Kenneth Stubbs
(American artist, 1907-1967)

Corcoran Staff Opens Annual Faculty Show

Fifty pieces of sculpture, painting and drawing by five members of its staff are exhibited this summer in the annual Faculty Show of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Seventeenth Street and New York Avenue Northwest.

Nicolai Cikovsky, whose work is to be found in many American museums including the Phillips Memorial Gallery here, has nine paintings in this show. "Interest Book," his oil portrait of a young woman, is noteworthy. Both in line and color it shows a treatment similar to Picasso's. The figure is interesting and the painting is skillfully handled in relation to the canvas.

Also shown are watercolors, pastels and a tempera by Cikovsky. His tempera, "Portrait of a Poor Man," is a half figure which is predominantly middle-toned grays and greens. These cool tones are offset by the warm flesh tones of the man's face and hands as they catch the lght of the afternoon sun filtering into the barren room in which he sits in resigned old age.

A still life, "Asparagus and Strawberries," is another painting demonstrating Cikovsky's ability. It is painted on a rich earth-brown background against which reds and greens fairly sparkle.

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Among other interesting works by Lahey are his mural study of transportation in the colonial period.

In a large and somewhat humorous oil titled, "For Men Only," Lahey has captured the robust humor of men on the country club veranda away from the influence of the gentler sex.

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Robert Laurent, who teaches sculpture, is exhibiting pen and crayon drawings and sculpture which are sincere and mature and portray the serenity, simplicity and beauty of womanhood.

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The work of Kenneth Stubbs, youngest of the group, shows his dominant interest in texture and design. Most of his portrait work has a landscape background. Much of it is stylized and shows the influence of modern Mexican painting.

His portrait, Grace," is calm, peaceful and beautifully colored. His painting, "Portrait," is serene and poetic.

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Eugen Weisz, formerly a critic and lecturer at George Washington University, exhibits watercolors and oils. His "Brick Yard" is a watercolor in a low key of warm reds and purples upon which falls the deep, penetrating hot summer sun.

His "Still Life with Oak Leaves," also is in a low key of browns and grays and gives the feeling of quiet autumn reverence.

An uncharacteristic painting by Weisz is entitled "Near Bangor, Maine." It is an oil of the mountains and sunny sky handled quite spontaneously and vibrating in rich greens and blues, expressing the enjoyment of a happy, carefree midsummer vacation.

Washington Post, June 29, 1941, page L6