A Scandinavian art exhibit opened last Sunday in the Illinois Women's Athletic Club, 111 Pearson Street. It is sponsored by the American Scandinavian Foundation and the Swedish-American Art Association. A large number of art patrons attended the opening ceremony at which Rufus C. Dawes, president of the coming world's fair, addressed the audience.

This exhibit is the largest ever held exclusively by Scandinavian artists here. There are 199 catalogue numbers, but in addition to these there are several works which are not included in the catalogue, so the total number is well over 200.

The exhibit occupies two large rooms, and in addition, several numbers have been placed in the hall leading into the rooms. The lighting effect and all other arrangements are as good as can reasonably be expected.

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A larger number of portrait painters are represented than is usually the case at strictly Swedish exhibits. The Swede Gotthilf Ahlman, who for years has been known as a fine landscape painter, exhibits a portrait, "Joe", which is powerful in outline and shows fine technique. Some time ago this artist painted a portrait of the Swedish round-the-world flyer, Lieutenant Erik Nelson, which he donated to the Swedish Engineering Society here.

One of the showpieces of the exhibit is Torrey Ross' little portrait "A Charming Lassie". Ross is known as a very versatile artist, and this canvas is undoubtedly one of his best.

The landscapes are in the majority, and one is struck by the large number of aquarelles done in modern style. Thomas Hall's "Sentinels of the Woods" ranks among the best this artist has ever done, and there are many other noteworthy aquarelles by Chicagoans as well as by out-of-towners. Some 3of them show unmistakeable signs of having been influenced by the style of Einar Lundquist.

In the large group of oil paintings with landscape motives, there are many excellent works, which deserve a detailed discussion, but space does not permit such treatment. Among the exhibitors are a number of Norwegian artists, and "Golden Afternoon" by one them is one of the outstanding paintings of the exhibit.

There are only a few marine paintings, and we noted especially Charles E. Hallberg's "Summer Evening on Lake Mighigan," and Leon Lundmark's powerful "Early Morn" and "Gray Day."

In the group of flower paintings and still lifes are also several which merit special mention, "Pitcher with Flowers," by Eilling Tsonnes, is, in our opinion, the best in that group.

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There are thirty-five pieces of sculpture among which is a bust of Mrs. Charles S. Peterson, by Agnes Fromen.

The initiative for the arrangement of this exhibit, which probably will be followed by others of the same kind, was taken by Mrs. Charles S. Peterson, who is the driving power within the art committee of the Illinois Women's Athletic Club, and she is also the real leader of the Swedish-American Art Association. Among the other sponsors are a number of men and women prominent in Chicago Society circles such as Rufus C. Dawes, George W. Dixon, Oscar Foreman, Walter W. Head, Frank G. Logan, Chauncey McCormick, Mrs. Rockefeller McCormick, and Mrs. Eleanor Everett Freer.

Nine cash prizes will be awarded, eight for paintings and one for sculpture. The latter, $50, has been donated by George W. Dixon. The other prizes have been donated by the State Bank of Chicago, George W. Dixon, Mrs. Charles S. Peterson, Marcus Gustafson, Herbert Hedman, Birger Osland, 5John W. Sinding, and Tryggae A. Sigueland.

The exhibit closes on the night of December 10, and prizes will be distributed at that time. The prize jury consists of Felix Russmann, Emile Grumieaux, and Walter W. Rousseff. The program for the closing night includes addresses by Mr. Harshe, head of the Art Institute, and by Curtis B. Camp, head of the Chicago Galleries. There will also be musical entertainment. The public is cordially invited.

The Illinois Women's Athletic Club is located at Tower Court and Pearson Street, near the old watertower on Chicago Avenue. The entrance is on Pearson Street.