The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-27
Confederate Memorial Institute
to Be Made One OF Worlds
Beautiful Buildings.
THOMAS r. RYAN PAYS BILL
French Artist Who Will Execute
Commission Now on Way
to Richmond.

at Versailles, will decorate Memorial
Hall, or tn south wing OF the Con-
federate Memorial institute now being
erected in this city. The artist
Charles Hoffbauer. is now on his way
10 Richmond from his home In france.
He will arrive next month, and Will
spend the autumn and winter In study
ing the situation and preparing ior
the great work. He will begin actuai
painting next spring. and will be kept
busy for fully eighteen months IN
executing his commission
To defray the expenses OF this Work.
Lieutenant-Govern J. Taylor Eliyson.
president of the Conf aderate Memo
tribution from Thomas +. Ryan. OF
Nelson County. The total cost will
amount to not less than $4,000.
Work on Big Scale.
, This commission alone indicates the
elaborate scale on which thoss IN
charge OF the building OF the insti-
tute are proceeding. A library Is TO
be put in the north wing. which Is 10
be beautifully finished, II tbs money
can be secured. A landscape artist
has been retained to beautify the n'e
and one-half acr.s OF ground which
the association owns, and he will 60
Z
away Thousands of plants are now
being imported from Europe. and the
officers of the association will sp End
enough money to insure that the IN
stitute will have far and away the
most beautiful park in the city, and
probably in the country
! NJ. Honbauer has such standing
I in his own country that he has ex.-
cuted series OF military paintings.
on commission from the government
of France, in the Luxembourg Palace.
and his work has places in historic
collections in Paris and in other parts
! of France.
| In the beginning. 1t had been the
intention to make the Confederate
Memorial Institute a sort Of museum,
ibut for various reasons thu executive
committee has turned its attention to
lother features. such as Memorial Han
and the library. Then came the ques-
ton of decoration
| Gets Money From Ryan.
The Confederate Memorial Institute
and the beautiful park In which II
will be located" said Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor ElIyson last night. will to-
igether constitute a memorial worthy
of the cause whose most precious
memories 1t is intended to perpetuate
I have for several years had the am
bilious desire to have collection OF
mural paintings similar to those to
be found in the great gallery at Yer
!sailles. but i hardly dared hope that
Imy dream would ever be realized.
iset out. however. to secure the money
for that purpose. and made appeals
ito numerous friends in all parts OF
the country.
But in consequence Of the many
Confederate undertakings in all parts
of the South. which exist in every
State and almost every locality. the
responses were not such as to give me
any encouragement that the necessary
sum could be raised. / finally decided
Il would undertake to get collection
lof portraits Of high order. OF artistic
INERT, Of the leading Southern 'gen-
lerals I approached Mr. Thomas +.
Ryan about eighteen months ago and
asked if he would present a life-s!z ID
PORTRAIT Of General Robert E. Lee. He
icheerfully consented to do so. but as
tn building was not ready, the exc
!cution Of the commission to paint the
lportrait was not pressed
| Suxxested He Might Help.
! zone day last winter I was visiting
.dr- Ryan's home, and mentioned my
desire for the decoration of the south
wing which has since been designated
las Memorial Hall He seemed inter
ested and said: I may do that myself.
The result OF the conversation was
his final determination to tell me to
proceed with the work After con-
ference, NJ. Honbauer was selected ia
do the work
Il want to say that have never
found any Virginian more ready 70
help in any matter affecting the best
interests Of the Commonwealth than
Thomas F. Ryan. I have had TIL priv.
iIege OF knowing him for many years
and during that period I have had
many opportunities to know OF his
great generosity. II Is only few
Of his benefactions that have found
found him ready to respond to requests
for a worthy cause. but he does IL IN
such charming way as to make you
feel that he Is under obliga ions tc
you for the privilege OF helping you
in your work. II is in such spirit
as this that he gives this generous sun
for the decoration of Memorial Hall
and which makes 1t possible for US "a
make the Confederate Memorial Insti
tute one Of the most beautiful build
whole world
Having completed our plans for tn
south wing. we will now try to MAKE
the north wing even as attractive a.
Memorial Hall In this wing 10 Is OF
desire to place the library. which 9.
time TO come we expec; to make tn
: most complete Confederate library II
! existence. We have thought 10 wo1l,
be a fine thing to have on Its wall
painting Of Jefferson Davis and hi
! Cabinet. and In addition to have paint
ines Of the war Governors OF 81 Oh 0
the States In this collection onlj
works Of the highest artistic vslu
should be permitted. We believe ".
can get friends to help US TO 90 this
At any rate. we viii make the eror.
and believe We shall meet success
7 would say In conclusion tina
these PLANS have had the hearty CO
operation 81 Judge George 7. chris
fian a member Of the executive cor,
mittee. whose constant devotion TO tn
welfare OF the Confederate Memoirs
Association - worthy OF all praise
pr Wvo0S0 co0O0sGU ruoA
The Times Dispatch received IRE FOL
lowing contributions yesterday for IN,