The New York herald., 1922-12-17
Carvings and Portraits
Exhibited at Kingore's S

The joint exhibition in the Kingore
Galleries of portraits by Blaas da Lezze
of Venice, and carvings by the Russian.
Seraphim Sudbinin, has already excited
fashionable attention. The private view
was attended by great crowds and there
was much vocal appreciation.
Mr.. Blaas enjoys an excellent reputa-
ton in Venice, and now that the war
Is over. and Americans have again taken
possession of the most romantic city
on earth, II follows that they appear in
increasing numbers among his sitters,
and as one compliment deserves another,
II followed that he followed them to
their native shores. In Venice Mr..
Blaas is the fourth of his line to become
a painter and that he should continue
in person the fame of his father is a
testimony to his skill. To make a new
name of one that is already we'll known
Is the most difficult of tasks, and l be-
lieve that it is only in Venice that such
things happen. 1t Is the only place
where artists descend in families.
There Mr.. Blaas's fame is pinned
chiefly to the portrait he made of the
Marchesa Casati here, so far he has
only been enabled to pin fame. or. since
one must use tact shall we say added
fame upon Muriel Draper and Marie
Dressler? The processes in these three
portraits have been different, but one
thing in common TO all OF them--a
stressing OF the eyes. Indeed. this artist
always stresses cyes. and it may partly
explain the feminine crush to be done
by him, since, after all, vast deal is
done by the eyes. and the ladies al!
speak the eye language and are eager
to see how their own accent translates
into another medium. But this. of
course. Is mere surmise.
Muriel Draper, according TO Mr.
Blaas. Is star eyed like the star eyed
goddess of reform" that used to figure
in the political campaigns of years ago.
The eye lashes form regular sunbursts
OF glory and doubtless inspires the
more or less lowly but still inspired
makeup artist Who achieve tae 81 a
Soldiers for NJ. Balieff. The eyes In
variably in these portraits are clear and
unafraid Those OF the Marchesa Casati
alone are baleful, but in this case the
protagonist is costumed In the billowy
crinollnes Of the time Of Longh, and the
artist Is roru ayins eh
lady; and also. possibly, an event--for
she has removed her masque, and Is
staring with all the nervous energy
IF her beine ,n--bi'i - rtis
not tell us the Marchesa Casatfs vision.
Perhaps II is writ in miniature upon
the pupils OF her eyes. as they say =
scene is writ upon the eyobails oI Jan
van Eycx and His Wife in the famous
National Gallery portrait. but an to this,
being somewrp astignlatic myself, ca.
proffer no evidence.
Quite the best portrait Of the collec-
tion Is that of the artists sister. ia
Comtesse Morosini thi iacA
looks out from the shadows created by
a big, black hat, and the characterize
tion mas a living quality tnat oniy comes
whom thore is complete understanding
and sympathy between artist and sitter.
Seraphim Sudbinin was born in Nizhni
Novgorod. the city Of fairs, and after a
short trial OF the art OF acting, under
the now famous Stanislavsky, forsook
Moscow and the theater for Rodln and
Paris. 1t seems that he was once
faithful Rodin pupil, but no one would
guess It from the productions now
shown. There are here no blocks OF
unhewn stone. but everything Is definite.
clear and decorative The style Is now
neo- Byzantine. and the sculptor Is nearer
In manner to that of his own father,
who, we are told, was a painter OF ikons,
than TO that of Rodin. This Is fortunate
for Sudbinin. as therc Is much more TO
be done with decorative sculpture than In
following the trail that Rodin blazed so
effectively >that he may truthfully be
said to have obliterated II.
Mr.. Sudbinin works ably In all the
materials that sculptors use. but pre-
fers 20 have his wood carvings dominate
his FIRST New York show. Most OF these
are based upon religious themes. but
neo-Byzantins Madonnas BY a living