Evening star. [volume], May 08, 1937, Page B-3, Image 17

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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MELLON’S GIFT INITIAL STEP
Preparations for Starting Foundations of Art Gallery Are of
Great Significance—New Federal Plans and Local
Development in Modem Museum Here.
By Leila Mechlin.
ASSING along Constitution
avenue this week, the observ
ant visitor may have noticed
workmen, on an open grass
grown space bordering the Mall,
between Fourth and Seventh streets,
digging in various spots and making
bonngs. These heralded the erection
of the much discussed and eagerly
awaited National Gallery of Art. The
contract for this building has been
let (to a well-known New' York con
tractor) and the first step toward
jronstruction was the establishment of
potential foundations.
Of the reality of a National Gallery
of Art, and its beginning, there were
other signs. The name of the National
Gallery of Art has disappeared from
the overdoor of the National Museum,
Tenth street and Constitution avenue,
and in its place appears "National
Collection of Fine Arts.” The guide
boards in the museum lobby have also
been changed this week. On them the
"National Collection of Fine Arts" is
located on the second floor, as well
as the "War Portrait Collection.” Thus
is indicated a division, both of res
ponsibility and of property rights,
which may, in effect, prove far
reaching.
Five collections, privately assembled,
have in due course been donated to
the Nation as a part of a National
Gallery of Art. The first of these was
the Harriet Lane Johnson collection,
the bequest of which led, through
friendly litigation, to the legalization
T>f the National Gallery of Art by
decree of the District Supreme Court,
as established and existent under the
Smithsonian Institution. Then came,
in quick succession, gifts of the Wil
liam T. Evans collection of paintings
by American artists, later supple
mented and perpetuated through the
Ranger fund; the John Gellatly col
lection of paintings and objet d'art;
the Ralph Cross Johnson collection
of paintings by the old masters, and
the Freer collection—tbe last housed
and endowed by the donor. The
Evans and the Gellatly collections both
represented private fortunes, and in
both instances, through an unhappy
turn of fateful circumstances, the
donors died in comparative poverty—
In other words, they gave to the Nation
not only of their best, but that which
might have kept them in comfort for
life.
Through special provision in the bill
which, passed by Congress, accepted
and legalized Mr. Mellon's princely
gift of a National Gallery' of Art
building, his invaluable collection and
- munificent endowment, the works
previously held as of a National Gal
lery are henceforth t-o be classified
as a ‘'National Collection of Fine
Arts”—hence the revision in the signs
and guide boards.
This change, now effected, does not
prohibit the Inclusion of any of these
works in the National Gallery of Art
that is to be built, but it eliminates
euch requirement. Whether or not
selection may be made from these col
lections eventually for promotion to
i the National Gallery of Art will de
' pend upon the separate deeds of gift
and the judgment of the National
Gallery's governing board. Meanwhile,
the question of suitable housing of
these collections, generously given
and accepted in good faith, is an open
question. For the present they will
doubtless remain where they are, in
borrowed quarters, shown only in
part and inadequately, and occupying
space in the Natural History Building
greatly needed for scientific exhibits.
^'J'HE solution of the difficulty which
1 has been proposed is the erection
of another building to be known as
the Smithsonian Gallery of / -t,
on the south side of Constitution
avenue, west of the National Museum,
which will not only contain the present
National Collection of Fine Arts, but
also additions thereto. This building
Will, it has been said, occupy the same
relation to the National Gallery of
Art that the Luxembourg occupies
to the Louvre, or the Tate to the
National Gallery of London. To it
will go contemporary works to be
tested by time, and eventually, when
permanent merit is assured, graduated
or promoted to the National Gallery.
The cost of this building has been set
at something more than $4,500,000,
in addition to which there will be up
keep and administration. A bill mak
ing such appropriation has been
drafted, but because of the present
•conomy program will not, it is now
understood, be in the 1938 budget.
This means that for at least a couple
of years matters will remain in status
quo. The Art News of New York
publishes in its current issue, the
statement that, "according to rumor,”
gifts totaling $3,000,000 toward the
establishment of a Smithsonian Gal
lery of Art have been offered by two
ardent art lovers; but such offers have
not been made public, if perchance,
they have actually been made.
it is a spienaia thing to have the
National Gallery of Art with Its impec
cable treasures to look forward to,
and all the regulations that have been
made to safeguard its standards are
right and just; but there should not
be delay or delinquency in suitably
providing for the "National Collection
bf Fine Arts” already possessed and
far too long inappropriately housed
and displayed.
As a Nation we have acquired, or
shall acquire, through the munificence
of Mr. Mellon, a National Gallery of
Art which will put us on a par with
other nations, and be. indefinitely,
occasion of pride and satisfaction; but
this great gift in no wise releases us
from our obligation to care properly for
and display the work of art previously
given to upbuild a national collection
by other donors equally generous ac
cording to their means. In fact, it
would seem to increase it.
There are many functions which a
Smithsonian Gallery of Art may per
form in addition to merely caring for
the secondary national collection.
Living American artists are looking
to it for patronage, in accordance
-with the position the Federal Gov
ernment has assumed of late. It is
suggested, and hoped, that such an
Institution will undertake the cir
culation of exhibitions of high stand
ard to smaller institutions through
out the country, and through these,
and other means, foster appreciation
by spreading knowledge. It is an
engaging and at the same time rea
sonable project, and therefore should
meet with approval and be given
support.
A Branch Museum of Modern Art
To Be Established Here Next Fall.
/k NEW factor will be introduced into
the art life of Washington next
season by the establishment of a
branch in this city of the Museum of
Modem Art, New York. Announce
V
ment was made on Monday afternoon
at a meeting held at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Owignt Davis that, under a
special committee, headed by Mrs.
Davis, with Mrs. George Garrett as
vice chairman, such arrangements had
been completed, and the lower floor of
the Metropolitan Club, H and Seven
teenth streets, would be remodeled as
a gallery, where in to hold displays.
The first of these exhibitions, assem
bled and sent to Washington by the
Museum of Modern Art in New York,
will take place in November, and five
others will follow in monthly succes
sion during the Winter. Meanwhile, a
"Film Society of Washington” has
been formed, with Mr. Robert Lincoln
O'Brien, formerly head of the Tariff
Commisison, as chairman, which will
make available here the Film Library,
unique of its kind, assembled and
administered by the Museum of Mod
ern Art.
in attendance, and chief speaker at
the meeting at Mrs. Dwight Davis’, was
the president of the Museum of Mod
ern Art, Mr. A. Goodyear, who told of
the inception of this institution, its
purposes and development The Mu
seum of Modern Art. he told his atten
tive listeners, was established in 1929,
to bring to the attention of those of
alert and curious mind, works by con
temporary artists which possessed
originality and showed progress. This
museum, he explained, unlike other
Museums which function largely as
repositories of art, tried and assured. I
does not guarantee the merit of the j
works It exhibits, but to the contrary
admits that many so shown have but
passing significance. It provides, he
declared, a testing ground, and its pur
pose is to stimulate further effort in
the matter of investigation. In this
respect he made comparison to a sci
entific laboratory and admitted that
the chance of epoch-making discovery
was equally slim.
The Museum of Modern Art was
established in New York with galleries
in a Fifth avenue skyscraper, in 1929, I
with only 60 members. For the first;
year all effort was bent in demonstrat
ing its serviceability, and memberships
were not solicited. However, the at
tendance at its exhibitions amounted
to 185.000. The membership is now
2,000, last year it not only carried out
an extensive program of exhibitions in 1
its headquarters, a remodeled resi
dence in the vicinity of Rockefeller
Center, New' York, but circulated
throughout the country 31 exhibitions
which were shown, in all, over 300
times. Next year it will have its own j
building, costing over a million dol
lars, and branches in numerous other
cities.
A unique feature of the Museum 1
of Modern Art is the fact that it can i
have no permanent collection, for as
soon as a work ceases to be •modern” !
<or, we may interject, becomes ortho
dox) it has no place in such an insti
tution. The museum has. however,
possessions—a collection of modem
paintings left to it by Miss Lilly Bliss
of New York and a collection of
works by present-day artists of Amer- i
tea, given by Mrs. Rockefeller. Grad- |
ually, Mr. Goodyear said, these will !
be distributed among other museums
in which art that is historical finds
suitable placement.
Two of the trustees of the Museum I
of Modem Art are residents of Wash- j
ington—Mrs. Roberts Woods Bliss and
Mr. Duncan Phillips. At the meeting
last Monday Mrs. Bliss spoke briefly
in appreciation of the exhibitions the
museum has set forth and the purpose
they have served in broadening and
stimulating interest in artistic experi
mentation and occasional achieve
ment. Certainly the gathering and the
speeches betokened unusual interest
and foreshadowed good things to come.
It is difficult, if not Impossible, to
evaluate any movement of one’s own
time because of the lack of perspec
tive, and the modem movement in
art has been, and is still, peculiarly
perplexing to the average layman.
The fostering of this movement up to
the present time has not brought
forth any notable result; no great
genius has emerged, no great work
been accomplished. But this Is not
to say that it is negligible—that there
may not be outcome. For those who
have recognized the genius of Van
Gogh (whose works the Museum of
Modem Art has circulated) despite
his tortured soul and weaknesses, the
opportunity to see his drawings and
paintings has meant much; but Van
Gogh’s genius came into existence
through great travail, not through in
tensive cultivation—is inexplicable, his
own. The exhibition of "Sur-reaiism
and Rantastic Art” which the Museum
of Modern Art is now circulating,
after successful display in New York,'
takes experimentation out of the field
of art into that which is psychological
and metaphysical, and to the public
appears absurd and ridiculous. If
the doors of the scientist’s laboratory
were thrown open to the public the
bewilderment would be much the same.
It is a difficult problem the Museum
of Modem Art has assigned itself
but the art lovers of Washington may
be glad of an opportunity to observe
at first hand and possibly assist in its
solution.
Corcoran Popular Prize Award
Reflects Attitude of the Public.
'JpHE attitude of the public toward
art—at least the art of paint
ing—U reflected in the vote cast
for the painting best liked in the
Corcoran Gallery of Art’s Fifteenth
Annual Exhibition of Contemporary
American Painting, which, by the
way, closes tomorrow afternoon. As
the result of this balloting by visitors
during the current week, the’ popular
prize of $200 was awarded to a
painting by Fedor Zakharov of a
ballet girl, “Ballerina,” a full-length
figure, with other figures in ballet
costume seen through a doorway in
the background. The second largest
number of votes was cast for a
painting, "Alice Through the Black
Bottle,” by Charles S. Chapman—a
young girl’s face seen across a table
and through the clear glass of a
Spanish water bottle; while the third
was for an allegorical painting,
stripping the glamour from war!
“Testimonial,” by R. H. Ives Gam
mell. In all three instances these
pictures were technically well painted
and subjectively obvious. The mes
sage they conveyed was purely visual
and understandable. In the first two
there was essentially an element of
beauty. But it is very doubtful if
any of the votes were cast because
of the quality which should be su
preme in a painting which is a work
of art—that quality which Gertrude
Stein described as “paint on can
vas,” and others have amplified by
calling "the sheer beauty of the way
the paint was put on.” But that
la hardly to be expected. What la
certain in this, aa In all other alm
a a
liar instances, is that the public de-I
sires and insists upon clanty of ex
pression and that which stirs ad
miration. And, obviously, these quali
ties are not alien to the great works
in this held. Without them none
has endured. To these ideals the
public clings tenaciously. And after
all, why should we not be stimu
lated by our admirations rather than
our dislikes? The process of educa
tion through extension of knowledge
in both Instances is the same.
Delightful Color Wood
Blocks of Oriental Subjects
By Elizabeth Keith.
UNUSUAL and particularly de
lightful collection of wood-block
prints in color, made in China, Japan
and Korea by Elizabeth Keith, an
Englishwoman of artistic distinction,
has been placed on view in the Cor
coran Gallery of Art on the walls of
the southeast corner gallery on the
first floor, where it will remain for a
fortnight or more. Miss Keith, who
with her sister arrived in Washington
yesterday en route from the Orient to
England, has spent much time in the
Par East and has won there, as well as
in the Occident, high praise for her
prints done according to the Japanese
print-makers’ tradition, but in a man
ner quite her own. To her the wood
block has become not only a fascinat
ing medium of expression, but an
original one. Her wood blocks in color
stand alone in character and quality.
as a cnua Elizabeth Keith was In
tensely Interested in China, and when,
after attaining measurable maturity,
opportunity came to travel there, she
siezed it with alacrity. She was at
that time a water colorist. In China
and Korea she painted scenes and
people. Arriving in Tokio, arrange
ments were made for an exhibition of
her sketches of the everyday life of
the Koreans. This was the first ex
hibition of the kind ever held there,
and among the visitors who came to
it was the leading color printer of
Japan. It was on his advice and sug
gestion that she decided to translate
some of her Korean water colors into
wood-block prints. Her first trial was
"East Gate, Seoul, by Moonlight.” still
very popular among her prints, the
success of which determined her
artistic career.
Miss Keith does not cut or print her
block cuts. Neither did the Japanese
masters of the past. In Japan the
block-cutter and the printer were
craftsmen serving the artist. They still
are. But they work under the artist's
guidance and never change a line.
"Kneeling by the craftsman's side. I
spend day after day, often for a month
or longer, over the printing of a single
subject.” Miss Keith has said in the
preface to her book, “Eastern Win
dows.” Also, after recounting some of
the hazards and difficulties of work
ing in the Far East, she has stated
that wherever she went she “always 1
came back laden with sketches and
paintings.” and has turned to color
printing as "the most effective means” :
of conveying to the West all she has
"felt, seen and recorded as an artist.”
Effective, indeed, are the results;
charming in line, handsome in color
and permeated with the spirit of the
Orient. In many instances she has
presented single figures against flat
backgrounds, or none at all, save the
white paper upon which they are
printed, but these carry the convic
tion of authentic portraits. These
portrait studies are essentially more
Chinese than Japanese. She, herself,
may say that they are Korean, for it
is the art of Korea—inherited from
China, passed on to Japan—that has
fascinated and appealed to her most.
Quite different are her subject
compositions, rendered elaborately in
the same medium, brilliant in color,
not dependent upon line for effect,
and, through most skillful printing,
showing delightful graduation of tint.
Nothing like these or in any way ap
proaching them has been produced.
They are unique and completely de
lightful. No wonder "the Studio" of
London chose her as the subject of
the publication, "Master of the Colour
Print.”
Of late she has developed another
style by which she handles her color
prints with more command than she
found possible with the Japanese lim
itations in the early days. Miss Keith
has recently specialized in studies of
the Noh Theater in Japan, and sev
eral of these prints are included in
her exhibition. She has held notable
exhibitions in Paris, London and
other foreign capitals, as well as in
the cities of the Orient. On her
homeward trip her work has been
shown under distinguished auspices
in Honolulu, Portland, Oreg.; San
Francisco and most recently in Chi
cago. Having visited Washington be
fore, she has many friends in this
city. Her works have for some years
been included in the permanent col
lections of both the Library of Con
gress and the Smithsonian Institution.
Etchings, Drawings, Water Colors
By Reynolds Beal Now on View.
'P'HE loan exhibition held in the
Phillips Memorial Gallery from
April 15 to 30 proved a great success,
netting, through admission fees, ap
proximately $500 for the National
Symphony Orchestra sustaining fund
and recording an attendance of 1,500,
not including students, which would
seem to indicate a lively interest on
the part of the local public in fine
art and a willingness to pay a price to
see it—especially when, as in this in
stance, the payment was to go to a
good cause.
The gallery has been closed this
week for rehanging, but a charming
exhibition of drawings, etchings and
water colors by Reynolds Beal was
opened in the print rooms on the
4th, to continue to the 18th.
Reynolds Beal is a brother of Gif
ford Beal and works in close associa
tion with him, although quite inde
pendently. Whereas Gifford Beal has
shown us, through his drawings, etch
ings and paintings, the men and
women of our eastern seacoast, Rey
nolds Beal has specialized in boats
without regard to those who sail
them. These he has observed closely
and recorded accurately both in and
around Rockport, Mass., and along
Long Island Sound. Many of his draw
ings—in pen and ink—and his etch
ings, very similar in line, in this ex
hibition are of boat subjects. Almost
invariably he shows them with their
sails between the observer and the
light and therefore in shadow; almost
always they are seen sailing on a
choppy sea. But they are obviously
under sail and indicative of swift ac
tion.
Mr. Beal uses a heavy and a broken
line to indicate his wave forms and
his wave lengths as a rule are short.
In no instance does he picture the
long roll of the ocean off the coast
of Maine, and the impression given is
“Manchu Lady of the Last Dynasty—Peking,” a color wood
block print by Elizabeth Keith, on exhibition at the Corcoran
Gallery of Art.
"Bertha E. Jagues,” an etching by N. P. Steinberg, on exhibi
tion in the Smithsonian Building.
of off-shore observation. But pleas
ant enough and very true, with a
freshness and vigor for which one is
grateful.
The water colors are to be seen in
the second room, where they hold their
own admirably. Among the most in
teresting of these are three of Chi
nese Junks, very picturesque and ex
ceedingly well handled.
Varied and Excellent Print Exhi
bition in Smithsonian Building.
rpHERE are some excellent and very
tempting etchings—tempting to
the print collector—in the special ex
hibition set forth this month in the
Smithsonian Building under the aus
pices of the Division of Graphic Arts
of the United States National Museum.
These, 50 in number, have been se
lected from the large collection given
by the Chicago Society of Etchers,
ana very appropriately an etched por
trait of Bertha E. Jaques, the inde
fatigable secretary of the society,
lately retired, is included. This is
the work of N. P. Steinberg and shows
Mrs. Jaques, through whose sympathy
and interest many a young American
etcher has "found” himself, seated at
a table, needle in hand, other tools
nearby, etching a plate.
Some very distinguished etchers are
represented in this exhibition—such,
for instance, as Ernest D. Roth, Louis
Rosenberg and Alfred Hutty. The
subjects are varied, as are also the
methods of transcription employed.
Notable are some of the etchings of
trees—two, strongly wrought, of wil
lows, by Roi Partridge, "Northern
Pines,” and 'Sycamores,” by Hutty,
who knows tree anatomy as do few;
"The Lone Tree.” by Arthur W. Hall
of Kansas, who gives charm to what
ever he pictures and in whatever me
dium he works; “Pines of Monterey,”
by Mildred Bryant Brookes, who not
so very long ago was honored by a
one-man exhibition of this gallery. Of
boats there are not a few, and among
these outstanding are “The Tramp,”
by Sears Gallagher; “Leaping Ahead,”
by Soderberg, and “Galveston Bay,”
by James Swan. Representing Mar
gery Ryerson at her best is her dry
point, entitled “Big Sister"—a little
girl asleep in her older sister's arms.
Among the city scenes, especially skill
ful and attractive, is "Pirates' Alley”—
Charleston, if w'e are not mistaken—
by Paul Smith. For dog lovers “Irish
Setter,” by Walter E. Bohl, will make
strong appeal. All in all this is a
fine showing and one which re-em
phasizes the value of the gift made by
the Chicago Etchers’ Society to our
National Museum.
Federal Architects Open Annual
Exhibition in National Museum.
p'HE Association of Federal Archi
tects opened its annual exhibition
this week in the foyer of the United
States National Museum, to continue
throughout the month. This is an un
official showing, but it contains repre
sentative work in this field done in
the differant departments of the Fed
eral Government. Included in the
showing are architectural designs and
renderings, perspectives, water colors,
pen-and-ink and pencil sketches, etch
ings, sculptdre, models, photographs,
etc. Much of the work was done out
of working hours for the sheer pleas
ure of the doing. This is the section
that gives color to the show and a
lively interest to the casual visitor.
As heretofore each department has
one or more alcoves, so that collective
ly the contributions may be regarded
as units and compared. In scope this
exhibition represents and covers a vast
amount of well-directed activity.
Some excellent work is set forth, but,
'
Bulletin of Exhibitions
CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART—Biennial exhibition of contemporary
American paintings closes May 9. (Open 2 to 6 p.m.) Special exhi
bition color prints of Oriental subjects, by Elizabeth Keith.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, United States National Museum
Permanent collections—Evans, Gellatly, Ralph Cross, Johnson.
Harriet Lane Johnson and Herbert Ward African sculptures. Stained
glass windows by John La Farge and William Willet, paintings and
etchings by Thomas Moran. Annual exhibition Association of Federal
Architects, foyer of National Museum.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, DIVISION OF GRAPHIC ARTS—
Exhibition of etchings by various well-known American etchers.
NATIONAL MUSEUM. ARTS AND INDUSTRIES BUILDING—
Exhibition of pictorial photographs by members of the Washington
Photographic Society.
FREER GALLERY OF ART—Permanent collection, paintings, drawings
and etchings by Whistler. The peacock room, Oriental paintings,
bronzes, pottery, miniatures, etc.
PHILLIPS MEMORIAL GALLERY—Permanent collection, paintings by
old and modem masters; also works in sculpture. Special exhibition
of drawings, etchings and water colors by Reynolds Beal.
STUDIO HOUSE—Exhibition of prints and drawings by Mateo Hernan
dez. Paintings by artists of Washington and Baltimore.
TEXTILE MUSEUM OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA—Permanent
collection, rugs, tapestries and other textiles of the Near and Far
East. Open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 2 to 5 p.m. Admis
sion by card, obtainable at office of George Hewitt Myers, 730 Fif
teenth street.
ARTS CLUB OF WASHINGTON—Exhibition of waters colors by Mildred
B. Miller and woodcuts by Dorothy McEntee.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, DIVISION OF FINE ARTS—Exhibition of
etchings and other prints by contemporary printmakers; Pennell
lithographs; drawings by American illustrators. Special exhibition
of illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele.
PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BUILDING—Exhibition of works by pupils
of Eugen Weisz.
WOMEN’S CITY CLUB—Paintings by Hattie E. Burdette.
DUMBARTON HOUSE—Historical art exhibit, furniture, articles of
utility and pictures.
INTIMATE BOOKSHOP, LITTLE GALLERY—Exhibition of water colors
by Mitchell Jamieson of Virgin Islands.
GALLERY OF MODERN MASTERS, 1367 Connecticut avenue—Water
colors of New England and the West by Howard Giles.
HOWARD UNIVERSITY GALLERY OF ART—Exhibition of children's
work, New York and Washington P, W. A.
rn77p«/arbZeftead Yachtsan etchin9 by Reynolds Beal, on exhibition at the Phillips Memorial
ualLerV-____ —Photo by Lewis P. Woltz.
on the whole, the showing is not so
good or impressive as in preceding
years, which is due in part, it is under
stood, to the high pressure under which
these Government architects have
been working and the lack of availabil
ity of finished material for display re
lating to governmental projects—both
excellent reasons. The purpose of the
exhibition, and the friendly spirit of
competition in which it is put up. make
it eminently worth while.
Outdoor Painting Classes Being
Conducted by Stevens.
LESTER STEVENS of Rockport,
* Mass., is, by invitation gt a self
organized group, conducting a class in
outdoor painting here at this time. The
class comprises 18 or 20 painters,
chiefly professional, who are eager for
the stimulus of Mr. Stevens’ criticism.
It meets on alternate days out-of-doors,
with indoor criticisms in the interim.
Mr. Stevens has also a Saturday and
Sunday class for teachers and others
having week-day occupation. A buffet
supper is to be given in his honor at
the Arts Club tomorrow' evening.
Portrait of Mrs. Harriman
By Comins to Be Exhibited.
J£BEN P. COMINS has lately com
pleted a portrait of Mrs. J. Borden
Harriman, Minister-elect to Norway,
which he Is showing at a studio tea
a week from today, May 15, from 2 to 7
o'clock Mr. Comins will also exhibit
at this time the studies made last Sum
mer in Mexico.
National Art Organization
To Hold Annual Convention.
'J'HE American Federation of Arts
announces its twenty-eighth an
nual convention, to be held at the
Wardman Park Hotel in this city on
May 11, 12 and 13. There will be
sessions each day—morning and after
noon. At one of these sessions de
signs for public buildings will be dis
cussed. and at another Federal art
projects. The convention will be con
eluded by a banquet, at which Mr.
Robert Woods Bliss will preside.
A Sumptuous Ceiling Decoration
By a Local Artist.
THE formal opening of the
new international headquarters
of the Order of the Eastern Star
in the palatial Belmont residence at
New Hampshire avenue and Eight
eenth street, which the organization
has purchased and completely refur
nished, a recently completed celling
decoration by Eugenie De Land Saug
stad of this city was seen for the first
time. It is an oval panel 9 by 14
feet in diameter set in a heavy but
appropriate gold frame. Five of the
famous women of the Bible are rep
resented on it, in trailing robes and
with wings, partially submerged by
clouds. These are Ruth. Esther, Ada,
Electa and Martha—each a point of
the star. In the center of the panel
a rift in the clouds forms a star
shaped opening through which the
sky appears. In every particular the
painting is symbolical, but its sym
bolism is not insistent. Primarily,
the work is decorative, and for its
place and purpose it is extremely
well done. The color is excellent and
the scheme admirably handled. The
effect is that of the ceiling decorations
of the eighteenth century French
painters who commonly, however, used
more frivolous subjects. Mrs. Saug
stad has also painted for the Inter
national "Temple” a portrait of its
founder, which is hung over the
mantel in the hall, and she has had
much to do with the choice and ar
rangement of furnishings, which are
all consistently in the sumptuous style
of the house. Mr. Saugstad’s con
tribution takes the form of a monu
mental volume which he has made
with carved wood covers and metal
clasps wherein will be inscribed on
vellum the names of donors and lists
of gifts. The rehabilitation of this
stately house and its preservation as a
mansion to be much visited and suit
ably used is matter for congratulation.
The S. W. A. Elects Officers
For the Season of 1937-38.
'J'HE Society of Washington Artists
held its annual meeting at the
Arts Club recently and elected for
the season of 1937-8 the following
officers and Executive Committee:
President. Charles Bittinger; vice pres
ident. Robert E. Motley; secretary,
Dorothy E. Davidson; treasurer, Alex
ander Clayton; Executive Committee,
the officers and Omar R. Carrington,
Garnet Jex, Rowland Lyon, Roger M.
Rittase and Kathleen Wheeler.
At the same meeting two sculptor*,
Ralph Hume and Eleanor Mullilcen,
and two painters, Mrs. Hazel K. Wires
and Jeanne Woods, were elected to
membership.
Work by Isabel Kuhlman Which
Makes Imaginative Appeal.
EXHIBITION of landscapes and
other studies by Isabel Kuhlman
Is now to be seen In the Gallery of
Modem Masters, 1367 Connecticut
avenue. Most striking in the collec
tion are interpretations of olive trees,
expressive of various emotions or ex
periences, and a mountain landscape
dramatically rendered. Miss Kuhlman
uses for the majority of her paintings
oil colors, but in the manner of water
color, in thin wash, and with great
delicacy. She is an indefatigable stu
dent and an eager investigator, and
pushes her investigations to the limits
of her field in order to extend knowl
edge and boundary. Following the
Hambridge theory of dynamic sym
metry to the furthest extent, she has
in her work organic unity, and,
although one may feel at times that
she is still groping, there is the evi
dent underlying intent, which assures
sincerity, and a glimmer of something
beyond, which intrigues imagination.
Her olive-tree series, already referred
to, is especially of this order and
very memorable. This collection will
be on view for another week at least,
and will then be followed by an exhi
bition of paintings by Howard Giles,
eminent both as artist and teacher.
CORONATION RITES DESCRIBED
(Continued Prom Page B-l.) ^
grace you may preserve the people
committed to your charge in wealth,
peace and godliness; and after a long
and glorious course of ruling this
temporal kingdom wisely, justly and
religiously, you may at last become
the partaker of an eternal kingdom,
through Jesus Christ, Our Lord "
Once more the King sits in the
chair of St. Edward. The Dean of
Westminister invests him with a tunic
of cloth of gold. He takes from the
altar the golden spurs, symbols of the
King's chivalry, and hands them
to the lord chamberlain. This dig
nitary touches both of the mon
arch's heels with them and replaces
them on the altar.
^ SWORD in a purple velvet sheath
is placed on the altar for its
sanctification.
“Hear our prayers, O Lord," says
the archbishop "and so direct and
support Thy servant. King George,
who is now to be girt with this sword,
that he may not bear it in vanity, but
may use it as the instrument of God
for the terror and punishment of
evildoers, and for the protection and
encouragement of those that do well,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The King stands. The sword is girt
around his waist by the lore1 chamber
lain. The voice of the archbishop:
"With this sword do justice, stop
the growth of iniquity, protect the
Holy Church of God. help and defend
widows and orphans, restore the
things that are gone to decay, main
tain the things that are restored, pun
j ish and reform what is amiss and con
firm what is in good order; that in
doing these things you may be glorified
in all virtue and so faithfully serve our
Lord Jesus Christ in this life that you
may reign forever with him in the life
which is to come."
With his own hands the King un
girds the sword and lays It upon the
altar. The Dean of Westminster places
over his shoulders the royal robe of
cloth of gold.
The primate places in his hands the
golden orb surmounted by the cross,
symbolic of his dominion over this
world and the acknowledgement of
the rule of the cross over himself and
all his kingdoms.
“- and when you see this orb
thus set under the cross, remember
that the whole world Is subject to the
power and empire of Christ, our Re
deemer."
The archbishop places upon the
fourth finger of the monarch's right
hand the ruby ring of Edward the
Confessor:
"Receive this ring, the insignia of
kingly dignity and of the defense of
the Catholic faith, and as you are this
day solemnly invested in the govern
ment of this earthly kingdom, so may
you be sealed with that spirit of
promise which is thy earnest of
an heavenly inheritance and reign
with Him, who is the blessed and only
Potentate, to Whom be glory forever
and ever.”
The royal scepter and the scepter
and dove are placed in the monarch’s
hands. The pageantry is drawing
near its culmination. It has come
through the valley of the mystic.
pROM the altar the archbishop
reverently takes the crown of St.
Edward. He holds it in his hands.
"O God, the crown of the faith
ful: Bless, we beseech Thee, and
sanctify Thy servant, George, our
King, and as Thou dost this day aet
a crown of pure gold on his head, ao
enrich his royal heart with Thine
abundant grace and crown him with
all princely virtures through the King
Eternal, Jesus Christ Our Lord."
He presses the crown upon the mon
arch's brow. It is the signal for the
general acclamation.
"God save the King," shout the
audience.
Trumpets sound and drums beat.
The great guns of the Tower resound
over London.
The choir sings the typically Eng
lish : "Be strong and play the man:
keep the commandments of the Lord
thy God and walk in His ways.”
The archbishop pronounces the
benediction. The King mounts to the
throne of state. Then come the acts
of homage. First the primate himself
kneels before his sovereign, followed
by the other bishops.
Then, one by one. the great subjects
of the empire kneel and recite this
formula of submission, unchanged
since the days of Edward the Con
fessor:
“I, Prince (or Earl or Duke, etc.j of
- do become your liege man of
life and limb, and of earthly worship,
and faith and truth I will bear unto
you. to live and die against all manner
of folks. So help me God.”
Then each kisses the King upon
the left cheek.
this time the Queen has been
little more than a spectator.
She has remained seated by the altar,
joining in the responses with the
others, for she also is a “subject."
Her turn comes with the conclusion
of the acts of homage, by far the long
est and mo6t monotonous part of the
ceremony. She kneels before the
altar and. like her husband, is
anointed with oil from the ampulla of
St. Thomas a Becket.
As the concluding act of the coro
nation ceremony the archbishop places
upon her brow the crown of St. Edith,
with the words:
"Receive this crown of glory, honor
and joy, and God, the Crown of the
Faithful, who. by our episcopal hands,
though unworthy, doth this day set a
crown of pure gold on your heed, en
rich your heart with this abiding
grace and crown you with all the
princely virtues in this life and with
everlasting gladness In the life which
is to come. Through Jesus Christ Our
Lord.”
The newly crowned King and Queen
then return to Buckingham Palace
and the crowds disperse—having par
ticipated in the most solemn cere
monial and gorgeous pageantry of a
generation.
Editorial Ideas Shown
In Newspaper Names
IN A current issues of American
Speech, a quarterly magazine pub
lished by Columbia University in
New York City, appears a study
of some length, “American Newspaper
Titles," by Cedric Larson, a member
of the staff of the Library of Congress.
The study is the first of its kind
attempted in recent years, and is a
survey of the names used by American
newspapers published on a daily basis.
Many District newspaper names were
used in this study, including refer
ences to The Washington Star.
Larson found that the most popular
of all newspaper names was “News.”
which is employed in the mastheads
of nearly 375 American daily news
papers. By a curious coincidence, the
initial letters of the points of the com
pass spell the title, “News,” and many
people believe that this was the origin
of the term, but it is probably due to
nothing more than a chance arrange
ment that this is true.
“Times" is next in popularity with
the dailies, being used by about 200
papers. “Journal” and "Herald" tie for
third honors, each being used by
about 150 papers. “Tribune” does serv
ice 110 times, while “Press” and “Free
Press” are employed 90 times.
“CTAR” outshines “Sun” in popular
ity in the firmament of newspaper
titles, the former being utilised by ap
proximately 80 dailies and the latter
by about 50. These titlee are deemed
especially fitting by the editorial mind,
from the implication that they shed
light on all mundane affairs. In his
article, Larson quoted part of the
salutory editorial which was printed in
the first issue of The Washington
Star on December 16, 1852, wherein
the following comment was made on
the choice of the name for the Wash
ington paper launched 85 years ago.
“Today The Daily Evening Star ap
pears on the horizon of the newspaper
world and greets, with warm and kind
ly beam, a metropolitan public.
Whether it shall be a fixed or a
wandering Star, depends upon the
patronage which It will attract
Though the Sun of a neighboring city
(Baltimore) blazes in the same firma
ment. our little Star will not pale even
in its luminous presence, if it be en
couraged to shine.”
The titles ”Record” and ‘'Recorder"
were found to have a tabulation of 75
dailies: “Gazette” by about 60 dailies,
although it was used by about 200
colonial American newspapers; “Post"
and "Courier” between 50 and 60 times.
A Democrat may count more than 60
American dailies with the name of his
party enshrined in the masthead, a
Republican can do this about 45 times
and an Independent 22 times.
Fifty dailies designate themselves
Leader, 35 Telegram, and Chronicle.
Dispatch, Reporter or Report, Review
and Bulletin are each used from 25 to
30 times. Citizen, Union, Enterprise,
Messenger and American appear from
20 to 25 times apiece. Although
World is found 22 times, Globe is used
only about half as many times.
The following titles, listed in tha
order of frequency, are employed from
10 to 20 times: Eagle, Standard,
Ledger, Advocate, Banner, Mail, Com
mercial, Observer, Argus, Capital, Ex
press, Index and Enquirer or Inquirer.
Although about only a dozen con
temporary dailies employ the word
Advertiser in their titles today, nearly
150 eighteenth century newspapers
had the term.
Large Celadon and 8ronze Votes for
porch or garden; alio hand-painted
Japanese lanterns.
ASIAN ARTS
1143 Conn. Ave. No. 4535
Abbott Art School
SUMMER CLASSES
Commercial Art—Life and Fine Aria
Fashion Illustration—Children’s Classes
Interior Deaeration
1143 Coin. At*. NA. 8054