The Washington times., 1937-01-27

vas for four
years. 1t was
last the prop DemetriOs sicilianOS
erty of the Spanish Marquesa ue la
Onanda, now living in Paris.
The Dayton, Ohio, Museum Of.
fered $4,000 for the painting. Mr.
SicilianoS because of previous op
tion, secured it at a slightly lower
figure.
The st. Francis that has come
to Washington, is the greatest OF
the so or more studies El Greco
made of the young patrician con
vert to Christianity. 1t is not a
large canvas, 421a by "a inches
but it has a spirituality before one
almost wishes to kneel. And it is
signed in Greek by the artist and
dated 1890.
st. Francis is shown about three
quarter length in a monks robe
of goatSkin standing against a
dark background Of sky. His eyes
are raised, his hands stretched
out in complete surrender to God
The light of heaven falls across
one corner of the canvas.
A skull symbolizing the material
world that st. Francis is renounc'
ing, rests beside him.
The Saints face has an ex
traordinary quality-the glow of
his faith. His hands are remark
able-aeSthetic with fragile beau
tiful wrists and fingers.
The canvas, unlike most Of El
Greco's work, shows no brilliant
color except for the devotional red
Of the monks lips and the blood
spots on his palms which indicate
the marks of nails from a spiritual
cross.
El Greco Oomenico Theopoco
pull was his real name), one of the
worlds greatest masters, was born
in Gambia, Crete, in 1548 of Greek
parents. It is particularly crafty
ing to think that one of his finest
canvaSes is in the possession of a
Greek, Mrs. Sicilianos, who has
flair for collecting rare and beauti
full art objects and who has pub
lished a life of Ell Greco.
After FL Greco had developed
great skill as painter in Greece, he
went to Venice and studied Titian's
style. Later in Toledo he was in
spired by the religious fervor that
was characteristic of artists o!
the Sixteenth century. In Assist
italy, Ell Greco first saw a like
ness of st. Francis, made not from
Imagination but with the young re-
ligieux as the actual model.
Many of El Greco's pictures
have hung in the Madrid Art Gal
lery. Whether or not they have
been destroyed during the present
revolution is uncertain.
Mr.. Sicilianos, the Greek Minis
ter, has many exquisite things in
his private collection. To treasures
inherited from his great-grand
father a famous collector Of his
time, he had added many beauti
full and valuable pieces from all
parts of the world.
Five delicate Third century
Chinese figurines of girls or
horseback and standing art
among Mr.. Sicilianos' most be
loved possessions. They were
taken from the tombs Of Chi
nese potentates. He has many
small vases Of rich Chinese colo1
and history.
Mr.. Sicilianos enjoys the fur
Of collecting. He has a score ot
amusing figurines. I like those
Of the bibulous Chinese monks
for whom life was evidently 6
song, a joke and a banquet.
Early French canvasses, thu
bronze bust of young girl dom
by a modern sculptor, Jules Des
bois, who afterwards destroyed
the original cast: a fascinating
collection of old soup tureens-
some silver, others pottery,
silver kettle and early Greel
plates for which the Ministe
has refused $4,000 apiece, are
few of the valuable museum
pieces which will form a happ,
background for the Ell Greco.
Mr.. Jules Henri, for so lon
counselor of the French Embassy
Is shortly to leave Washington TO
another post. 1t is likely that h
will be promoted to be Ministe
at a capital less important thai
Washington.
Mr.. Henri has been the Rock o
Gibraltar for many successive an
bassadors from France. He ha
many friends here.
M. Paul Bonnet, the new Frencl
Ambassador, who will arrive il
Washington February Is to IT
place the extremely well-liked an
successful Andre de- Laboulaye
will only be a part-time diplomat
AS a member of the French Hous
of Deputies, he is compelled t
spend six months of each year il
legislative work in Paris. PoSSibl
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