The broad ax., 1924-11-22
Hon George Franklin Harding, Ex-City Comptroller of
Chcago Millionaire Real Estate Owner the Head Leader
on the South Side of the Grand Old Republican Party Has
Provided in His Will in Time Transfer His Wonderful Art
Collection to the Chicago Art Institute for the Benefit of
All of the Citizens of His Native City,

Mans Land with "The Call Of His
Ancestor" in his ear, and the tragedy
OF "Honorably Discharged" a wal
hero, manned and penniless.
Bernhardt Souvenir
You see a masterpiece that the En-
peror Francis Joseph Of Austria pre.
sented to Sarah Observation-Disclosures
that the grand duke of Austria and
crowned heads had possessed. There,
too, are scenes Of quiet roads, Autumn
forests, grazing cattle, and Remington
Indian painting.
Hans Larwin OF Vienna was the
guest Of Mr.. Harding when he came
to this country after the war. The
Chicagoan bought many Of his pro-
ductions, including The Bread Line, J"
reproduced throughout the world dur
ing the war.
1t shows twenty-eight in line in
Vienna when famine was gripping the
peoples Of the Central Powers. Three
OF those in line, it is said, died while
Larwin painted
He took one figure out of this mas
terpiece Of his and painted it as a
single head, that Of boy. You do
not need to be told that the title is
Hunger"
The German emperor. confident Of
victory, early in the war, planned to
have Hans Larwin paint the war
scenes Of Germany's triumphs. In
stead, Larwin painted Hunger" and
George Harding's jaHitor, the latter
also in the gallery. an artistic triumph,
although the original criticized the
artist for not making his clothes look
better.
This art collection is due to two
generations Of the Harding family,
father and son.
Start of Collection
George F. Harding, ST., for years
before his death, had home in Paris,
in addition to his American abode.
There he gathered magnificent col
lection. When Mr. Harding died, in
this country, about seven years ago,
the house and collection were in
charge Of a caretaker.
War swept Europe. The caretaker
went to the front. George, who with
his brothers and sisters had inherited
his fathers vast estate and eventually
took over all his fathers real estate
holdings, did not know for a long
time the fate Of the Paris mansion.
Then, through his friend, Eugene
R. Pike, he got in touch with Paris
banker, who was asked to do what
he could to protect the place against
war hazards and ravages.
When peace came, George went
abroad He did not know whether
the art collection was safe or not. But
Gene Pixies Paris friend had done
we'll Not a painting or curio had
been touched, not one was missing.
All Sent Here
So in this Paris house started the
collection which now reposes in the
Lake Park Avenue house. George
boxed up everything and shipped all
to Chicago. Then he added, year BY
year on his European trips, many
masterpieces to the original collection
made BY his father.
That is the story Of how George
Harding entered the art world, the
story Of the collection which, BY the
terms ii the will which George F.
Harding has drawn, will be turned
over. free and clear, to the people Of
Chicago, to be held forever by the
Chicago Art Institute for the eduea-
ton and edi6cation Of the people Of
Chicago.
Mr. Harding, in addition, viii ask
the directors Of the Art Institute for
anv ideas Or suggestions they may
have with reference to future addi-
tons to the collection
Only those who see the art gallery
can realize how great thing George
Harding i doing for the city he loves.