Evening star., 1919-05-11

Wallace Bryant has just completed
a three-quarter length portrait of
| Lieut.. Andre L'Huillier of the French
high commission, the young officer
who for some months has made
| Washington his headquarters while
lecturing on the devastated cities of
| France and endeavoring to raise a
| fund for the reconstruction of
SommePy, his native town, which
was captured and burned by the
Germans in September, 1914. This
portrait, completed only last Monday,
was shown informally in Mr.. Bryant's
studio on street Tuesday afternoon,
| ler's, New York
1t is a gift from the painter to
| Somme-Py lasting memorial of
| the gallant spirit and untirfng patri-
| otism of the young officer, as typify-
ing the spirit with which France has
| met misfortune and risen to greater
! accomplishment
| Lieut.. L'Huillier is represented in
uniform with his left hand in his
| trousers pocket, a pose extremely
nonchalent and easy. His face is
| toward the observer, and his express
sion is extremely frank friendly and
engaging. He wears, but with evident
! modesty, the three medals awarded
| for gallant service-the crOiX de guerre,
| military medal and the Legion of Honor.
! Impersonally he typifies youthful man
| hood
| AS background Mr.. Bryant has
| suggested somewhat in the mode OF a
| tapestry, view of the burning viii
| lage, at a considerable distance, ana,
4 he
mingled flags of France and the
United States. These he has not per-
mitted to be aggressive, and in no
way do they intrude upon the interest
centered upon the figure of the young
| French officer.
| excellent likeness 1t is not what
| might be described as tour de
force but it is something better
than this-a sincere, vital interpre-
tation of character and personality;
a picture which will wear well and
which will hold it's own in any COM
}pany.
In September. 1914, Andre L'Huil-
lier, Baron de Montvert. chevalier
of the Legion of Honor, was a student
Learning of the burning of his home
.town and the captivity of his grand
parents. he decided to enlist as pri-
vate in the now famous 42d Division,
Though only eighteen years old. his
unusual intelligence and ability to
direct men soon attracted the atten-
tion of his superiors. Unfortunately
he was wounded after few months
of service. but not before winning
the coveted croix de guerre and two
citations for bravery. While still
convalescent he returned to the
trenches at Verdun, where his divi-
sion held up the famous German at
Mans Hill His fonr
commanding officers were killed and
he was left in charge. remaining
alone at his post of observation. not
withstanding the fact that his trench
had been completely destroyed by a
fearful bombardment. He crossed
several times a ravine under cur
tain of fire in order to supply informa
ton regarding the movements OF the
enemy-thus permitting such disposition
of troops as stopped the attack tcita-
tion to the army. signed "Joffre'o. For
this signal act of bravery he received
the military medal, the highest honor in
the French army. In September, 1871
he was almost blown ito pieces by a
bomb and lay in a hospital for nearly a
year.
At the close of the war Lieut.
L'Huillier was sent to our country
by the French government in oTde" &c
thank the Americans for all that they
had done for France. AS his village
of Somme-Py was recaptured by oui
valiant marines. WaShington1ans de-
sired to assist in its Reconstruction
A committee was formed and over
five thousand dollars raised in oul
city New York. Boston, Philadelphia
and Princeton have formei auxiliary
societies. and yesterday Lieut.. LHuli-
lier sailed for France with suffi-
cient funds to commence tue erec-
tion of temporary homes and the re-
demptior of the farm lands. To nell
~ NJ. a fk
to the soil which they love, to enable
them to become immediate produc-
ers instead of dependent wanderers
is the highest ambition OF this young
officer. His gratitude is unbounded to.
ward all who have assisted in this
splendid charity.
The Washington committee will
continue its work. hoping eventually
to restore his entire village.
X x X X
Ii Howard Russell Butler, vice-pIesi-
dent of the National Academy of De-
sign. who accompanied the United States
naval observatory eclipse expedition
in 1913 to Baker. Oregon, as special
artist" explained his shorthand meth
cd Of sketching the eclipse and
showed his paintings of the corona
| | anu VI tHc app odN'iih5 SHdcoW vi tuc
moon to an invited group of persons
at the residence of his brother,
Charles Henry Butler. 1885 1 street
last Tuesday afternoon.
Mr.. Butler is not only an artist. a
landscape and marine painter of dis
tinction. but also a man of scholarly
attainment and scientific knowledge.
1t is doubtless for these reasons that
he was selected to do this particular
work.
The eclipse lasted exactly 112 sec
onds. and 1T was but that space OF
time in which the artist could observe
and transcribe this marvellous effect
Epon learning these Limitations. Mr,