Evening star., 1939-09-24

the canvas 10 the government. nov
the painting of this portrait came
about has Of late been told by Mr.
Seymour to a small group of friends
It is as follows:
In conversation with me one day
Mr.. Taft deplored that he had beer
painted for the White House by
Zorn, and for his brother, Charles P
Taft, by Sorolla, rather than by ar
American painter. He would have
preferred, he said, to have been
painted by Sargent. I got his per-
mission to write to Mr.. Sargent, who
replied that he had given up portrait
painting and declined the commits
sion with reluctance. Mr.. Sargent
was then at work. I believe, on his
muras for the Boston Public Lii
brary. According, I referred the
matter of the selection Of portrait
painter to my friend, Herbert
Adams, then President Of the Ma
tional Academy Of Design.
"After surveying the field. Mr..
Adams recommended Mr.. Ipsen for
the commission. Mr.. 1psen, accord
mgly, went to Washington, and as a
spectator attended the sessions OF
the Supreme Court for several days
in order to study Mr.. Taft, who, OF
course, did not know OF his presence.
Then Mr.. Taft gave Mr.. Ipsen what
sittings were required. Before the
portrait was completed I went to
Washington and in the improvised
studio in the Corcoran Gallery Of
Art, being taken into consultation,
as it were, made some suggestions
about the portrait, all in the direc-
ton of simplif1cation.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft Approved.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Taft expressed
themselves as entirely satisfied with
the likeness. In due time the por-
trait was presented and Chief JUS
tice Hughes wrote to me and said
that he would like to arrange a
simple presentation ceremony If I
would come to Washington. but as
had no idea of any publicity in
connection with the gift, declined
and kept the matter a secret until
now.
Having reached my 80th year, l
thought I might as well let the cat
out of the bag; had some prints
made Of the portrait and dedicated
this brief description of the picture,
which am sending to few friends,
as know from long experience how
much facts regarding portraits from
life are valued.
"Cass Gilbert, a close friend OF
mine from 1926 until his death,
designed the new Supreme Court
Building in Washington, was taken
into the secret of the portrait
of Chief Justice Taft, and designed
a particular place for it in the new
building, presumably that in which
1t now hangs"
The portrait of Chief Justice Taft
shows him in his robe OF office,
standing beside a Greek column,
glasses in his right hand; a manu-
script in his left. He is shown full
face, and with head on the same line
as his body, looking straight in the
eyes of the observer; strong race
full of kindliness, but also gravity;
one who fully upheld the dignity as
we'll as bore the responsibilities OF
his great office. There are not IN
this painting many pyrotechnics OF
technicality, such as one would nnd
In portraits by Zorn or Sorolla, or
perhaps even Sargent. The artist is
forgotten in his work. 1t is the per-
sonality of the portrayed which i'm
presses, and this is as it should be
under such circumstances.
In Renaissance Manner.
The criticism has been made, in
connection with this portrait, that
there is too much robe, too little
colorful interest in the canvas as a
whole. but after all, interest is thus
concentrated in the head, compile
mented and balanced by the hands.
In such wise the great portrait
painters of the Renaissance set forth
their subjects, more masterfully per-
haps, but with the same understand
ing Of the purpose of the portrait IN
mind.
Portraits of other Justices hang
In the same room and lend addl-
tional dignity; portraits which, IN
most instances, surpass In artistic
quality the standard OF of11cial por-
traits as q whole.
It is an interesting fact that the
Government, ever since its forma-
ton. has patronized portrait paint
ers and commemorated its leaders
by portraits, principally in oil, but
sometimes sculptured. Every Pres
ident of the United States, when
going out of Office, is painted by
Government order and the canvas
is hung somewhere in the White
House. All the Secretaries Of Gov
ernment departments, one-time
members of the cabinet, are like
wise so commemorated, as are the
Vice Presidents, the speakers OF
the House and numerous others.
The collection steadily increases.
Departmental Galleries.
Within the memory Of the writer
the portraits of the Secretary Of
State were hung on the walls Of
the Secretary's Office, which as years
passed became more and more over
crowded. In recent years, in fact
during the present administration,
not only in the State Department,
but in other departments, particu-
larly those which have moved into
new quarters, the corridors on which
the Secretaries offices open have
been converted into departmental
portrait galleries. This has been
done with excellent judgement and
very satisfactory effect.
There is, however, one striking
omission; whereas the names of those
painted are placed on tablets on
the frames, there is no mention of
the artists whose work they repre-
sent. In some instances this is
unfortunate; in others perhaps, quite
the contrary. Obviously all Of the
portraits do not uphold the high