Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-04
KING OF GREECE FAMOUS
AS PATRON OF THE ARTS
Wants Ills Country to Take Part In
Activity Of World In Keeping with
Other National Aspirations

t'otrcSpondcncc OF Associated Press
ATHENS. GREECE. March 3.-Kinc
Constantine" is fond of referring 10
himself as only a soldier" but In
Greece hc is also famous as a patron
OF the arts. lie is not a collector or
old pictures or. like his brother. Prince
Nicholas. c"nscrvator of antiquities
but he is very practical Maecenas
where Young Greek artists are CON
cerncd and FOR patriotic rather than
artistic reasons. lie wants 10 see the
new Greece take - par, in the artistic
activity Of the world in Keeping with
hcr national aspirations in other lines
King tonStantine'S luv. Of Corfu IS
perhaps the basis OF his preference for
HE Young Greek painter. I.ycurcus
k"ecNinas. q coriiotc by birth. who has
put corfu on canvas no one else
IN" vague mystery Of the island lives
IN his landscapes. with their soft prays
and greens. lofty expresses like waving
plumes and distan, Venetian castles
owning tn. hills
King Constantine likes Ia show Of
has pictures himself. a4 II II. were in
part responsible for them. aS he Is. as
a matter Of fact.
count McrCafi. grand marshal of the
court, sent mote IL the Associate
Press CORE spoudcnt bidding him. on
behalf of the King. TO come Ia til.
pa lace at tea time IL he wanted Ia see
some good pictures. Tho King was
seated in his study in uniform his
legs stretched out IA front ot him
wid. apart. the spurs digging into the
carpet. Before him. resting on the
loor and leaning against sofa. IN
fun light from the great windows. a
canvas OF koeevinas: corfu-,he very
soul Of Corfu: soft green's; tic gray
OF a2e-old walls: 4 Ky misty by twi-
light proud. tuttcd cedars lik" pen
nauts planted on the hills; the white
ribbon of a winding road. King Con-
staniine motionti the correspondent
!" come behind him. whence the best
light fell upon the picture
Great. what" exclaimed the SOW
creien. beamms with delight ia the
frank, spontaneous way 50 character
istic "f him. Corfu. right enough"
he added. And then, somewhat grimly:
Il wonder when I'll see the place
again lie dismissed \this phase Of
the subject at once. however. waving
his hand at two other Canvascs by
the same artist. hanging just oppoSit"
the monafchs desk. where he can lock
IN from his work and translate HIM
self TO the beloved island at a glance
Part Of the expression Of coun-
try's soil is its art. isn't IT. Well
You SEE. ours is coming to iii. again
| after All tho centuries under the
I room and dug out from behind a table
- long package. which he unwrapped
himself and held balanced on Il chair
\ back for the correspondent 10 see:
] three sketches Of the Acropolis--onc
\ ny midday. another At sunset and the
third NY moonlight: also the work Of
! koecvinas. ITS beginning" said
I rhc monarch. proudly. "a generation
Of peace and development in Greece.
and YOU Americans will have To look to
your artistic laurcls."
King Constantinc's portrait has been
painted by the artists Of many lands.
Y including the famous canvas by T.aslo.
But his latest portrait is by another
4 young Greek artist. Costa Philitis. who
at the beginning OF the war was a
volunteer I'm the French Foreign I.c-
eion. lie was wounded decorated
with the War Cross. and returned TO
Il Greece to finish his convaicsccuce
where he arrived pcnniless, King CON
Stantine commit sSioned the youth TO
paint portrait IL help him out and
the young man promptly made good
koscvinas studied in Paris: PhiiiIis
in EclGium. The best-known portrait
I list i'll Greece. AnaStasias Ioukdis is
pupil Of Oak. OF Amstcrdam The
! principal decorative artist; Panvotis
1 Ararantinos. studied in Berlin phili-
It's was born Of Greek parents in Odcs-
ga: i.ouhidis. in smyrna; Koccvinas in
4. Corfu.
Al tho last exhibition of tho works
OF Greek artists in Athens TWENTY
seven painters. eight sculptorS and ono
architect exposed their work Ivcur-
gus kogevinaS carried off the honors