Evening Star Newspaper, April 13, 1930, Page 103

1O, T HAS been said that the most interest- ing. exhibit to man is man. This probably explains the popularity of seats on the boardwalk at Atlantic City and other resorts, seats facing the premenade rather than the ocean; and at the same time gives reason for the superlative in- teest in pertraiture. To some extent interest in the latter transcends interest in the former —that is, a great portrait, painted, drawn or engraved, is of more interest to the initiaved than the individual, inasmuch as the portrait is an interpretation both of physical aspect and of spirit, an analysis of personality. it is from this standpeint, as well' as from that of art and artistic expression, that the pertrait drawings by Violet Qakley. now on view in the Corcoran Gallery of Art are of such striking import and significance. Miss Oakley's exhibition, which opened last Sunday afternoen, comprises portrait drawings, paintings in oil and waler color, lettering and books, reproductions in color of her mural paintings—a diversified collection brought inte harmony through the artist’s unity of purpose and arranged by her and her colleague, Fuith Emersan, with all that rare sense af decorative effect sa obvious in the works of both Miss Oakley and Miss Emerson. No one could visit this exhibition without being not only deeply impressed but stirted: Here i & remarkable assemblage of people from many parts of the worldy dominant per- sonalities, real people, interpreted sympa- thetically by an artist of no mean ability. On the long wall to the left as one enters this gallery are portraits of artists—painters, writers, musicians—people eminent in various walks of life. On the gpposite wall are portrait drawings of delegates and members of delega- tions to the League of Nations, members of the secretariat of the League of Nations—people for the most part who believe in spiritual values and are trying to advance civilization or to interpret it in terms of eternal truth. Miss Oakley sometimes uses crayon or char- coal for her portrait drawings. Occasionally she adds a touch of color. Her choice of material and her manner of handling is so varied that almost never are two rendered alike, Centering the wall on which are hung the portraits of artists and others is a study for the central and largest panel of a reredos designed and executed by Miss Oakley for the sanctuary of the Graphic Sketch Club, Philadelphia, com- missioned by the founder of the club, Samuel S. Pleisher, as & memorial to his mother. This shows Moses as a baby in the arms of Pharaoh’s daughter. On either side of the main panel, as part of the architectural setting, are little panels, 10 in number, representing, in miniature, episodes in the life of Moses: On this same wall, lending color and interest, are two large paintings in oil of Queen Sephie, Queen Dewager of Greeee, and Queen Blizabeti: of Greece, the former's daughter-in-law. Om the opposite wall as center, hung against a besutiful piece of blue Italian brocade, is Miss Oakley's painting, “The Counselors of Penace;” members of the Leagus of Nations in council in the famous “glass room,” Quai Woedrow Wiisen. This is a. complicated compesition, in- cluding many figures, two or three standing, the others seated, all taking part in or listen~ ing ta an animated debate; & debate which happened: to have ta do with: & settiement of beundary difficulties ) Rumanis. The towering figure of the Hungarian. delegate is silhouetted against the light. Through the huge window, which cecupies the entire side of the wall, is seen the panorama, so typical of Geneva, of the lake and the moun- tains and the sk Mont Blanc, so commoniy cloud-capped; towers majestically withx sharp, hard' outiine against the biue sky, and above floats a cloud which takes on the appearance of a swan. ©n a table below this picture is spread out a reproduction. of Miss Oakley's allegorical painting in the governor's rcem of the State Capitol at. Harrisburg, typifying “The Founding of the State of Liberty Spiritual,” referring te the “Water of Life” Strangely enough, the shore toward which the counselors in the glass reom look acrass the arm of the lake is known de Vie.” This is mere than. belief in this great ideal that has dominated derful that she had found: courage ta set forth these ideas, her reply was: “It was much more wonderful that I was allowed to, that those in charge of the decoration of our State Capitol shared my ideals and consented to the per- manent emplacement of the paintings.” Miss Oakiey’'s. monumental publication, “The Holy Experiment,” is “a message to the warld from Pennsylvania,” reproducing the 27 panels which she did for the State House, 18 panels in the governor’s roem mentioned above, and nine panels in the Senate Chamber, entitled “The Cr‘nfinn and Preservation of the Union.” The third series of 16 panels which Miss Oakley did for the Supreme Court room, “The Open- ing of the Beok of the Law,” has not yet been published in portfolio form, but is represented by photographs. Another superb publication that Miss Oakley hx.w issued is “The Great Wonder,” an illu- grlmmd book of compositions of the triptych in the Alumnae House, Vassar College, Of this three copies only have been produced, all by hand. The one in the present exhibition is o\gnad and lent by Mrs. Avery Coonley. The printing in this book is superb, much of it em- bossed in gold, as sincerely a work of art as the paintings which illuminate the text. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, APRIL 13, 1930: A D) Al AND 7 TEHEA MECHLIN Miss Violet Oakley’s Exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery—Several Other Artists Showing Their Work. | “A Breton Fishwife,” an oil. painting by Dixie Selden. On exhibition at the Arts Club. will give a talk on “The Miracle of Geneva,” in the auditorium of the Corcoran Gallery. TWO Cincinnati artists are exhibiting at the Arts Club, 2017 I street, at the present time, They are’ Bmma: Mendenhall and Dixie Selden. Both studied under the same masters and apparently have traveled and worked much Wzyl but their work is very dissimilar in style. Miss Mendenhall shows about 25 water colors, painted. ghiefly. abroad, in. France, Spain and Italy—elaborate compositions rendered in clear wash, with. a. crisp and- incisive technigue. “* Miss Selden’s exhibit includes portraits, lJand- scapes and' boat! pictures. Among her portraits are {wo:of exceptional strength and merit—one of her former master; Frank Duveneck, painted in his latter years, but showing him still im splendid physical condition; the other of a “Breton' Pishwife” seated in a simple PFrench chair, & peasant woman, toothless and: wrinkled, with projecting: chin and eyes deep set, but beautiful in simple homeliness, with the strings of her white peasani’s. cap lending suitable decoration. Both of these portraits are genu- inely interpretive, the one painted withr great reserve and studious care, the othér with incisive directness. Miss Selden's work is colorful. She paints with: & fulll brush: Her still life studies are particularly handsome. She also has painted’ interesting street seerfes. For instance, the characteristic canyon of Broad street, New York; the scene: of operation of the Curb Mar- ket, and, in interesting ocontrast, the market ‘places of Quimper and Concarneau, France— New World finance-as against Old World flowers and’ vegetables. These exhibitions continue for another week and are open to the public from 10 in the morning until 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon. They should not be missed: < American Federation of Arts will hold its third regional meeting west of the Mis- sissippi. in Santa Fe; N. Mex., April 16, 17 and 18. This meeting will be attended by regre- sentatives of art museums and associations in the Far Western: States. Among the Assoeiation Almg the Art Institute of @mahs, Helen: C. Harvey of-the Denver Art Museum, Prof. Arthur Clark of Stanford University, Myron Hunt, architect, a member of the Palos Verdes art 1 H 210y i 5 ik bl i g i H § I ie under SUSAN: B. CHASE M. G. IGNON Fremech Portrait Paintes. April 1tk to April 26tk [f - 4