  We investigate the origin of color gradients in cluster early-type galaxies
to probe whether pure age or pure metallicity gradients can explain the
observed data in local and distant (z approx 0.4) samples. We measure the
surface brightness profiles of the 20 brightest early-type galaxies of
CL0949+44 (hereafter CL0949) at redshift z=0.35-0.38 from HST WF2 frames taken
in the filters F555W, F675W, F814W. We determine the color profiles (V-R)(r),
(V-I)(r), and (R-I)(r) as a function of the radial distance r in arcsec, and
fit logarithmic gradients in the range -0.2 to 0.1 mag per decade. These values
are similar to what is found locally for the colors (U-B), (U-V), (B-V) which
approximately match the (V-R), (V-I), (R-I) at redshift approx 0.4. We analyse
the results with up to date stellar population models. We find that passive
evolution of metallicity gradients (approx 0.2 dex per radial decade) provides
a consistent explanation of the local and distant galaxies' data. Invoking pure
age gradients (with fixed metallicity) to explain local color gradients
produces too steep gradients at redshifts z approx 0.4. Pure age gradients are
consistent with the data only if large present day ages (>=15 Gyr) are assumed
for the galaxy centers.
