Evening star., 1925-11-12
THE NORTH WINDOW
By Leila Mechlin.

ulcatlnB superior SupeTIatlNe value,
but only with the last of these is the
name of the artist almost invariably
associated. How common it is, in
speaking of the famous painting, TO re-
fer to 1t as a Rubens, a Rembrandt, a
Titan or, in our own day, Sargent
or an InneSS, thus actually placing the
artist before the work, the creator be-
fore his creation. With reference to
sculpture this is less frequently the
case. To be sure, we do hear of Chi
bertfS bronze doors of the Baptistry
in Florence. Verrocchio's great eques-
uian of Colleoni in Venice, Saint
Gaudens' Lincoln in Chicago and
Bartholdi's Liberty in New York Har-
Dor, but how many of those who pass
by, day after day. the statue of Nathan
Hale in City Hall Square, New York,
or the statue of Gen. Thomas in
Thomas Circle, in this city, if asked,
could instantly name the sculptor?
Still less is the name of the archi-
tect associated with the building he
designs. If some clever person were
TO get up q crossword puzzle which
required a knowledge of the archi-
tects of d dozen of the most famous
buildings in the United States, or half
q dozen Of those here in this city
national pOSSeSSionS-hOw few would
be able TO present correct solutions.
Who designed our Capitol, the White
House, ST. Johns Church, the Lincoln
Memorial, the Pan-American Union,
The new building lately erected for the
National Academy of Sciences? Oc-
caslonaIly nowadays architects sign
their buildings, as artists and sculp-
tors sign their works, but even 50 the
public rarely pauSeS to seek out that
particular spot on which the letters
Of the name Of the artist are cut And
yet It is in the field of architecture
that we, here III this country, and eS-
pccially in recent time, have made
our greatest record. 1t is the work of
our American architects which is of
most interest to those of foreign
lands. 1t is their originality, skill and
amazing good taste which have al
ready, in part, given indication OF the
cultured development of the United
States in this year of grace, 1925.
4 i x =
Partly as a commemorative tribute
but largely, one may believe, to assist
in altering present customs and in dis
pcliing this ignorance, the American
Institute Of Architects has lately pub
lished a monumental volume on Ber-
tram Grosvenor Goodhue, one of the
most original and distinguished archi-
tects this country has produced, whose
sudden death on April "a 1924, came
tailed great loss to the profession. The
text OF this book consists of a series of
short essays, personal "reminiscences
by his most close associates and friends
Hartley Burr Alexander, Ralph
Adams Cram, George Ellery Hale, Lee
LaWrie. G. Howard Walker and
Charles Harris Whitaker The major
portion of the book is given over to
reproductions Of pictures of Mr.. Good
ell -Fl, H.,
inSs and photographs an amazing
record of achievement. Thus, those
who wish may, through the medium of
this volume, learn something of Good
hue the man, gaining acquaintance
with him through those who knew him
best. and through the reproductions of
his works learn to estimate the quality
and extent Of his genius.
\ x
At the metropolitan Museum of Art
at the present time a memorial eXhi-
bitIon of paintings and lithographs by
George Bellows is being held. and in
the introduction TO the catalogue
Frank CrowninshieId points out that
this painter was essentially native in
his tendencies, that his work was first
and last American in spirit: that he
derived little from European tradition.
but was able to set forth instinctively
ana powerfully the spirit of his own
time.
Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue was no
less man of original genius. and
though fully familiar with European
tradition, he was able TO discard it and
TO create in new vein suited to new
conditions and a new time
He came of old American stock. one
OF his ancestors having come to this
country from England as early as
1893. The Goodhues and the Grosve-
norS We're New EnglanderS for genera
tons, and it is suggested by one of the
architects 5 biographerS that he derived
his love of the perpendicular in his
boyhood rambles through the woods,
contemplating the trees slim stand
ing IN their tapestry of light and
shadow the upward fling of things
fascinated him. At 9 he declared his
intention of becoming an architect.
W hen at 10 he was sent to boarding
school, most of his school hours were
spent IN drawing dream cities or in
caricaturing his fellow students. I"
Later he was given special tutors, and
1t was to his advantage that his ge-
mus was interfered with little by ped
antry or academicism.
1t is told in his own words how he
went to New York City at Is, was an
office boy for two years, then a
craftsman for four in the office of Rem
wick, Aspinwall & Russell. He was
only about 20 when he went to Boston
and secured a place as craftsman at
$50 week in the office of Cram &
wentworth. one % years of age and
the other ga young, inexperienced
flrm. A year later, on the death of Mr.
Wentworth, he was taken into part
nership, partly, Mr.. Cram explains,
because it was less costly to share
the profits (0 than to continue his
munltlcent salary. This partnership
continued unbroken for % years and
ended finally, not abruptly, but as the
result of a division of labor, of part
ing of the streams, Mr.. Cram confess
ing himself reactionary, Mr.. Good
hue determined upon original paths
| Referring to these years, Mr.. Cram
says: 1t was from Bertram Goodhue
that the inspiration semed to flow.
His personality was so dynamic that
it seemed to stream into and affect
every one within the office walls. If
he was away l always felt at once a
lowering of creative vitality, and the
whole office seemed similarly to be let
down." G. Howard Walker nick
named him robin Goodfellow," and
that characteristic which seems to be
retained most firmly in the minds Of
his friends was his ''joy of life and
joy of creation"
X X X
AS every one knows, to Cram, Good
hue and Ferguson stands the credit
of reviving the Gothic and beautifully
interpreting it in contemporary church
buildings in America. They used this
same style in an entirely new manner
in the design of the buildings for
West Point. But Mr.. Goodhue was
Ii
form of expression. His buildings for
the San Diego EXpOsition We're in the