International studio (24.1904/1905(1905))

The Art of Carl Gutherz

ture, Transportation, Invention; the Phonograph
and the Telephone.
The Light of Poetry is revealed in a red panel,
where the figure of the Muse, mounted on Pegasus,
holds in one hand a torch and with the other reaches
forth after the Ideal—always sought, always un-
attained. The mystic and half-defined cherubs in
this panel suggest Tradition and Mythology; Tra-
gedy and Comedy; Pastoral and Lyric Poetry and
Fable.
Again comes the violet panel, The Light of State,
the figure being Columbia; the violet is the shade
attained by uniting the national colours; the eagle
hovers over the figure, and the cherubs are Suffrage,
Justice, Liberty and Equality.
The Light of Research is shown in green, the cen-
tral figure being the Spirit of the Lens, which
reveals the secrets of the universe to the scientist
gazing through the microscope and the telescope.
The cherubs represent Chemistry, Astronomy,
Mineralogy and Entomology, and the Sea and
the Air are mysteriously portrayed. The Light of
Truth is shown in blue, the Spirit of Truth being
personified as crushing under foot the dragon of
Ignorance and Falsehood, and, reaching to heaven
for light, he turns the ray to pierce to death the
writhing monster.
The seventh panel in this wonderful spectrum
is in indigo; the theme, The Light of Science, and
the figure represents Astronomy guided by the
Light of the Soul to explore the realms of space and
wrest from them the secrets of divine knowledge.
The soul is symbolized by a butterfly that wings its
way in the air overhead.
Mr. Gutherz painted a series of remarkable
mural decorations for the People’s Church in St.
Paul, Minn., the artist’s theme being to allegori-
cally represent life in both the physical and the
spiritual worlds. The bases of the panels present
the figures of two recording angels—the one writing
in the Book of Life, the other holding it closed and
sealed. The painter expresses the poet’s thought
in the lines:
“There are two angels that attend unseen
Each one of us; and in great books record
Our good and evil deeds. He who records the good deeds,
Closes and seals the page; the other
But keeps his dreadful day-book open
Till sunset, that we may repent; which being done,
The angel blots it out, and leaves
A line of light across the page.”
The last panel of this decorative series represents
a majestic angel figure holding a scroll inscribed
“The Truth Shall Make You Free.” In the back-

ground is suggested the Temple of St. Sofia and the
Temple of Solomon, while in the foreground are
groups of figures, from Solomon and Erasmus and
Luther to Lincoln and Phillips Brooks. The special
message of this mural painting is of liberty, and this
is supported by the truth, “the greatest of these is
charity,” liberty and charity being the combined
greatness of eternal life. The colour scheme is very
beautiful, and roses, lilies and palm branches are
felicitously introduced.
In the Court House at Fort Wayne, Ind., is also
a series of six splendid decorative panels, by Mr.
Gutherz, which make that building a very Mecca
of artistic pilgrimage.
One of the special favorites among the general
public is the Sunset after Appomattox, painted by
Mr. Gutherz a few years ago. The scene is that
of the end of the surrender, when, after sad words of
parting from his troops, General Lee turns his face
toward home. The baggage wagons and servants


PORTRAIT OF A BOY. BY CARL GUTHERZ

LXXXVI