Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08
BY MYRTA ETHEL CAWOOD.

:" thursday. February H. marks the
1920 anniversary of the birth of the
immortal Lincoln. Each year, at
this time, throngs of people journey
to the United States Capitol to see
what the Great Emancipator really looked like.
There are six celebrated works Of art depicting
lincoln in the Capitol four of which are Of in
Eense historical interest, because they were ex-
Ocuted by American painters and sculptors who
actually knew the martyred President. They
were sketched or modelled from life.
The famous statue of Lincoln in the rotunda
was executed by . mere slip of girl, barely 16
years Of age, who was poor and unknown at the
time she modelled Lincoln. Another woman, q
war nurse, did the marble bust Of Lincoln
which is in the Senate wing of the Capitol 1t
q also an interesting fact that two paintings
and one marble bust Of the great Lincoln have
been donated to the Congress by individuals
The celebrated historical painting, The First
Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation Be-
fore the Cabinet by President Lincoln" is the
work of Francis Bicknell Carpenter, whose
greatest ambition in life was to perpetuate the
moment, exalted to a dignity and glory almost
divine that gave freedom to a race The mas
stve painting, 14h feet long and feet high,
now hangs on the wall of the east staircase Of
the House wing of the Capitol. 1t is portrait
Of President Lincoln and his Cabinet and was
painted in the Executive Mansion, where the
artist was given helpful and constructive criti-
cism by the President during the progress Of
the work.
CARPENTER, like Lincoln, worked hard and
won his success alone He was born in
New York in 1880 of poor parents. His father
was stern, hardworking farmer, who hated
"bainting and boetry too" Nevertheless, young
Carpenter began drawing pictures before he
was 8 years old He used to walk three miles
TO the village store, to invest his entire capital
Of or cents for sheet of unruled foolScap
and q pencil Some of his youthful endeavors
still adorn the walls of the old homestead. The
practical father tried to prevent his son from
drawing, but that was hopeless task.
5. One day young Carpenter saw an itinerant
portrait painter at work. Inspired by his first
contact with an artist the lad Immediately
went home and improvised surprising studio
Outft. He bought pound of white lead, then
he got some lampblack and few Jumps of
Venetian red, which he found in the corner of
the barn. He whitfield a pallet from shingle
and borrowed q large pencil such as carriage
painters used. He tore the lining from an old
Coat for his canvas. With these implements
he painted his mothers portrait. One day, the
elder Carpenter saw the picture and recognized
the features of his wife. After that he became
more tolerant Of the lads painting messes."
When Frank was IA years Of age he studied
for six months under Sanford Thayer in SYRIA
calSe This constituted his entire art inStruc-
ton. Before he was Is he opened his first
studio in his home town, but few people came
to sit for their portrait. Young Carpenter was
obliged to go from house to house painting pic
lures for his board and keep, for his father re-
fused to support him.
During the troubled days of the Civil War
the artist was stin poor. But he had become
obsesSed with plan for painting Lincoln read
ing the Emancipation Proclamation He made
bis design and sent it to friend in Washing
ton, who showed it to the President. Lincoln
was pleased with the idea and he agreed to
have Carpenter paint the picture. This was
the artists great chance, but he was too poor
to GO to Washington.
That very dav the desnondent nainter