International studio (60.1916/1917)

Washington s Biennial

The Corcoran Gallery of Ari, Washingion, D. C.
NELL AND ELINOR BY EDMUND C. TARBELL


ASHINGTON’S BIENNIAL
BY VIRGIL BARKER
The current biennial exhibi-
tion at the Corcoran Gallery of
Art is remarkably comprehensive. Of course, in
being so it does no more than fulfil its proper
function, which is to afford an adequate survey
of contemporary native painting. But it is so
fatally easy to assemble an exhibit unjust to one
element or another that such a notable instance
to the contrary as this deserves emphatic com-
mendation. This circumstance, sporadic though
it is, gives Washington a permanent advantage
over certain other cities which put forth greater
pretensions to artistic preeminence; for a truly
adequate collection of the best modern work
must by its very nature exert an influence more

than temporary. Without as yet bringing into
this discussion any of the really big men of our
day, we may instance Walter MacEwen and Max
Weber as together affording sufficient indication
of the catholic quality of this exhibit. All im-
portant groups have been recognized in such
fashion that we have here a really representative
collection of contemporary painting.
Naturally a certain amount of interest attaches
to what work by local artists has secured admis-
sion. R. C. Richmond has a small Snow Scene.
Breyfogle-Winstanley shows The Surf Boat and
The Little Mauvre Mouse. Bertha Perrie exhibits
a charmingly sunlit Provincetown Lane, and next
to it hangs Catharine Critcher’s Lady in Blue,
admirably forthright in its method. Richard N.
Brooke contributes a forceful study of sea-coast
in Bass Rocks. From E. C. Messer comes A Hill-


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