Evening star., 1952-01-03
Noted Sculptor Davidson, 68,
Dies at French Country Home
Heart Attack Is Futul
To U. S. Artist, Called
Leading Portroitist'
BY the Assesiased Press

~ ". D. AEtlSts SUIsSU
Leading Portroitist'
i BY the Assssisssd Press
PARIS, Jan. 3.-Jo Davidson,
SO, famed American sculptor. died
Iof o heart attack last night at
Ihis country home in central
France.
The bearded sculptor, who rose
from New York's lower East Side
tenements to the top level Of art
and living, had been regarded as
lin relatively good health despite
q few minor heart attacks in re-
cent months.
Mr.. Davidson was stricken late
yesterday afternoon at Becheron,
the estate he owned at Azay-le-
Rideau, near Tours. He was taken
to the Tours clinic for emergency
treatment and died four hours
later while asleep under sedatives.
HE couldn't say anything be-
fore he died, poor DEAR" said Mrs.
Davidson. who was with him.
Andre Dig) Dignimont. noted
French cartoonist and painter,
|also was at the bedside. Digni-
mont and his wife had been holi-
Eday house guests Of the David
sons.
Follower Of Rabelais.
Mr.. Davidson, widely known for
his wit and zest for living, spent
considerable time in the Touraine
area, which was the home Of
Francois Rabelais, q lusty wit and
Mr.. Davidson's literary idol. Mr..
Davidson was o founder Of the
I"Compagnons de Rabelais." world
wide organization devoted to fol-
lowing Rabelaisian precepts Of
fun and laughter.
Funeral arrangements were be-
ing made today. Burial probably
will be in Paris, his widow said.
Mr.. Davidson, perhaps Americas
leading portraitist in sculpture,
was called q plastic historian"
His commission. in 1918, to
make bronze busts of the Allied
World War leaders was regarded
as one Of the most important as
signments In the history Of art.
He took the first ship to leave
New York after the armistice to
carry out his undertaking.
Busts Of War Leaders.
He had his first sitting with
Marshal Ferdinand Foch Of
France. the Allied leader. at Senlis
on November "a. 1918. That bust
is now at Versailles. Then he did
Gen. John j. Pershing, Marshal
Joffre Of France, Albert, King OF
the Belgians; Prime Minister David
Lloyd George Of Great Britain,
Field Marshal Haig Of the British
armies, Ignace Jan Paderewski,
the Premier Of Poland;
Thomas d. Masaryk, President Of
Czechoslovaka, Georges Glemen-
ceau, the Frencf. Tiger; Col.
E. M. House. Robert lansing and
Woodrow Wilson
Another Of his important his
torical ventures was his visit to
Iloyalist Spain in the summer Of
1888, out Of which came a fine
series of portraits Of military and
lcivilian leaders, which were later
shown in New York for the bene-
fit Of the loyalist cause.
His sitters included every sort
Of man, from the late viii
Rogers, the cowboy humorist. to
Albert EinStein, the exiled Ger
man scientist and the late Lord
Northcliffe Of England.
! Two Of his busts are in the Cap
itol at Washington-Robert M. La
Toilette. ST., and Charles G..
Dawes. One Of his later commits
Isions was President Franklin D.
Roosevelt, whom he said he found
disturbing" because he had nc
eccentricities.
He won many prizes, including
the French Legion Of Honor. He
had lived and studied many years
in Paris but had maintained O
New York home until recently.
Returned From Israel.
He returned to France Decem-
Der 20 from Israel after doing
busts Of that nations leaders. In
llcluding President Chain Weiz-
mann, Premier David Ben-Gurion
land Foreign Minister Moshe
|Sharett.
d Mrs. Davidson said the sculptor
had appeared tired after the trip
4, to Israel where, she said, "he die
:. Ia great amount Of work" She
'Isaid he had. q bronchial condi.
Ition which affected his heart.
; Mr.. Davidson, son of a Russian.
!, Jewish family. was an odd-job.
: boy with q gift for drawing ane
; painting that asserted itself be.
1|yond the pale Of New York's poor.
: est district. His talent won hin
10 scholarship at Is.
q Dissatisfied with his painting
I he tried studying medicine q
j. Yale. but gave 1t up when he dis