the canvases shown sets aside his usual custom of painting im high key and presents compositions which essentially toneful. Such, for example, portraits of Mrs. Benjamin Smith E. G. Trigg, also his portrait of the Bowden. In these works the artist seems reach his greatest height and to present merely likeness or flitting personality, character, spirit. The head in his portrait of Miss Jean Fair- weather Waggaman, & little girl in riding togs seated by the seashore (a strangely setting), is a most excellent piece of painting, as are also his portraits of Bobby W. Trigg and Gerald Bemis, lads of about the same age or younger. It is difficult to be clever and to be profound at one and the same time, and there are doubt- Jess those who will prefer M. d’Escars’ gay, socia’ portraits to his more thoughtful inter- pretaiive renderings. Work of this kind is far removed from present-day modernism, but it also has little kinship with the works of the old masters. It must make and hold & place of its own. AD Al AND 7 LELA MECHLIN Washington Becoming an International Art ,Center—V arious Exhibitions Now Being. Held in the City. ' A portrait of Tarleton H. Brown by Caroline van H. Bean. ANNOUNC‘(INT was made in these columns last week of an exhibition of paintings by Pablo Burchard and drawings by Juan Oliver, both of Chile, at the Yorke Gal- - fery, opening March 10 and continuing omnly to March 17. Mr. Oliver's section of this exhibition proved the more engaging, his drawings, for the most A AK part caricatures, being very clever, and supple- mented, unexpectedly, by carvings and jewelry in silver. Apparently Mr. Oliver is an all-round craftsman. Among the caricatures shown was one of President Hoover, which was used months ago on the cover of the Chilean Magazine. The jewelry, including earrings, rings, necklaces, etc., was in silver and followed in design aneient Chszan models. Mr. Oliver also showed one or more pieces of wood carving, among them an interesting head of an Indian. BI:OINNING tomorrow and continuing for 10 days, Caroline van H. Bean (Mrs. Algernon H. Binyon) of this city will exhibit at the Yorke Gallery portraits in oil and crayon. Caroline Bean was born in Wasbington, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs, Tarleton H. Bean, the latter for many years connected with the Smithsonian Institution, later first director of the New York Aquarium. Mrs. Binyon began her art studies in Paris at the age of 14 and continued these studies in the St. Louis School of Art and in New York under William M, Chasze. While in London John S. Sargent gave her criticisms the Winter before he died. She has held one-man shows at the Milch, Ferargil and Ehrich Galleries in New York and has ex- hibited at the Corcoran Gallery here, at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and other places. In 1918 she painted a series of wartime street scenes, which received high commenda~ tion from critics and were acquired by well known collectors. Her present studio is in Georgetown. Mrs. Binyon's exhibition at the Yorke Gale lery is assembled and held as a tribute tg the memory of her parents, in grateful ace knowledgment of the advantages they gave her and of their life-long encouragement. A'r the Arts Club exhibitions of portraits and still-life paintings by Miss Hattie E. Bure dette, and landscapes and portrait studies by Louis S. Dergans continue for another week. . Mr. Dergans makes a varied and comprehene sive showing in the mew auditorium, which is proved by this showing to be an excellent exhie bmoue gallery, well lighted and pleasing in aspect. Miss Burdette’s works are shown in the drawe ing room and d room, likewise to excellen§ effect. Two of her paintings of flowers and still life have been sold since the exhibition opened, which is a gratifying evidence of appreciation, THEcomGanerythnhubnp- piemented its exhibition of small bronzes by cotemporary American artists, bringing the number on view now up to 41. The intention I8 to make this a continuous but changing exhibie tion, to thus afford Washingtonians opportunity to see the best work of American sculptors in this medium. American Historieal Association, both obverse and reverse, showing a portrait of the former French Ambassador. Another is the American Institute of Architects’ Medal of Honor. With these are shown exquisitely modeled portraits in low relief of “Mrs. B.” and of Peggy Gants, works which Lomparison with the by the French sculptors—masters in the of low relief—and with those of our own Saint- Gaudens. Herbert Adams’ superb relief portrait of the late Joseph Choate is in the Union League New York. His statue in the round occupies a site inr Bryant Park, back of York Public Library. the vestibule any Church tn is his McKim, s L Another notable sculptor now represented here is James Earle Fraser, sculptor statue of Alexander Hamilton on the s the Treasury, of the Ericsson Memorial -tomac Park, of the five-cent piece now rent use, and lately commissioned to model statue of Gallatin for placement adjacent the Treasury, and ideal figures to mark is represented here in the Corcoran Gallery at the present time by a lttle figure in bronsze Continued on Twenty-first Page " Yorke Gallery 2000-S-Street Exhibition of Paimingn and Drawin'l by Caroline van H. Bean \ March 17th to Mnre’l-?_th_ )