Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-31
PORTRAIT PAINTER OF NOTE.
The High Rank Attained by
Robert Gordon Hnrdie.

This article is copied from the Roston Herald
Of last Sunday. A four column portrait Of Presi
dent Eliot, a three column picture Of Prof Simon
Newcomb, an illustration showing Mr.. Hardie at
work in his Brattleboro studio, and an exterior
view of the studio appeared IN connection with
this sketch
There is probably no portrait painter of
the present time more deservedly promi-
nent before the public than Robert Gordon
Hardie, who stands today, while yet in his
early prime. in the foremost ranks of his
profession. Mr. Hardie was born in Brat
tleboro, Vt, in March, 1854, and is the
only son of the late Maj. Robert Gordon
and Frances Hyde Hardie. His grand
father was Virginia planter of English
descent, and his grandmother was born in
London. The lad very early showed
fondness for using his pencil, when not busy
with his studies in the Brsttleboro school,
where his early years were spent, and great
aptitude for character sketches.
When he was old enough to leave his
home he was sent to New York, where he
remained four winters studying under the
watchful eye of Prof. Charier Later,
acting on the advice of this devoted men
tor and friend, he went to Europe to CON
tinue his art work with the great painters
at the Ecole DIES Beaux Arts in Paris,
from which leading school of the world for
artists, young Hardie graduated after the
five years course, with full honors. He
entered afterward the Studio of Gerome,
during which time he exhibited at the
Salon, his pictures exciting much favor
able attention. 1t was while living in
Paris that Mr. Hardie made a copy of a
painting by Cabanel, which so pleased that
famous master that he. at once offered TO
help and instruct the young artist during
the rest of his stay in that city.
Upon Mr.. Hardie's return to America in
1883 he went to Washington to paint
Judge Adds, the success of which work
brought him many orders in that city
Among the first portraits be painted after
having established himself in New York in
1888 was that of David Dudley Field, the
great jurist for the court of appeals at Al
bany, which was so much talked of and
written about that it at once gave the artist
at an early stage of his career a reputation
putting him very near the head of his pro-
fession.
1t was about this time that Mr.. Hardie
was married to Miss Catherine Cullom,
the daughter of Senator Cullom of Illinois.
He later came to Boston and took studio,
which was necessitated by the number of
orders which came to him from this city,
and it was then that he painted among the
first, with such notable success, the poG-
trait of President Eliot of Harvard college,
a cut of which is here reproduced from a
photograph, and which hangs in the Uni
versity club in New York. The likeness
is no more remarkable than the wonderful
handling OF the flesh tints, the execution
of the drapery and the exceeding dehcacy
of the treatment.
Other Boston portraits which Mr. Hardie
did later were those of Chief Justice Field,
Judge Marcus Morton of the Massachu-
sets supreme court and Chief Justice
Brigham of the Massachusetts superior
court, all three of which hang in the new
court house; the Hon. Robert NJ Morse.
which is not only fine likeness, but a re-
markable work of art, the head especially
being masterpiece of painting; Mr.. Alex
ander Wheeler, also one of the marked
men of the Boston bar, the Hon. Eustace
Fitz, Mr.. James H. Beal, the portrait on
the walls of the Second National bank;
Mr.. Henry n. Slater Mr.. Samuel John
son, MI Frank Merriam, Mr.. William n.
Baldwin, seated full-length portrait in
the place Of honor at the rooms of the
Young Mems Christian association: Mr..
K. 81. Abbott of Cambridge, Mr.. John
Hogg, Gen. Henry Abbott, U. S. A, and
DIR. james Page, master of the Dwight
school for 80 years. Outside of these Mr..
Hardie's portrait of Mr.. Horace White.
editor of the New York Evening Post, of
Gen. b. f. Bristow, of Chief Justice Dur
fee of Rhode Island, of Mr.. S. P. Langley,
secretary OF the Smithsonian institute, ex-
Secretary Redfield Proctor, Prof. Charlier
of New York, Mrs. Reginald Henshaw
Ward, the young daughter of Mr.. Dewing
4 Duer of New Haven, and the Rev. DR..
George l.. Walker of Hartford, Conn, are
only few among his later ones, which
are all acknowledged to be notable paint
ings.
Mr.. Hardie's last portrait which is re-
produced from photograph for this arti-
Gle, OF Pror. Simon Newcomb, the famous
astronomer of Johns Hopkins university in
Baltimore, he himself considers the best
thing which he has yet done.
Mr.. Hardle eXcels above all in the faith
fulness of his drawing, and the character
of his subject is so carefully wrought out
that it makes his portraits so true to life
they seem TO stand out from the canvas.
His summers are spent with his mother, a
gracious and lovely woman, who is very
proud of her son, at the old homestead in
Brattleboro, which he has remodelled and
transformed into a colonial cottage fur
nished in Chippendale, and filled with
delightful Old pieces of antique furniture
that have been picked up from time to
time, rare bits of virtu and few, not too
many, good pictures, making of it typical
artists home from every point of view.
Mr.. Hardie has turned roomy high gam
brel rooted stable but few steps from the
cottage into a studio, which is naturally
one of the show places of the town. 1t is
without any special ornamentation but is
a characteristic workshop, with everything
arranged for the furtherance of his art. 1t
Is there that the artist entertains his neigh
bors and New England and New York
friends who make that beautiful Vermont
town their summer home after his work is
done, for he never allows the daylight
hours to keep him from his easel, and a
gracious hospitality is sure to be extended
10 all, whether friends or casual visitors.
Mr.. Hardie's tavOrte exercise while in
Brattleboro is taken on his horse, and
every day when the light fades and the
brush must be put aside, unless detained
by visitors, he is sure to be seen, whether
the weather be fair or tempestuous, astride
his tall, sturdy steed speeding through the
town for a 2O-mile run across the country
and over the hills. He has firm, erect
seat, and with his thoroughly English
equipment is noticeably fine figure in the
saddle.
In the winter Mr.. Hardie is busy in his
New York studio in Carnegie hall, where,
after longer season than usual at Brattle-
boro on account Of work which must be