Religion: Wanted: the American Smile

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Dr. Hubert Eaton, 70, director of California's Forest Lawn Cemetery, is a cheerful man. In his credo, inscribed on a tablet at Forest Lawn, he has written: "I believe, most of all, in a Christ that smiles and loves you and me." The sunny decor of Forest Lawn— "the bright and cheerful private slumber rooms ... the beautiful vistas of green lawns and tall trees"—reinforces the theology.* But Dr. (honorary LL.D.) Eaton, who has already stocked his cemetery with a trove of religious paintings and statuary (including a replica of Michelangelo's David, with fig leaf added), has not found a picture of Christ that looks happy enough to go with his convictions.

Some of Dr. Eaton's best art buys have come from Italy. Last year he offered a prize of 1,000,000 lire ($1,600) for the artist there who could turn out the most suitable close-up painting of a smiling Christ. Entries were to be judged by a jury of five Italian experts.

Fortnight ago, Director Eaton arrived in Florence to inspect paintings by 13 of the 32 Italian artists invited to submit them. When the pictures were unveiled, it seemed that a mistake had been made. Six of the portraits did not smile at all. The rest had, at best, sickly grins. Said Eaton: "None of these is any good for Forest Lawn. You'll notice all these paintings, even the smiling ones, have a kind of sad look and a definitely European face. Now, what I'm looking for is a Christ filled with radiance and looking upward with an inner light of joy and hope. I want an American-faced Christ."

Last week the judges gave their decision. They withheld the grand prize, awarded each artist a consolation prize of 100,000 lire. Another contest will be held next year. Said Eaton: "I'm going to keep on trying, and keep on running contests if necessary, until I get what I want."