New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-03-09
king Constantine
. A PATRON OF ART
Greek Monarch Finds Perfection
in Native Painters


Constantine is fond OF referring to
himself as "only q soldier, but In
Greece he is also famous as a patron
| of the arts. He is not collector OF
| old pictures or, like his brother Prince
Nicholas, . c0nservator OF antiquities.
but he is = very practical MaecquSs
where young Greek artists are con.
cerned and for patriotic rather than
artistic reasons. He wants to SEQ the
new Greece take q part In the aatis-
tic activity Of the world In keeping
with her national aspirations In other
lines.
King Constantine's love Of Corfu is
perhaps the basis Of his preference
for the young Greek painter Lycurgus
Kogevinas, Corfiote by birth, who
has put Corfu on canvass as no one
else. The vague mystery Of the ISL
and lives in his landscapes, with their
soft greys and green's. lofty Expresses
like waving plumes aid distant vene-
tan castles crowning the hills
King Constantine likes to show of
his pictures himself, as If he we're in
part responsible for them, as he - as
q matter of fact.
Count Mercati, grand marshal Of the
court, sent q note to the Associated
Press correspondent bidding him. .oAr
behalf Of the king, .s'to come to the
palace at tea time If he wanted to see
some good pictures" The king was
seated In his study in uniform, his
legs stretched opt In front Of him.
wide apart, the spurs digging into the
carpet. Before him, resting on the
floor. and leaning against q sofa In
full light from the great windows,
canvas of Kovevinas: Corfl-the very
soul of Corfu: soft greens; the gray Of
age-old walls: sky misty by twilight;
proud, tufted cedars like pennants
planted on the hills; the white rib
bon OF winding road. King Costan-
tine motioned the correspondent to
come behind him. whence the best
light fell upon the picture.
Made Sad BY Corfu Painting.
Great. what 81 exclaimed the SOW
ereign, beaming with delight in the
frank, spontaneous way so character
istic of him. Corfu, right enough"
he added. And then somewhat grim
ly: 81 wonder when Til see the place
again!'' He dismissed this phase of
the subject at once however, waving
his hand at two other canvasses by
the same artist. hanging just opposite
the m0narch's desk where he can look
up from Ahis work and translate him.
self to the beloved island at q glance.
Part of the expression Of coun-
try's soul is in Its art, isn't It? Well
you see, ours is coming to life again
after all the centuries under the |
Turks" The, king strobe across the |
room and dug out from behind Ia
BILE q long package. which he un-
wrapped himself and held balanced
on q chair-back for the correspondent
to see: three sketches Of the Acropo-
lis--one by midday, another at sunset
and the third by moonlight, also the
work of Kogevinas.' Its q beginning"
said the monarch, proudly. "a gen.
GRAFTON Of peace and development in
Greece and you Americans win have
to look to your artistic laurels."
King Constantine's portrait has been
painted by the artists OF many lands,
the famous canvas by Las
10. But his latest portrait is by an
other young Greek artist, Costa Philit-
is. who at the beginning Of the war
was volunteer in the French For
eign Legion. He was wounded, decor
ated with the war cross, and returned
to Greece to finish his convalescence,
where he arrived penniless. King Con-
stantine commissioned the youth to
paint portrait to help him out, and
the young man promptly made good.
Kogevinas studied in Paris; Philitis
in Belgium. The best known portrait
ist in Greece, Anastasias Loukidis, is
q pupil of Oak Of Amsterdam. The I
principal decorative artist, Panyotis
studied In Berlin. Phil
tits was born OF Greek parents in
Odessa Loukidis in Smyrna; Koge-
yinas in Corfu.
At the last exhibition OF the works
Of Greece artists in Athens. twenty !
seven painters, sight sculptors and
one architect exposed their work.
Lycurgus Kogevinas carried off the |
honors.
CHEMICAL PLANT BURNS.
Loss at Swcetwater, Tenn, May Reach |