Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-10

| in 1851. His father founded Tell City and
attempted to establish there extensive terra
Gotta works, which failed then but led the
way to what is now large and important
enterprise. From Ohio the family home
was removed to Memphis. Tenn, and there
| as mechanical craftsman, the young artist,
when mere lad, began the journey which
in the end was to bring him to distinction.
Then came an opportunity to go to Paris,
and there at the French capital he took his
first real lessons in art. He was studying in
the Ecole des Beaux Arts and copying in
the Luxembourg at the time of the great
siege. and from there he went to Belgium,
to Germany and finally to Rome, walking
much of the distance. determined to see the
best and dclighting in every new revela-
ton.
In Rome he studied at the Villa de Medici
with Simonetti, and there he painted his
first important canvas, THE Awakening of
Spring" which is owned by a private col
lector of Boston Returning to the United
States Mr.. Gutherz was for some time as
ISOLATED with Mr.. Hasey G. Ives in the up
| building of the st. Louis School of Fine
Arts. but in 1880. after his marriage to Miss
Scruggs of Alabama. he went back to Paris
| with his wife, and for seventeen years made
it his home.
Struggle and Reward.
They were hard but good years, full of
diigent effort, some deprivation, but
much reward. He had for his friends
Lefebre. Boulanger, Gabriel Terrier,
Jules Breton, Merson and Puvis de
Chavannes, who, through interest in his
work sought him in his unpretentious stu
dio, and there meted out to him generous
appreciation and warm encouragement
Much is said of the petty jealousies of art
lists, but among the bigger men it is doubt
full If they exist. Mr.. Gutherz himself was
never known to crticise harshly another
mans work One whose sincerity was pat
ent, he himself received from his foreign
colleagues unstinted praise. When his paint
ing, The Incarnation was exhibited in
the Salon, jules Breton, who was then in
the zenith of his power, turned from it to
exclaim: Il should like to be able to saw
that that was my work" And later when
Mr.. Gutherz was executing the ceiling dec
orations for the House of Representatives
reading room, PuviS de Chavannes made in
relation to these creations almost the same
remark.
Year after year Mr.. Gutherz exhibited in
the Paris salon, from which he received
not only a medal of honor, but the prvi-
lege of exemption from jury. 1t was during
this period that he painted his canvas pic
turing the transmission of a soul to heaven,
his scarcely less familiar Temptation of
st. Anthony" and 1.-The Sixth Day" pic
ture of the creation; and it was while he
was in Paris that he received and exc
cuted the commission for the ceiling of
the representatives reading room in the
Library of Congress.
1t was this work which brought him
again to America and which caused him
city.
Famous Mural Paintings.
During the past ten years he has had
many important commissions and has pro-
duced, besides notable portraits and land
scapes, some mural paintings of note. The
ceiling Of the ball room in the residence
of Gen. John B. Henderson was painted
by Mr.. Gutherz, and to his credit stand
series of decorations In the Peoples Church
of ST.. Paul, Mimi, and the court house of
Fort Wayne, Ind. Both set forth large con-
ceptions and manifest in allegorical form
widely significant truths. Because he was
man Of deep religious conviction. but
| without sectarian prejudice, he was able
to- put into his church decoration universal
meaning; and because he was painting his
court house decorations at the time OF
President McKiniey's assassination, the
panel depicting anarchy was painted with
uncommon feeling and force.
Besides all this Mr.. Gutherz has produced
many portraits and not a few landscapes
His is the portrait Of Susan B. Anthony,
which is included in the Corcoran Gallery's
of Jefferson Davis which the Daughters
of the Confederacy presented to the state
of Mississippi.
Log Cabin at Rockville.
In addition to his city home and studio.
Mr.. Gutherz had q summer home-a charm.
ing little log cabin near Rockville, Nd, to
which, two years ago, he added a spacious
studio. Here he has spent many months,
going often times to and fro between the
two homes inyorder to enjoy the privileges.
and reap the benefits of the country. j
Distinguished as he was as q painter, his /
friends found him no less admirable as al
man. Reproved once for putting nnore.I
work upon his paintings than, zone in al
Thousand would do his quiet reply was, |
Yes. but perhaps I am chat tfousan dthsi