La Gatta’s Lovely Ladies

I knew John La Gatta.

Ok, knew might not be exactly the right word. But I was in the same room with him on a number of occasions. I was a greenhorn student at The Art Center School in Los Angeles in the early sixties, fresh out of high school and had delusions of becoming a commercial illustrator. I was blissfully unaware of La Gatta’s illustrious career before he moved to California and took up teaching in the late fifties.

I remember him as an intimidating figure. A smoker who employed a cigarette holder, spoke with a slight Italian accent and had respect of the older students in the painting class. He had an air of old-world elegance and often wore a neck scarf or cravat.

You were flattered when he tapped your shoulder. The old man would take your seat and begin a painting demonstration. A small crowd would gather. He was always emphasizing skin tones, warm and cool sides. He’d nonchalantly whip up two puddles of flesh tones from the Windsor-Newton tubes on the white porcelain tray beside him. He made it look so easy.

Here’s a small gallery of John La Gatta’s favorite subject: Beautiful women painted with luscious skin tones.

For more on the artist and his life, I recommend “John La Gatta: An Artist’s Life” by Jill Bossert, Madison Square Press, 2000. To browse more La Gatta selections at Monroe Street Books, click here.