Evening Star Newspaper, October 11, 1931, Page 86

\©, Calendar of Exhibitions CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART, Seven- teenth street and New York avenue. Permanent collect.on. Special exhibi- tion. Drawings and Past¢ls by Ferris Connah, October 1 to 18. PHILLIPS MEMORIAL GALLERY, 1600 Twenty-first street. Permanent ceol- lection with recent acqu'silions. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, Tenth and B (Constiiution evzauz) streels northwest. Permmanent coli~cl.on SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Tenth and B sireets scuihuw Lichings by George T. Plowman, October 5 to No- vember 1. ARTS AND INDUSTRIES BUILDING, United States Nntiona! Muscum. Bro- moil Transfers by A. W. Hill of Scot- land, October-Nocember. FREER GALLERY OF ALT, Twelfth and B streets southwest. Pcrmanent collection. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Psint Divi- sion, First strect between Lact Capitol and B streets southeast. Contcmporary American Prints assembllcd by the American F:d-ration of A~'s for ex- hibition in Ila'y. ARTS CLUB OF WASHINGTON, 2917 I street northw . a'ntinzs by S. Peter Wagner, Oct r 111025, “TEXTILE MUSEU?, 233 S street northwest. Rugs, ispcstiics and other tertiles of the MN:car and Far East. Open Monday:, Wcdnesdays and Fri- day, 2 to 5 o’'ciock. con by card, obta:nable at the ofi of G. H. Myers, 1503 H street northwecst. HOWARD UNIVERSITY ART GAL- LERY. MoZcrn Fircnch Color Prints lent by College Art Ascociation, Octo- ber 1 to 15. IFTY-ONE etchires by George T. Plow- man of Cambridge, Mass., censtituie the first of the season’s series of print exhibitions in the Smith<onian Build- ing under the auspices of the division of graphic arts, United States Natienal Museu n John Galen Howard, one of the leading arch- itects of California, head of the architectural department of the State Universiiy, once said: “If there be truth in the di:tum that ‘art is nature seen through a temperament,’ then as- suredly we have in Mr. Plowman’s etchings a rare evidence of art. Whatever other admirable qualities they possess, they 2r= genuine expres- sions of a temperament, and that, too, a gen- uinely artistic one.” To which he addei: ‘“Fhis is, perhaps, for the most of us, their principel, as it is an entirely sufficient, claim te cordial recognition. To the technical critic, however, whose demand is first of 21l for souni drawing, they are likely to appeal quite as much for their admirable draughtsmanship.” An appeal quite as strong as those waich Mr, Howard irentions is that of subject. and, if one may hazard the supposition, in all probability subject is of paramount importance to this . etcher. Among the piints by which he i5 repre- sented in this exhibition are, for instance, such plates as “St. Mark’s, Venice”, “Napoleon’s Birthplace, Corsica™; “Mount of Olives, Jeru- salem”; “Blue Mosque, Istamboul”; “Be<- thoven’s Birthplace, Bonn”; “Mayflower Bamn, Jordan's,” and the like. Because of their subjective acd historical in- terest as landmarks and reminders of the pasi, Mr. Plowman has etchcd a series of covered bridges, which he has diligently sought out in New England and elsewhere. To a recent numn- ber of the American Magazine of Art Mrs. Plowman, the etcher’s wife, contributed an ar- ticle on “Covered Bridges,” illustratcd by Mr. Plowman'’s etchings, in whic: ch- oot only gives interesting facts connected with the bridges, but tells delightfully of Mr. Plowman's quest and of " the interest he has taken in it. “It has been no easy task,” she says, “to make drawings of bridges in the back country, perhaps in cold weather, after the lcaves, which veil structural features, have dropped to the ground. Then therz may be the disappointment of finding that a bridge has just been taken down when one has waited overlong in visiting it. ® * * So there is always a tings of excitement in de- picting these old-timers, and especially if they are located on neglected roacs.” The covered bridge is vanishing, even from New England, where they chiefly abounded, and before many years they will be altogether a thing of the past. But Mr. Plowman's etchings will insure their permanent remerrorance. Among those included in this exhibi‘ion a2 Deerfield Bridge, Mass.; Ledyard Bridge, Han- over, N. H.,, and Mill Bridge, Chester, Vt. It is interesting to compare these typical American bridges with some of the famous bridges of the Old World, such, for instance, as the Ponte Vecchio, of which an etching is included in the Plowman exhibition. Mr. Plowman has also made a specialty of etching old vess:ls, especially famous whalers, some of which, sitce he etched them, have passed into history, among them the Gay Head, which was lost in the Arctic, and the Wan- derer, wrecked in a storm shortly after leav- ing her home port of New Bedford. The whalcr “Wanderer,” No. 37 in this exhibition, repre- sents this group of Mr. Plowman’s work. - Finally, mecntion should be made of Mr. - Plowman's etchiags of college buildings---Baker -Memorial Library, at Dartmouth; Fayerweather, Griffin and West Halls, at Williams; the chapel at Hamilton College, New York—all sarchi- tecturally interesting and significant because of their simplicity and fitness as examples of American college building design. More elab- orate, but likewise of especial interest, is his -etching of the Emma Willard School library ingerior, at Troy. THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., OCTOBER 1%, A N\H % _LEILA 1931. AND MECHLIN Firstof Series of Print Exhibitions at National Museum—Work of the Landscape Club. Other News and Comment. Library interior of the Emma Willard School, Troy, N. Y. One of the Plow- man etchings on view at the National Museum. George Plowman was born in Minnesota in 1869, and studied first in Minneapolis under Douglas Volk, later in Boston with Eric Pape and at the Royal College of Art, South Kensing- ton, London. For the most part he employs pure etching, though occasionally he uses mez- zotint and aquatint. His line is rugged and broken, fairly even in breadth, somewhat nervous, but the line of one who has something to say and the ability to say it firmly and frankly. He thoroughly understands and com- mands his medium, and he has increased the understanding of others by an illuminating book on etching, written both for the layman and the technician, published some ycars ago, but continuously in demand. Mr. Plowman is a member of the Chicago Socicty of Etchers, the Brooklyn Society of Etchers, the Salmagundi Club, the Boston So- cicty of Etchers, the Print Makers' Society of California and other professional organizations. He was awarded a bronze medal for etching at the Panama-Pacific Exposition, in 1915, and his works are included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Li- brary of Congress, the British Museum and the South Kensington Museum, London; the Luxem- bourg, Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. In addition to his “Manual of Etching,” published in 1924, he issued, in 1914, a volume on “Etchings and Other Grapnic Arts.” Despite, in this instance, the etcher’s dis- tinction, it is an interesting fact that many of the etchings in the current exhibition are pur- chasable at $5 and $6, and no one is priced at more than $18. HE Landscape Club's exhibiticn at the Arts Club last week evidenced again the strength of the organization and the high standard of work which the members individually are ca- pable of putting out. Taken all in all, these paintings bore witness to a commendable desire for simplicity and strength. If anything, theve was an overemphasis on these qualities, but if that is a fault it is a good one. It is far better to be too abrupt than indirect, to be structurally correct than superficially appeal- ing. Many a good painting has been spoiled be- cause the painter did not know when to stop. There was nothing weak or undecided or blund- ering in the exhibition of 47 paintings in oil which occupied the walls of the club’s audi- torium, and the immediate impression upon entering the gallery was of freshness, color and happy outlook. In the matter of subject, there was great variety; in manner of presentatior., no one was like another. The exhibition visitor has come to expect good work of Benson Moore, A. J. Schram, Fraok Niepold, Minor S. Jameson, Garnet Jey, J. C. Claghorn, Roy C. Clark, A. H. O. Rolle, Tom Brown and other members of this club, but in the current showing they were all, it seemed, at their best, if not better than usual. And it was an interesting fact that the ma- jority of the canvases were of a size—the frames practically uniform—that none was ap- parently trying to outdo his neighbor. Two names not always—perhaps not here- tofore—included in the Lanwscape Club's exhi- bitions were those of Richard S. Meryman, principal of the Corcoran Gallery's School of Art, who is known chiefly as a fizure painter, but when essaying a landscape subject paints robustly and with evident poetic feeling, and Rowland Lyon, one of the younger group, wio has been gradually coming forward with work of increasing strength. Each showed two can- vasses in this exhibition, lending in each in- stance an individualistic note. Possibly some of the paintings in the Land- scape Club’s exhibition may be available through the Arts Club’s lending collection for those who wish to borrow temporarily for home display and enjoyment. But probably a large portion of the collection will be sent out on cir- cuit, as the Landscape Club has for several sea- sons sponsored one or more traveling exhibi- tions. In addition to the oil paintings in the Art:’ Club auditorium, a number of water colors axid two or three oils were placed effectively in the first-floor reception room and dining room. Benson Moore’s decorative painting of pelicat:s, with a jocose little verse attached, had the place of honor in this group over the mantel HE next event of note at the Arts Club is an exhibition of oils and water colors by S. Peter Wagner, which opens this afternoon with a tea from 4:30 to 6, at which Mr. and Mrs. Wagner will be hosts. Mr. Wagner being a Washingtonian and a regular contributor to the 1local exhibitions, needs no introduction to a Washington public. He has always painted during leisure hours, but for the past few years has given his entire tim to it. Summer before last he worked with George Pearte Ennis at Eastport, Me.; in the Spring and Fall he paints in the vicinity of Washington and his home near Rockville; his Winters, however, are spent at St. Petersburz, Fla., and it is probable that a considerable number of the paintings in the present exhibi- tion will be of Florida themes. HE Sears, Roebuck & Co. Art Galleries, 1108 Connecticut avenue, will be opened in- formally on October 16 with a varied display comprising oil paintings by Theodore J. Mor- gan, the director; water colors by Herbert Hooven, etchings by Auerbach-Levy and bronzes by one of the leading commercial firms, besides incidental exhibits by half a dozen painters and craftsmen from widely separated localities. It is Mr. Morgan's idea to demonstrate, through these exhibitions, the breadth of thx field of art and to provide each month a stim- ulating combination of exhibits which will, as the same time, be found homogeneous. Further- more, the gallery is to be generously lent to local organizations with kindred interests de- siring to use it as an auditorium and meeting place. Already evening assignments have been made to a group of young writers and to a local school of rhythmic dancing. Mr. Morgan’'s paintings have been exhibited here from time to time in local groups, and col- lectively a Winter or so ago at the Women'’s Democratic Club. Mr. Hooven has not before had a one-man show in Washington. His work is strong, broad and in the modern mode, but by no means extreme. Auerbach-Levy is one of the foremost American etchers, one of the few who has made a specialty of figures. His portrait studies of East Side New York types are extremely well rendered and eagerly sought by both public and private collectors. These galleries will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and from 3 to 6 p.m. Sundays. N exhibition of“original drawings wade for “Ihe Nation’s Business” by well known illustrators under the direction of Mr. Doug- las, art editor, opened on October 5 to con- tinue to the 17th, in the George Lohr School of Commercial Art, room 503, National Press Building. Included in this exhibition are works by Edward A. Wilson, George Illian, Louis FPancher, Sidney Fletcher, Franklin Booth and others, but on the whole, to those who remember American illustration at its best, that is in the 90s and a few succeeding years it is an exceedingly sad showing. ‘There is no doubt that the advertising pages today are more attractive than ever before be- cause of pictorial features, and that in the development of advertising the commercial artist has exceptional opportunity. But such work can bhardly be compared with drawings made as illustrations for author’s text. In- herently they are completely apart; their nature is by no means that of an interpreter; their purpose is primarily selling. Illustration, as such, has almost in recent years passed ocut of existence. There are a few illustrated books published, a few pre- eminent illustrators such as Rockwell Kent, Thomton Oakley, N. C. Wyeth, Frank Schoon- over, Elizabeth Shippen Green Elliott, Jessie Wilcox Smith, and, in the field of pen and ink pictorialists—Charles Dana Gibson. But all three .of the magazines—Century, Scribner's and Harper's—which to a great extent, through patronage, developed and upbuilt the Ameri- can school of illustration, have abandoned the use of illustration and are publishing unillus- trated texts. The illustrator, therefore, is thrown back upon the more popular magazines demanding stereotyped work, or upon the com- mercial illustration used for advertising. No wonder inspiration would szem to be lacking. and that the majority of the work set forth is of inferior artistic merit. Obviously, to this rule there are notable ex- ceptions—exceptions to be found in the pages of “The Nation’s Business,” notably clever and original drawings by Charles Dunn, by Mr. Continued on Eighteenth Pag-: fofze IS NEWN — . 2883 &l’l? ACANT 1333 F St. N.W. At la:t-w , THE OFFIBIAI. 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