Evening star., 1950-02-19
News Of Art and Artists
DesPujoIs Captures
Remote IndO-Chinu
In $50 Works Made
In 20 Months Tour
BY Florence S. Berrymon

py Florence }. Defrymon
Indo-China is much in the news
these days, always in unhappy
circumstances. 1t is compara-
lively little known to the average
person, who probably derives from
the current reports, the impress
sion that it is a hot bed of war,
intrigue and treachery. The OBJ
verse side of this coin, the real
1ndo-China, as it was for CEN
turies, is glimpsed in the fascinat-
ing collection of nearly $50 oil
paintings, watercolors, ink, pencil
and sepia drawings and works in
other media or combinations, by
Jean Despujols, on view in the
foyer of the Natural History build
ing, U. S. National Museum,
through February 27. In March
there will be another exhibition
of works by the same artist, at
the Federal Security Agency.
Mr.. Despujols, now an Ameri-
can citizen, was born in France,
fought in World War I, taught
portrait, figure and mural paint
ing at the American Academy at
Fontainebleau from 1924 to 1896,
when he was chosen to be sent
on an artistic mission to French
1ndo-China upon request of the
colony. For 20 months (1937-8)
he travelled extensively through
out that country, searching out
remote spots still untouched by
cosmopolitanism. How, in this
short time, and in view of the
difficulties and discomforts he
must have experienced, he pro-
duced so large a number of works.
penetratingly observed and exc
cuted with meticulous precision, is
something of a mystery.
At any rate, here is the record
OF what he SaW-beautiful people,
aristocrats, priests, scholars, peas
ants, dancers. in a great variety
OF native costumes; wild, noun
famous landscapes; ancient exotic
temples and strange gods; fine
dwellings, native huts: elephants,
tigers and water bufaloes and a
profusion of other subjects.
An informative catalogue is
available, in which the artist has
given provocative notes on his sub
JectS, as well as a history of his
trip and the circumstance where
by the collection came to the
United States.
Victorian kaleidoscope
Jacob Kainen is perennially
amused and intrigued by the tur-
rets, cupolas, jig-saw scroll-work
and other curious decorative ex-
creScenceS of Victorian facades
around Washington, as we'll as the
pseudo-French 10Th century houses
with their mansard roofs. What he
does to these structures composes
his kaleidoscope exhibition of
paintings at the Whyte Gallery
through March Z.
Mr.. Kainen is showing Is
paintings, near r-abstractions along
the lines of most of his work of
the past few years, but brighter
and fresher in color. He has got
ten away from the woolly-blue that
had become sort of personal hall
mark and has interpreted his sub
iects in uninhibited color combina-
tionS. A few are in more somber
key, such as "Huckster."
His ability to achieve quietude in
paintings done in many vivid COL
ors is well exemplifed in River
Front" also in "Eyrie," enlivened
with birds akin to pinwheels.
Mr.. Kainen has been curator of
the Division of Graphic Arts,
United States National Museum,
since 1947, having previously been
assistant curator. He is a litho-
grapher and etcher as well as
painter, with a background of ex-
tensive study at five important in
stitutions including the Art Stu
dents League of New York and
New York and George Washington
Universities, and under such out
standing teachers as Kimon Nico-
ladies. Mr.. Kainen is affiliated
with local professional organiza-
tions, has exhibited here frequent
ly and has received many awards.
* X
New York Greek
Nearly 40 exhibits evenly di-
vided between sculptures and
drawings, at Watkins Gallery,
American University, introduce
Michael Lekakis to Washington.
This New York artist of Greek an
cestry, has several strings to his
bow. He continues to write poetry
in Greek, and to speak in public
on art, as we'll as to expert
ment in sculpture, painting and.
drawing.
Despite his racial background,
Mr.. Lekakis does not create sculp-
ture with any resemblance to the
Venus de Milo and other fourth
century B. C. works, which most