Iszo Koves

The most valuable modern painting offered for sale for a long time will be on view in New York next week.

It is a big picture (12 by 18 feet) and is expected to bring about $100,000. It is called Judaea Capta, or the Triumph of Titus. The painter, Iszo Koves, Hungarian, worked on it for 20 years, and spent 35 years gathering historical data. Then he died during the war, penni- less, leaving a destitute widow and children.

The Judaea Capta is a picture of Titus coming back to Rome with the spoils of conquered Jerusalem--including the captive daughters of Israel. Some nude Bacchantes are included for purposes of contrast.

One of Koves' earlier pictures, Spinoza Before His Judges, was twice rejected for exhibition in Buda Pesth. So the angry artist hid it. in his studio, until his wife and a pupil smuggled it out and submitted it again. It was accepted and delighted the Emperor.