The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-22
The Portrait of q Gentleman

17T.was my pleasure few days ago
 good friends, Mir Robert c. Redus
 to receive an invitat tion from my and Mr. Charles A. Calhoun, two or the most prominent members of the Birmingham and Jefferson County Bar Association, to visit the Bar Assocla- tion library and see the portrait Wnlcn has recently been finished by BIT mfngham's clever artist, Mrs. George A. Gibson. of the late Judge Henry Au- gustus Sharpe.
 MT. Redus and MT. Calhoun, with MT. IC. P. Beddow, compose the committee appointed by the Bar AssociauoR or Birmingham and Jefferson county last autumn shortly after the death oi Judge Sharpe, by the chairman, lion. Is. D. Weakley, to Arrange for the painting of the portrait, and 1t was very difficult task that these gentle- men had before them to select an art ist who could do the work acceptaply.
 After due consideration the choice Of Mrs. George A. Gibson was made. Mrs. Gibson is d Mississippian by birth, put has lived in Birmingham long enough to establish her reputation as splen did artist, painstaking and accurate Ill her work, with fine eye TOT oeta4i as well as effect.
 That the committee made no mis- take in it's selection is clearly verified bv the excellent work Mrs Gibson has done in the portrait of Judge Sharpe' which she made from photograpn of him taken just five years before his death.
 The portrait is the gift of members of the Bar Association to the Ear Asso citation library as token ot loVe anu esteem of the late disting nguished Jurlst'
 which has prompted the gift is but another evl- dence of the affection in which Judge Sharpe was held by the bar, Of whlcn he was such an able and brilliant ex ponent.
 And not only is the sentiment beau tiful. but the work that has been done on the portrait is beautiful, showing much more than the mere palntlhS, the use of oils and colors, hghts anu shades, for the artist has put her near and soul into the painting, which l have chosen to call "The Portrait of Gen tleman."
 And certainly none deserved the title more fully than Judge Sharpe, for pe- sides his attainments as lawyer anu as a jurist, no man who has ever liVeu in this community united more entire Iy all the beautiful qualities Of heart and mind that go to make up the old time south ern gentleman tidH liio DN loved citizen of Birmingham The portrait which hangs on the walls of the Bar Association library is splen- did likeness of Judge Sharpe-some- thing so often lost by the artist in por- trait painting-sa likeness to artistic effect.
 The kindly expression, the gehtls eyes, the mobile mouth and the tenoer expression that those of us who knew 1 and loved Judge Sharpe remember With I so much affection, are reproduced to wonderful degree by Mrs Gibson in her portrait of him. :, | Truly the Bar Association has paid q very graceful tribute to its beloved | iurist in placing this excellent DOT l trait of him within reach of the many l who frequent the Bar Association Il = ] brary, keeping fresh in the minds ana ] hearts of those who loved and ad- mired him the life of the man wn1ch bespoke honesty, ability and integrity
 beautiful example of the courteous gentleman.
 1 The local bar feels an especial pride I in the attainments of Judge Sharpe and the great reputation which ne wrought not only here. but in the state lat large He was born Tn MOI gan county, Alabama. and receiVed ltel- arv education in the schools of hls na- | tive country, and then attenoeo Suiii | berland University at Lebanon, Iehn'' and graduated with the degree or L L n From the halls of this law school have gone some of the most eminent l lawyers who ever practiced in the | courts of our southern country anu l narine service and has recently trd- versed the Pacific coast, coming throush the Panama canal, is the guest or ms 1 ,orantS Mr. and Mrs James BOWrOn.