Art: Domesticated Chisels

The world's great art capitals seldom produce artists: they attract them. Up to last year, when Nazi armies dispersed its teeming traffic in art, Paris was the world's No. 1 art centre. But only a relatively small percentage of the art that Paris bought, sold and chattered about was made by Parisians.

When World War II swept over Europe, the world's art capital, by default, became Manhattan. The art centre of 57th Street, always cosmopolitan, began to bristle more than ever with foreign names.

Symptomatic of this international art trend toward Manhattan was a show...