Evening star., 1924-02-21
The North Window
BY LEILA MECHLIN


place which each occupies can be
fiued; but 1t Is not so. We have had
many great painters since Titan, but
none has ever taken his place:
we have had great scu1ptors since
Saint-Gaudens, but his loss is still
felt; the place which Henry Bacon oc-
cupied as an architect none other can
or will be able to fill.
His was a rare gift coupled with
large nature. His death last Satur-
day removed not only a notable figure
IN the field of cotemporary archi-
was a man OF extraordinarily fine
taste, that rarest of all rare qualities,
and 1t was this which distinguished
whatever he did. whether it were de-
signing the great Lincoln Memorial
in this city or a piece Of jewelry for
personal adornment. Whatever he
did was marked by great simplicity.
oy exquisite refinement, but of that
sort which combines most perfectly
with virility: He had simple. d.
tude toward the world. while never
superior, was that of detached aloof-
ness, the aloofness OF a thinker who
lives in his own realm of thought,
creates his own visions and is little
shy of the use Of words. He was a
creative artist. and his standard was
perfection. No amount of time or
effort spent producing a desired re-
suit or attaining a particular end
was ever begrudged by him, but until
that end was reached he was dis
satisfied
The external steps in his develop
ment as an architect are quickly told.
His father was an engineer. The
family came of Massachusetts stock,
but Henry Bacon was born in Illinois
n
n. G., where his father was in charge
Of the Cape Fear river and harbor
improvements. He had one year at
the University OF Illinois, and then
architects. After three years he
went to New York, in the office of
Mckin. Mead & White. In 1889 he
won the Rotch travelling scholarship.
which enabled him to have two years
study in Europe, most of which he
spent in Italy and Greece. Returning
tc the United States in 81, he re-
entered the office of Mckim, Mead &
white, but left there in 81 to form
was dissolved in 1903, since when he
had practiced alone
He had not "a great many monu-
mental buildings to his credit. Much
Of his time had been spent designing
settings. pedestals, exedras for sculp-
ture. working in collaboration with
Augustus Saint Gaudens, Daniel
Chester French, Charles II. NiehauS,
Karl Bitter and others, but whatever
he did was exduisitely done and in
certain calmness of aspect. superbly
superior.
Henry Bacon was essentially what
is known as a mans man. There was
him. and his life and work put to
shame those who suppose that that
which has esthetic quality pertains to
weakness and superficiality. 1t was
his love of beauty. his grasp of art,
his recognition of the need of fine
expression in material things which
made him SO good a citizen, SO great
an artist.
The Lincoln Memorial is d building
of vast size, but it is its perfection of
detail. the perfect proportioning Of its
parts. the exquisite refinement of its
embellishments that make it of super
lative merit as work of art, so COM
pletely satisfying to those who are
sensitive to such Impressions.
The American Institute of Archi-
tects made acknowledgment of the
achievement when last May it award
ed its gold medal of honor to Henry
Bacon in recognition of the merit of
this design. The occasion was q
memorable one, the award being
made with due ceremony and pic
turcSque setting on the steps of the
memorial by no less than the Presi-
dent of the United States, the Chief
Justice presiding. But the debt which
we all owe to Henry Bacon was not
paid in full at that time, nor will it
ever be so paid, for this great and
beautiful building will be an inspira-
ton and delight to untold thousands
for uncounted years.
Royal CortisSoz, in an address at
the dinner which preceded the award
of the American Institute of Archi-
tects' medal of honor to Henry Bacon,
called attention to what we owe to
certain men in the architectural pro-
fession. men who had character and
put it into their work. men who were
leaders: men. like Henry Bacon. whom
we should realize and hold in remem-
brance, because, as he truly said. the
human element is very near to us in
architecture. Character comes before
scholarship: it goes everywhere into
the making of a great building. And.
speaking more specifically of the
architect who was on that occasion
being honored. he said: 'If l had to
characterize Bacon in two words l
would call him AN embodied con-
science; and he told an incident of
when Mr.. Bacon gave up commits
sion rather than at the demand of an
unknowing committee destroy the in
tegrity of his design. Nothing has
over been little matter with Bacon"
touched the honor of his art. He has
built many buildings. studying all
manner of problems. He has designed
bank buildings, university dormito-
ries, libraries, hospitals, churches,
schoolhouses. railway station and
an astronomical observatory, a public
bath and a bridge. In collaboration
with our leading sculptors he has de-
signed perhaps three score monu-
ments, and in everything he has done
he has been that embodied conscience
seeking perfection. How nobly he
could grasp 1T the Lincoln Memorial
shows US. The great principles of the
Lincoln Memorial. it's majesty, its
beauty, its monumental serenity, you
will find running through the entire
long procession of Bacon'S buildings.
This was possible only because like
attributes were in him, part of his
character.
And what an influence such a build
ing, such design must have! In an
article by Robert p. Tristram Coffin
in the February number of the North
American Review this Rhodes scholar
ship holder tells what it meant to him.
and in all probability to many other
American students, to live as 1t were
in the cathedral atmosphere of Oxford
University. The world is full of
museums Mr. Coffin says. but in
the buildings one passes the beauty
of the past has not stopped breath
ing. By such, brief life can bind long
art and long wisdom to the wheels of
tomorrow chariots." 1t is by living
with such buildings that life itself is
hallowed "I have an idea," writes
Mr., Coffin, that one who eats and
sleeps, laughs and thinks for long