'Student Collections' Opens Before Capacity Audience

In a formal opening at the Fogg Art Museum last night the new exhibition, "Student Collections," was unveiled before a capacity black tie audience.

Organized under the direction of Michael Strauss '59 and Michael MacDonald '60, the exhibit consists entirely of undergraduate-owned works of art, and includes paintings, drawing, graphic art, and sculpture. Its purpose is to encourage collecting and to demonstrate Harvard's activity in the art world.

Among the one hundred and thirtyeight works are pieces by Rouault, Klee Picasso, Durer, Renoir, Canaletto, and Toulouse-Lautrec. All were lent by thirtyeight Harvard and Radcliffe undergraduates, and over half are works of this century.

While the wine was chilling at the beginning of the evening, a forum was held on the collecting of art. Leonard Baskin, Wellesley art historian John McAndrew, and John Nicholas Brown '22, introduced as a yachtsman and collector, were the scheduled speakers. Dwight MacDonald, replacing ailing Paul J. Sachs, professor of Fine Arts, emeritus, completed the panel.

The results of the discussion were somewhat inconclusive, but sympathy was extended to young and poor collectors, whose synonymity was suggested by the moderator, Theodore L. Feininger. After a brief question period, the guests repaired to the galleries for wine, cookies and art.

Among the vigorous admires of the exhibit were Elliott Perkins '23, Henry Steele Commanger, Jr. '54, Marshall Cohen, and Kenneth S. Lynn '48, "This seems to be," observed one first nighter of the crowd around him as he drained his glass, "Harvard's cultural Four Hundred."