Evening star., 1916-10-22

The pvint division of the Library OF
Congress has recently acquired by pur-
chase two Autographs by Birger Sand
zen, an artist of Swedish birth who has,
however. made his home for more than
twenty years in our middle west. and
has done much to develop a love Of art
among the people Of the great plains.
He is essentially a modern and an in
dependent, but in the best sense Of these
words. He draws and he paints with
force and individuality: he follows none.
His pictures are personal interpretations,
rendered with much directness and great
virility. He has something to say and
he says 1t strongly. The Kansas coun-
try Is not considered picturesque. but
he has found it SO. and has made others
see its beauty. The Colorado bowlder
tractive, and his pictures painted there
set forth its beauty of bigness. So also
his oil paintings interpret the majesty
and colorful quality Of the mountains.
in a manner which is very vivid.
The Autographs purchased by the
Library Of Congress are both western
subjects; one group Of trees on a vast
the other clump of cottonwood trees
In the midst of a stony pasture.
Mr.. Sandzen's line Is not unlike that
Of Joseph Pennell's. and as tho latter
has caught the spirit of the wonder of
work-the digging Of the great canal
crossing the isthmus, the building Of the
gigantic skyscrapers in New York, the
Pittsburgh chimneys belching smoke and
fiame-so the former has felt the sig
nlficanee ns ,1s Of nature In its & boldest aspect
The Scandinavian temperament 10 his
by heritage-courage. determination,
love of adventure. This shows in his
work. and to these inherent qualities
America. After studying art under
Zorn, Bergh and Hasselberg, in Stock
holm, he entered the classes of Aman-
Jean in Paris. and there came in con-
tact with many Americans, from whom
he heard of the big new land waiting to
be titled. In the fall Of 1894 he came
to America and accepted a position in
Bethany College, at Lindsborg, Kan.
With the exception of two trips to
Europe. he has been there ever since,
and he has been doing real pioneer
work. :
Lndsborg has today the largest num-
Der of practicing artists in proportion
to its population OF any city in this
meant merely painters. sculptors and
architects, but also musicians. The
musical festivals held in this city of
the plains have become celebrated for
tnelr Quallty, ana muSlCally are wei
coined events-occasions Of national
pride. They are attended by people
from all over the state OF Kansas and
from other adjacent states-more than
1000 day. It is at that time the an
nual exhibition of paintings Is held and,
though music makes the stronger ap-
peal, the pictures do not go unheeded.
From Mr.. Sandzen's classes, further
more. have gone out young men and
women as teachers to other schools and
colleges in the middle west; thus the
inspiration has spread. To great ex-
tent Mr.. Sandzen has worked alone,
being remote from the so-called art
centers and too busy to come east.
But he has not gotten out of step with
the times In the west he has trav-
e1ed extensively, and he has kept his
mind fixed on his purpose. He has ex-
hibited little in the east. In New
York, Philadelphia and Washington. up
to the present time. his name Is COM
paratfvely Little known, but abroad 1t
is not only known, but respected. When
the war began he had been invited to
make special exhibitions of his works
In London and in Stockholm, and when
the war Is over he will do SO.
It Is to be hoped that in the mean
time more of his work will find its way
to this city. Here on the Atlantic sea-
board we sometimes find 1t difficult to
look beyond the Allegheny mountains,
and are a little apt to imagine that art
stops at the horizon line But it seems
not to be SO.