Evening star., 1936-01-05

SAAN S2AA'NAoAhy IA NA4AADJ @'04-NNe
THE January print exhibition set
forth by the division of graphic
arts of the United States National
Museum in the Smithsonian Building
consists of etchings, Autographs, color
wood blocks and wood cuts in black
and white, by Franz Geritz of Los
Angeles, Calf. There is great va
riety in this exhibition, not only in
subject, but in the merit of the work,
some of which attains TO a high
standard while some is quite mediocre.
The color block prints are simple.
decorative and very pleasing. They
are all of landscapes in the great
Southwest and convey, through elm
ination of detail and emphasis on de-
sign, something of the elemental big
ness of that country.
In his illustrations for Spanish
Arcadia" by Nellie Sanchez: Gold
Days" and The Great Trek" both
by Owen c. Coy, and "Oxcart to Air
plane" by Rockwell D. Hunt and
William S. Ament, Mr.. Geritz has
made an extremely interesting pic
torial record of life in the Far West
from pioneer days to the present.
record which is. by no means either
exaggerated or hackneyed. Especially
noteworthy is his treatment of the
theme From Oxcart to Airplane,"
in which he employs q particularly
decorative idiom.
Among Mr.. Geritz's etchings, of
which 10 are shown, most sensitively
rendered and interesting, are a
woman's head, "L'Orientale." and a
portrait of his father. In this group,
also of interest, are a self-portrait and
a double portrait Of himself and his
musical wife. But by far the most
exciting of all the prints shown in this
exhibition are three or four portrait
studies in line-sweeping, swirling lines
which allows no latitude for hesita-
ton or revision. The story is told In
an instant and completely - the
moment of great emotion is registered
before the flame can flicker and its
light dim. One of these is of Duse,
and quivers with life; one is of
Chaliapin as Mephisto-a third is of
Nicholas Roerich, author and artist,
Orientalist, explorer, idealist. They
are all amazingly clever. So also is a
Dancer" done in the same manner,
fully expressive Of rhythmical motion.
One of the Geritz prints is of
foot ball game. "O'Connor Coming
Through" another-an etching-is
scene in the operating room of hos
pital. This is more than mere
coincident. While playing foot ball in
1910, Franz Geritz was so injured that
he was crippled for life and IL years
later it became necessary to amputate
one of his legs. 1t was his physical
disability which in the first instance
turned his attention to art and it
was while recuperating from the later
operation that he began making illus
trations for children's books. He has
indominatable courage and by his COL
leagues is held in high esteem. His
block prints-linoleum and wood cut
date from 1921; the following year he
began to etch; two years ago he began
experimenting in lithography.
His first professional work was as
free lance artist doing sketches Of
trials, movie stars and prize fights for
the Los Angeles newspapers. Later he
became a member of the staff of the
Los Angeles Times. He and Arthur
Miller, etcher and art critic of the
Times, have been great pals for years.
living together in bachelor days and
facing squarely. as adventures. the
hardships Of poor pay and precarious
living which confronted young artists
then as now.
Geritz was born in Hungary and he
still likes to call himself a Magyar,
but his father came to this country
because not politically in sympathy
with his own, despising monarchical
government. Young Franz was only
years old at that time and his school,
ing has all been here In America. Our
great West he has made his own.
-Four Of the prints included In this
exhibition were done in national parks
Zion, Grand Canyon, the Yosemite
and Bryce. Canyon. These four block
prints were made for the p. w. A. P.
and the original blocks are here In
the possession Of the Government. For
this reason these four prints are not
for sale.
THE twelfth annual competition for
small sculpture in white soap for
the Proctor and Gamble prizes,
amounting in all to S2,500. is now
announced. May 1, 1896, is the closing
date. The jury of award consists of
six sculptors, two artists in other media
and an art director. The sculptors
are Alexander Archipenko, one of the
mode advanced modernists: Gutzon
Borglum, Leo Friendlander, Harriet
Frishmuth, Robert Laurent and Leo
Lentelh. Among those sponsoring the
competition are some Of the leading
art museum directors In this country
and abroad.
The only material that s necessary
b cake Of white sbAp: the only tools