The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-29

Great Rock" This last In a tremend-
Gus spread OF canvas. showing an ex-
nausted Arab In the desert, prone in
the shade OF towering rock (of i'm
aginary strata) in the foreground. The
distance IL arid plain, obviously paint
ed. This IL said by judges to be the
best of his artistic results; though. like
all the others, its main value lies in
conception, not in handling or texture.
This intent 10 to realize the thought of
Isaiah. xxxii. 2, And a man shall be
as an hiding place from the wind and
covert from the tempest; as rivers
OK water in dry place, as the shadow
OF great rock in a weary land!
While at Westerly the painter COM
posed many other pictures, only a few
OF which even took first shape there.
One or two of the latter were sold no.
tably the Walk to Emmaus" now In
some private gallery in the West. The
faces Of Christ and His companions In
this are said to be the most expressive
and best painted that have come from
this brush. The moving men, also,
have more action and humanity.
When young Oertel left Westerly the
walls of his studio were covered with
cartoon memoranda and note sketches.
AT that time he managed to do some
general work, mostly Of animal life,
which found more ready sale than his
religious compositions. But once full
~ entered upon his ministerial career
the art-dream that dominated him
found wider flight. He established a
studio at Washington. painting unceas-
ingly. and attracting diverse attention
from critics and press. This was in
dubitably due more to the character
of his work than to its artistic merits.
That 1t was individual all agreed, and
1t was likewise at least novel In hand
lin4s
Pictures Not for Sale.
Leaving his Washington studio
where he added wood carving to his
labors, especially an immense reredos
in the Church Of the Incarnation-Dr.
oertel went to his son in Virginia,
there painting necessarily, though not
completing rapidly. He had The Dis
pensation Of the Law" upon his easel
TOR atty years before he sent It to the
university. To the Walsh gallery he
has given in two sections about thirty
pictures; and In the early eighties he
went there for time. occupying a stu
dio built for him at Morgan's Steep,
by DR.. Telfair Hodgson. then vice.
chancellor. The magnificent scenery
Of the Cumberland Plateau spread wide
before the old dreamer 1t is more
than doubtful whether the perfect pros
pect and the exhilarating mountain air
lent one particle of inspiration to the
rapt painter. He would doubtless have
done the same amount of the same
work in the smokiest attic of the Latin
Quarter. or the prosaic barn of some
inland village.
1t is DR.. Oerters pride-if he have
that weakness in any way-that he
never painted from models; that he
has needed none. The fact itself is ap-
parent but the artist believes that
every detail OF drawing, composition,
grouping and coloring are given him.
and so deep-seated is this faith-so
perfect the simplicity Of it's statement
that no smile, even of the mocker,
follows its insistence. None who talk
with this mild and intent octogenarian
| can doubt his sincerity. His life of
incessant toll and real privation has
been detected from all material re-
ward by this belief that he is only do
ing the work sent him to do" He
goes upon his knees before his can
| vases, remains in silent but fervid
prayer for two or three hours, then
raises and paints-rapidly, fearlessly
and without alteration.
Before the "Dispensation of the Law"
was finished, he was offered $4,000 for
that picture He promptly and re-
peatedly declined to sell 1t. To the
writer's question he replied.
How could / sell that picture? 1t
| was not mine. The Lord had painted
1t. and 1t was His!'