The Washington times., 1923-03-01
EXPLAINS BRYAN
AND CHRIST
PICTURE
Artist Kaufman, Whose Work
Shocked Ministers, Aimed
It at Hypocrisy.
By WILLENE TAYLOR.
Cosmopolitan News Service.


NEW YORK, March 1.-"William
Jennings Bryan must choose be-
tween prohibition; and Christianity.
Which will he take? He can't con.
sistently preach both" j. Francois
Kaufman, the artist, said at his
studio here today, discussing his
picture, Father, Forgive Them; for
They Know Not What They Dc"
which caused such furore at the
independent artists exhibition.
i've pictured Bryan arresting
Our Saviour at q marriage in Cali
lee, with, the aid OF His fellow-work.
ers, Andrew j. volsteah and William
III. Anderson" explained kaufman.
! my picture is not a sacrilege. but
points out the sacrilege Of Bryan,
volstead and professed adherents Of
Christ"
Painting Shocks Ministers.
4 Ministers have been both shocked
and angered by this painting, which
shows the Saviour immediately
after he has turned the water into
wine, as told in st. Luke, 1924.
On one side of Him are the wed.
ding guests clothed lin Biblical cos.
tune, while on the other side are
Bryan, Volstead and Anderson
dressed in modern garb.
Anderson, New York State super
intendent of the Antl-Saloon League,
Is shown wearing a derby. Volstead
has his hand on the Saviour's shoul.
der in the act OF arresting Him.
Bryan is shown pouring out the
wine from jug, while Anderson
guards the door. In the distance
can be seen the Capitol dome.
The most highly respected artists
patrOnize the Independent Artists
exhibit, and they invariably admire
the painting while the ministers
condemn.
Approved by Artists.
Walter .Pach, who is famous as
an artist of aesthetic taste, said
today: THE painting IL exceed.
ingly well done. The object OF the
artist is to express a thought, and
Kaufman has undoubtedly done SO.
This picture alone jugtifies the
existence of Kaufman's old Partisan
master, Gerome.
"As for the good taste of it.
There is plenty of precedent for
placing the Christ in such sur
roundings. The Metropolitan Mu.
scum of Art has accepted a picture
of the same kind.
I'm Europe 1t has been done, par.
ticularly in the case Of the master.
piece, Christ and the Children, .
by Fritz Van Unde, in Berlin. Even
should the issue die the picture
i mil Nnra rnI. - 49,.
It is an admirable work and a
bully document. 81
Views Of Ministers.
John Sloan, director of the ex.
hibit, said: THE picture has a
literary purpose-to give an anti.
prohibition message, OF which / ap.
prove. AS work Of art it does not
strike me as either good or bad
probably because it is a propaganda
picture, and usually in such pic
lures the artist is relegated to the
background to make room for the
propaganda in the foreground
There il nothing sacrilegious about
it, and 1t Is in all good taste"
DR.. George Caleb Moore, Baptist
pastor. says, 1T is sacrilegious and
shocking to students of scripture. -
DR.. William T. Croker, pastor of
Protestant Episcopal faith said, "It
is grossly insulting to the Christ
The artist, kaufman, explained,
II have had the picture in mind
for several years. It is sincere. ]
have painted many religious pic
lures, now in churches and several
in the Congressional Library.
Called Political Cartoon.
IF Christ's first miracle took
place today, they would arrest
Him. Wine is the work of God
but drunkenness Is the work OF
the Devil, / believe in Furnishing
those who abuse their freedom.
my picture is called an an
achronism, combining the classical
and. modern style in one. / make
the figure Of Christ dignified and
His mother sorrowful. The tech
nique IL sober. It IL q sort OF
political cartoon in shape Of q
classical painting. I point out the
insincerity, ignorance and hypoc
risy OF Bryan and his 'aides-de
camp
kaufman. a descendant Of an
old Swiss family, says he had wine
every meal of his life until pro
hlbition. Born and educated In
Europe. he has been an American
citizen twenty-five years. He has
exhibited in all the salons of New
York and Europe, and Is well
known az portrait painter. etche1
and sculptor.