Evening star., 1941-06-08
TwOB Bolivian
Artists Show
Works Here
Antonio Sotomayor
Exhibits Gifted
Caricatures
By Leila MechHn.

BY Leila NechHn.
Two Bolivian artists are exhibit
ing simultaneously in Washington at
this time-Marina Nunez del Prado,
whose sculpture of Indians of the
high Andes, on view in the Pam
American Union. was reviewed IN
these columns last week, and An
tonic Sotomayor, painter, collec-
ton of whose caricatureS of world
famous people was opened with
private view Monday afternoon in
the foyer of the National Museum.
Both exhibitions are under the
patronage of the Minister of Bolivia,
DR.. Luis Fernando Guachalla.
Senor Sotomayor was born IN
Chulumani in 1904. and studied, as
did Senorita del Prado, in the School
of Fine Arts in La Paz. He is no
stranger in this country, having ex-
hibited extensively here, as well as
In Latin America, and executed both
mural paintings and sculpture Tor
the recent International Exposition
in San Francisco-in fact, his terra
Gotta fountain of the Pacific Area
has been retained by the municipal
authorities as a permanent adorn-
ment for Treasure Island.
Better Understanding.
A knowledge of these facts affords
better understanding of the carlca-
lures now on display, in which the
elements OF color and form are most
significantly pronounced. 1t is GUS
tonary to think of caricatures as ex-
pressions in line, but while Senor
Sotomayor's line is rhythmlca! ana
flowing. the heads he shows are
three dimensional and, in some in
stances. as though hewn from
solid block. Also, he does not re-
strict himself to natural colors, put
chooses those which, in themselves,
serye to emphasize the traits which
he exaggerates. Certainly, it is not
bv chance that some Of the great
whom he caricatureS are represented
as pea-green or bilious yellow.
The celebrities he has chosen for
his pictorial Hall of Fame come
from many walks in life. There are
our own President, Mr.. Roosevelt,
and the Secretary of State, Mr.. Hull;
the British Prime Minister, Winston
Churchill: the Axis leaders. Hitler
and Mussolini; also Stain, and
Gandhi, hobnobbing with whom are,
from the world of art. PicaSSo, Diego
Rivera and Salvador Dalim. Music
is represented by Toscanini, Rach-
maninoff. Stokowski. Lily Pons and
Kristen Flagsted; drama by Shaw,
Noel Coward, Katharine Cornell,
Helen Hayes; moving pictures by
Walt Disney. Alfred Lunt, Lynn
Fontaine. Walter WincheQ, Greta
Garbo and others; while trailing In
their wake come Ernest Hemingway,
Chang Kai-shek, Henry Ford. Will
liam Randolph Hearst, Einstein and
Dorothy Thompson. The last. incl
dentally, is seen broadcasting IN
suit of armor made Of newspaper
sheets bearing her printed utter
ances.
JF0teSQue hcpTcSCHtdtiOh'
"caricature. said Murray, "is
erotesoue or ludicrous representa-
ton of persons or things by eXag-
reration of their most characteristic
features" The origin of the word is
Neutrality-suspicious. means TO
overload. or drag little more than
a vehicle can carry-the. proverblal
straw which breaks the camelS back.
Thus, the caricaturist puts on an
overload of facial pecullarltleS or
particular characteristics to produce
his telltale work. Charles AShbee,
In his delightful book on "Carlca-
ture," says this art is almost racial
saving-grace. arising, as 1t old, at
a time when Puritanical sternneSs
tended to rob the world of laughter,
and also affording legitimate
means whereby a free people may
point out weakness and error to
those of the upper classes without
actual offense. CaricaturlStS, Such
as Goya, Daumier and Cruikshank,
have been great reformerS. 1t has
even been said that the caricaturlSt,
Raemaekers, did more toward win
ming the last Great War through
his widely published cartoons than
the soldiers, scientists, politicians
and civil servants striving for this
end all put together. Be that as
1t may we know that political car
toon today exerts a wide influence
In the formation of public opinion.
1t is not essential that a carica-
ture have a sting, but it must, if
worthy of such classification. con-
vey a meaning. Children are born
caricaturists, in their drawings eX-
aggerating certain features OF things
seen which have caught their at
tention. Mature and gifted carica-
turists know what to eXaggerate,
where to put the emphasis to in
duce laughter or reveal weakness
to hold up to ridicule or to encour-
age reform. In the hands of an
accomplished artist and great hu-
n1anitarian, this art may become
powerful weapon for the good of
mankind. BY such, it has been and
is still being so used. Senor Soto
mayor has, it would seem, the gift
and the vision, and therefore po-
tentialities perhaps not yet fully