Evening star., 1927-05-01

"A now be seen in the CorcOran
4 i Gallery of Art, where 1t has
temporarily been placed on
view. It is entitled, Abraham Lin
coin Breasting the Winds" and while
essentially realistic, Is in a measure
allegorical It represents Lincoln,
clean.shaven, carrying bulging
carpet-bag in his left hand, gripping
his old-fashioned umbrella beneath his
right arm, holding his stove-ppe hat
in his hand, striding with body bent
forward, across country, breasting
the winds of a mighty storm. The
Clouded sky is black and ominous,
swirling wind is sweeping the earth.
The painting was suggested by a
reminiscence of Leonard w. Nolk,
Douglas Volks father, who accom-
panied Stephen A. Douglas during
the Lincoln and Douglas debates.
Leonard Volk said: "All were soon
on board the long train, crowded
with people going to hear the speak
ers at Springfield, I'll. The train
stopped near Edwards Grove, in the
northern outskirts of the town, where
staging was erected and a vast crowd
awaiting under the shade of the
trees. On leaving the train most of
the passengers climbed over the
fences and crossed the stubble field,
taking a short cut to the grove,
among them Mr.. Lincoln, who stalked
forward alone, taking immense
strides, his carpet bag and umbrella
in his hand, and his coatskirt flying
in the wind I managed 10 keep
pretty close in the rear of the tall,
gaunt figure with the head craned
forward, apparently much over the
balance like the leaning Tower of
Pisa, that was moving something like
q hurricane across the rough stubble
feld.''
Douglas Volk, who remembers being
taken on Lincoln's knee when his
father was modelling his portrait, has
made an intensive study not only of
Lincoln's face but his character, and
has produced a remarkable series of
Lincoln portraits, of which this is the
fourth One of these portraits has
found place in the Albright Art Cal
lery at Buffalo; another, entitled,
with Malice Toward None," has been
circulated during the past year by the
American Federation of Arts in the
public schools of the country. Each
of these portraits presents different
phase of the Lincoln of history. The
one entitled with Malice Toward
None" shows him as "the embodiment
of sadness and melancholy, yet the
soul of mirth and of quaint and kindly
humor, drawing men and even little
children to his side by the warmth
and tenderness of his nature" In
Lincoln Breasting the Winds" Mr..
Nolk has presented the dynamic char
acter of the leader. has pictured the
strong man who, once determining on
the right, could not be turned from
the chosen path--a man of sadness.
but of great power, capable of breast
ing the storm, but not unconscious Of
its terrors-the seer, the bulwark. OF
the four portraits this is the most
broadly painted, and in many ways
the strongest and the best. Possibly
the painter has so mastered his sub
ject that it in turn has mastered his
technique. No one who sees this por-
trait can doubt it to be the work of
an inspired artist. a work rendered
not only with skill but great emotion.
X Y 4
TWO interesting and delightful ex-
hibitions opened last week at the
Dunthorne Gallery. These consist of
the works of Alfred Hutty and George
Elbert Burr, both distinguished Amer
lean etchers
Alfred Hutty was at one time a de-
signer for Tiffany & Co., but for a con-
siderable number Of years now he has
given his attention to the arts called
fine-painting, drawing, etching. His
Summers are spent at Woodstock N.
Y, when he does not go abroad: his
Winters in Charleston, S. G.. In both
places he finds unusual and congenial
subjects. Three years ago one of his
prints was chosen by the Print Max
ers' Society of California as the pres
entation print for 1924 to associate
members of the society, signal and
we'll merited honor. His etchings of
Charleston subjects-houses, streets,
negroes--have found much favor
Doubtless his experience as q de-
signer The worked in a stain glass
studio in Kansas City, and later with
well known firm in st. Louis, before
going to Tiffany's) has helped him ma
terially in getting into his etchings and
paintings a suggestion Of decorative
effect. But what really tells, and
tells most is his works, is an innate
sensttiveness TO beauty in nature and
in the works of man. Among his ex-
ceedingly successful plates is one of
the Capitol looking up the long fight
OF steps leading to Pennsylvania ave
nue. from the west front.
He has been particularly successful
in his etchings of trees, seeing TO it
that those he pictures grow out OF the
ground, have roots beneath the sur
face, are living, individual, character
full. Royal COrtissoz, in the New York
Tribune, has said. referring to an ex-
hibition of Mr.. 8Hutty's works: THE
drawings Of trees are delightful The
definition Of foNtn is accurate and at
the same time lightly touched. A plate
like 'Sycanores' or the charming
'Birches denotes a most engaging
talent"
X K
GEORGE ELBERT BURR has to
an extent, also, specialized in
trees, and he, too, passed to etching
from other forms Of art. He started
out as q business man, but gave up
business to become an illustrator. In
1892 he was commissioned to illustrate
the catalogue of the Heber Bishop col
lection Of Chinese porcelains, bronzes
and jades, which commission occupied