Art
[TEE NATIONAL SOCIETY.]
THE second annual exhibition of the National Society at the Royal Institute Galleries, 195 Piccadilly, which closes at the end of this month is a great improvement on the first. That was thrown together at the last moment, and almost inevitably .contained works which, had the artists concerned been given longer time, would not have been -included. The Society was formed to give artists of every creed and outlook " an annual exhibition which would represent all aspects under one roof without prejudice or favour to anyone "—that is, its object is to be a collecting ground for artists of the most advanced, as well as the most academic schools of thought. There is, at first sight, a great deal to be said for this policy, but I am afraid that in practice the result does not work out quite so happily. The close association of 1931 and 1909, and even earlier, which can be observed on the walls of the Royal Institute Galleries, leads to a definite incongruity which is irritating to the spectator as well as being slightly unfair to individual artists. Such misfortunes, however, might well be lessened next year by a more selective and judicious hang- ing, which would ensure a little less Locarno spirit between the sheep and the goats. Both would be happier. There is, nevertheless, a great deal to be said in favour of this experiment. To the stranger the National Society will give a much more honest and comprehensive view of contem- porary painting in England than similar Omnibus " exhibi- tions such as the Royal Academy. I recommend Mr. Mark dertl er's Seated Nude, Miss Sylvia Gosse's Land of Our Fathers Mr. Nevinson's Pan Triumphant—an extremely crisp and well- painted satire on civilization, Mr. David Bomberg's John Rodker, Mr. N. L. M. Cundell's The Luncheon Table, all Miss Ethel Walker's pictures and Mr. Charles Gerrard's Ostend Harbour.. Among the sculptures are typical works by Mr. Frank Dobson, Mr. Maurice Lambert and Mr. Schilsky Eric. There are also some good drawings and water-colours—some Mules by Mr. Dobson, a number of sensitive water-colours by Mr. C. S. Cheston and Mr. Muirhead Bone's Cold Weather, Segovia. The cases of stoneware by. Mr. William Stake Mur- ray, Mr. Bernard Leach,,Mr. Charles Vys.e and Miss Katherine Pleydell-Bouverie, and of slipware by Mr. Michael Cardew,
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