Evening star., 1941-04-13

beg of Thee is to bestow on me
the treasure of the highest poverty.
Grant that the distinctive mark Of
our order may be never TO possess
ANYTHING as its own under the sun
for the glory of Thy name and to
have no other patrimony than beg
ging." One of Giotto's frescoes at
Assist depicts the "nuptials Of Fran
els with Lady Poverty"
In the foreground of this paint
ing Mr.. La Fargo has depicted st.
Francis against an orchard OF fioW-
ering fruit trees, looking upward
with a rapt expression as the three
symbolic figures float away. Pow
erty, in bridal costume, casts low
ing look back toward the saint. The
action of the figures reminds one
of the famous painting of this same
subject by SaSsetta in the Cham
tilly Museum, although Mr.. La
Farge's representations Of st. Fran
els and the three virtues are en-
tirely modern.
Over the entrance to the chapel
is a fresco representing st. Francis
receiving the stigmata. According
to the story, he climbed Mount
Alverno, passed 40 days in prayer
and fasting and then had a vision
of a seraph with extended wings
nailed to a cross. 1t filled the saint
with ecstasy, mingled with sharp
pains in his hands and feet, and
he discovered that on them were
marks corresponding to the nail
wounds Christ received in the cru
cifiXion. This is the moment the
artist has painted. St. Francis is
standing on a rocky ledge with
mountains in the distance anc the
village of Assist below him. The 6ky
is overcast. and the austere nature
of the miracle is reflected In the
somber gray and brown color
scheme.
st. Matthews has other works OF
art Justly admired-a series OF SIX
mosaic panels in walls Of the Chapel
of the Blessed Virgin, also designed
and executed by Thomas La Fargo,
and the splendid mosaics by the
late Edwin H Blashfield, not to
mention all. In collaboration with
Bancel La Fargo, his father,
Thomas La Fargo created the
mosaic apse in Trinity Chapel.
Washington Cathedral.
At this season, it seems appro-
pirate to call attention again to the
first example of mural painting in
the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and
Paul. completed there less than two
years ago. The Entombment of
Christ" painted by Polish artist,
Jan Hendryk de Rosen (who is also
responsible for a decoration in the
Polish Embassy, is over the altar
in the Chapel of st. Joseph Of
Arimathaea, memorial to Canon
Walden Myer and his sister, Ger
trude. This chapel, in the form Of
a Greek cross, is located in the
crypt.
The large painting, executed in
tempera with wax on cement plas-
ter, illustrates the passage in the
Gospel of ST. Matthew, chapter
XVII, beginning with verse 81:
when the even was come. there
came a rich man of Arimathaea,
named Joseph, who also himself was
Jesus disciple. And when
Joseph had taken the body, he
wrapped it in clean linen cloth.
And laid it in his own new tomb.
which he had hewn out in the
rock. %T
The central figure of Christ is
dominant in the formally balanced
composition. Leading the process
sion at the right is Nicodemus,
with upraised hands, followed by
st. Joseph, bearing the Holy Grail
and accompanied by two young
men, one of whom is supposed to
be st. Mark. At the left side of
the painting is little group COM
posed of the Virgin and st. John,
in white and gold, and Mary Mag
dalene. A rose-clad angel hovers
beside Christ, and other figures rep
resent followers and friends, among
them the converted centurion.
Gold is the predominant color"
in the painting, from the lemon
gold of the sky to the dazzling
haloes and decorations on gowns.
These costumes are in few deep,
rich colors, or cream-white, while
the landscape is painted in warm
tints and shades of brown.
Both st. Matthews and the Ma
tional Cathedral are open all day.
At the aforementioned, groups of
visitors are conducted through the
building at quarter-hour intervals.