Evening star., 1926-01-24
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

TIME Corcoran Gallery of Art
has received two notable gifts,
both resulting from the cen
L tennial exhibition Of the
National Academy of Design
held in the gallery recently. One IS
a work of sculpture, The DeApotlc
Age"by Isidor Konti, The other i
painting. My Mother" by Harry
Watrous. vice president of the Nation
al Academy Of Design. These gifts
were made by the artists at the time
Of the exhibition and have now been
formally and graciously accepted,
with expressions of appreciation and
tha nkS, by the trustees Of the Cor
Coran Gallery of Art.
To many Mr.. konti's "Despotic
Age" was one OF the most notable
works in sculpture displayed i'll this
important exhibition. Though OF
comparatively small size. it is what
might be called from its character
3 nd significance. a monumental group
representing the despot seated on his
chariot, drawn by human slaves. 1t
is. Of course, an allegory ard its pur-
pose is to make the beholder think.
10 bring TO his realization what des-
potism really is. At the same time
this work satisfies the requirements
Of plastic expression, it holds to-
Sether; il has definite relation TO the
lump mass: it is a unified compost
ton. 1t composeS we'll from every
viewpoint. 1t Is strongly modelled
let rhythnical in line. harmonious IN
its parts. The Corcoran Gallery
- fortunate in it's possession.
The sculptor, Isidor konti, was born
In Vienna, Austria, IN July, 1852, and
studied first at the Imperial Academy
in that city under Helmer and Kund-
mann. lie was % years old when
he came to the United States This
Is the country of his adoption. In
lSOS he was made an associate OF
the National Academy Of Design, and
the following year a full member.
lie received gold medal at the ST
Louis exposition for his work exhib-
lied there. The Metropolitan Museum
OF Art owns his Genius OF Immortal
tty' The Peabody Institute, Balti-
more. has his "Orpheus." For the
court house III Cleveland he executed
statues OF Justinian and Alfred the
Great. He designed and executed
I'VE fountains for Audubon Park, New
Orleans. a replica Of The Despotic
age. is IN the st. Louis Art Museum.
-Ir. honu ranks among the foremost
American sculptors today
HOSE who visited the Centennial
exhibition OF the National Academy of
Design cannot fail to recall Mr..
Natrous' charming portrait Of his
mother, which has now become d part
of the Corcoran Gallery's permanent
collection. 1t hung in the southeast
room. at the end of the long series of
galleries on Seventeenth street, and
Is said to have especially attracted
the attention of the President on the
Il y
favorable comment. Obviously it
brings TO mind W-histler's famous por-
trait Of his mother. The only similar.
lty, however, between the two is that
they both beautifully depict old age
and show somewhat similar arrange
ment of subject.
Mr.. Watrous is the vice president Of
the National Academy Of Design and
has been most active for years in the
work Of the organization, promoting
its interests and lending encourage
ment to those Of his profession less
fortunate than himself. He is q Cali
fornfan by birth, but he studied under
the leading masters In Paris-Bonnat,
Boulanger and Lefebrre Many OF his
pictures have been painted with pur-
pose, to carry home 70 the public a
lesson, TO rectify evils Ill cotenlpor.
ary life. He is a most accomplished
leCnniCldn, ana his Stt!l life paintings
in particular have great beauty In
rendition Of surface and textures. He
paints in what is known as the old
tradition, d tradition which many be-
lieVe will ever endure. lie does not
limit himself either to figures or to
still life, but occasionally paints a
landscape, as, for example, very
charming nocturne shown in one of
the acadenly's exhibitions a few years
ago. His works are owned by the
leading museums, as we'll as private
collectors. That Mr.. Watrous should
have himself wished this portrait of
his mother TO have permanent home
here is a compliment indeed.
A T THE Arts Club two new special
exhibitions were placed on view
last week, continuing until the end of
the month. They are of paintings IN
oil by Charles P. Grippe and OF water
colors by Arthur F. Musgrave, past
president of the Arts Club.
Mr.. Gruppe's paintings are on the
second e0or ma 81 g, rIt-rrN~-
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