Studio: international art (86.1923)

VIENNA

"RONNY JOHANSSON” (SWEDISH
DANCER). ETCHING IN
COLOURS BY MAX POLLAK

general approbation. He has travelled in
many lands—France, Germany, Italy, Hol-
land—but the chief source for the expres-
sion of his art has been Austria of old (now
Czecho-Slovakia), where he etched some
lovely snowscapes, for snow was the theme
which first attracted him. And no wonder,
for just in these low-lying lands snow falls
more softly, in more exquisite flakes, and
perhaps more persistently than in the
mountain regions of Austria. One of these
snow scenes was reproduced in the Special
Number of The Studio on “ Modern
Etchings, Mezzotints and Dry-Points.”
His great versatility as an etcher was made
apparent at an exhibition of his work held
some time ago in Vienna. This included
Dutch interiors treated in an individual
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manner. Etchings of Venice show keen
delight in the City of the Lagoons, and a
personal manner of depicting her light and
atmosphere. Naturally old Vienna could
not fail to draw his attention—that is to
say, all that is left of the Vienna of the past
■—■ a few ancient buildings, churches,
monasteries and palaces. a a a
As a portrait-etcher Max Pollax has like-
wise executed some important work, among
his sitters being the celebrated Viennese
pianist Alfred Grunfeld and Professor
Freud of psycho-analysis fame. His etched
portraits of women may be regarded as the
first step to his later development, leading
him to take up the subject of dancers. Of
dancing he has made a special study for
some years past, and Vienna has provided