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THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY BULLETIN VOL. XVI JULY, 1932 No. 2 SKETCH PORTRAIT OF DEWITT M. LOCKMAN, N.A. NEW YORK: 170 CENTRAL PARK WEST PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY AND ISSUED TO MEMBERS THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 170 CENTRAL PARK WEST (Erected by the Society 1908) Wings to be erected on the 76th and 77th Street corners OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY For Three Years, ending January 8, 1935 PRESIDENT FOREIGN CORRESPONDING SECRETARY JOHN ABEEL WEEKES ARCHER MILTON HUNTINGTON FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT DOMESTIC CORRESPONDING SECRETARY ROBERT E. DOWLING ERSKINE HEWITT SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT RECORDING SECRETARY ARTHUR H. MASTEN B. W. B. BROWN THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT TREASURER R. HORACE GALLATIN GEORGE A. ZABRISKIE FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT LIBRARIAN WILLIAM D. MURPHY ALEXANDER J. WALL THE DE WITT M. LOCKMAN GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY PORTRAITS By ALEXANDER J. WALL It is a pleasure to feature in this number of our Quarterly Bulletin the first article illustrating the gallery of distinguished contemporary people whom Mr. DeWitt M. Lockman, N. A., is painting for the Society, by special arrangement, and about which announcements have been made in our annual reports for the past two years. In addition to its gallery of portraits from the earliest period of portrait painting in New York to modern times, the Society wishes to secure a pictorial record of men and women who have done things worth while in this day and generation. Mr. Lockman, like all good artists, is something of an idealist, but with a mind so practical that he sees at a glance that it is easier to produce a lifelike portrait of a man still alive than to rely on memory to supply the likeness. Acting on the idea, this energetic chairman of our Art Committee, in co-operation with the Executive Committee, started his great work more than a year ago, and proceeded with such diligence and speed that to date our collection has been enriched by the eight notable portraits illustrated in this issue. Nor is this the end! We have in hand certain important additions to this Lockman gallery of contem porary portraiture destined to occupy a major place among our valued collections. It is most fortunate that this portrayal of men of to-day should come from the brush of an artist who is himself so distinctly up to date. Mr. Lockman has developed a technique combining an almost classical fidelity to life with a certain modernistic vibrancy of color, establishing a harmonious medium between the old and new standards of portraiture, ever presenting his subjects broadly and in pleasing tonalities. As other groups of these paintings are completed, we shall illustrate them in the Bulletin. 35 36 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY PORTRAIT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ROBERT L. BULLARD By DeWitt M. Lockman. QUARTERLYBULLETIN 37 ROBERT LEE BULLARD Lieutenant-General, United States Army, Retired In February, 1931, Mr. Lockman painted a three-quarter length portrait of Lieutenant-General Bullard in full dress uniform which was presented to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where it was unveiled, in Grant Hall, on Wednesday afternoon, April 13, 1932, with appropriate ceremonies. The portrait of General Bullard here reproduced is one painted for the Society in the same pose as that at West Point. Both were done in Mr. Lockman's studios, the first at 58 West 57th Street, and the second at 222 West 59th Street. General Bullard served in the Spanish-American war, in the Philippine Islands during the period of insurrection, and on the Mexican border in 1915-1916. He commanded the 2d Brigade, ist Division of the A. E. F. in France in the summer of 1917; established and commanded various infantry officers' schools there; commanded the ist Division, A. E. F. in training maneuvers, trenches and open field in all its engagements and operations against the Germans December, 1917-July, 1918; commanded the 3d Corps from July to October, 1918, and the 2d Army of the A. E. F. in all its operations and engagements, training, occupation of enemy territory in France and in Luxembourg, October, 1918- April, 1919. He was the recipient of decorations from France, Belgium* and Italy as well as from his own country. He was pro moted to major general in the regular army in November 1918, and retired from the service January 15, 1925. His portrait is a valuable addition to the collection. His letter concerning it follows: May 31, 1932 Mr. Alexander J. Wall, 170 Central Park West, New York, N. Y. My {tear Mr. Librarian: When Mr. Lockman had almost finished this portrait of me, by chance he and I were invited to a great banquet of our friends, his and mine. The next day when I appeared at Mr. Lockman's studio for his finishing touches on the portrait, he exclaimed, "Oh, I have got to do it all over. I never saw you until last night." And he did it all over, catching me, I am sure, at the best that I ever imagined myself. Such being the case, how could I find any fault with his work? Sincerely, R. L. BULLARD Lieut.-Gen., U. S. Army Rtd. President, National Security League 38 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Wffl?m.' ' •%'•••• ^S^ST&'-'fl J *^^ - • -JNij^H W/' H/^ fflpPfl*'' J Lv* *. ^II§HI ***.' L%„ jf~f 1 5rjrf™i III - AJS HI PORTRAIT OF DR. NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER By DeWitt M. Lockman. QUARTERLYBULLETIN 39 DR. NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER President of Columbia University This striking likeness and picturesque portrait of Dr. Butler in the brilliant red robe and purple hat of Cambridge University, from which he has an honorary LL.D. degree, was painted in Mr. Lockman's former studio in the Studio Building, 58 West 57th Street, New York City, in December, 1930, and like the others in this series, is a welcome addition to our gallery. Dr. Butler has been president of Columbia University since 1902, and has accomplished his greatest work in enlarging the scope and activities of that wonderful institution. In doing so he has become a citizen of the world, welcomed on every shore. As an educator and speaker, Dr. Butler is internationally known, and has had numerous honors conferred upon him by European nations as well as by America. This year marks the thirtieth year of his presidency, the fiftieth year of his graduation and the seventieth year of his age. To commemorate these anniversaries, a testi monial dinner was given to him at the Waldorf Astoria on April 2, 1932, at which time this portrait was first exhibited. Dr. Butler has been a life member of The New York Historical Society since 1905. After his portrait was finished, the Society received the follow ing letter in response to its communication thanking him for the time he gave for the sittings: March 31, 1931 Alexander J. Wall, Esq., New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York City Dear Mr. Wall: On returning from a month's absence in California, I have your kind letter of the 20th. Will you not express to the Executive Committee of The New York Historical Society my thanks and high appreciation of the honor of being included in those whose portraits have been and are being painted for the gallery of the Society? I greatly appreciated the privilege of being painted by Mr. Lockman. Very truly yours, NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER 40 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY Hi W Ik* XV( V l'$M yfieL^ -I* ' 1L\ Be 4 - ,Si§ *J J,-•» j» i §S8 < *SK^^3 K|||«j 1 •»•* /?'""- 3 L ^|/tauftl . ', PORTRAIT OF HON. CALVIN COOLIDGE. By DeWitt M. Lockman. QUARTERLYBULLETIN 41 HONORABLE CALVIN COOLIDGE 30th President of the United States, 1923-1929 The excellent portrait of ex-President Calvin Coolidge was painted in his home at Northampton, Mass., in November, 1930, where Mr. Lockman was a guest during the two weeks the work was in progress. The introduction into the picture of "Beauty," the white collie, a favorite dog of the ex-President, lends additional interest. The Society prizes this painting as a valuable document which deserves an important place in its gallery of American portraiture. It is a pleasure to record that Mr. Coolidge's interest in his torical research work was manifested by his acceptance, on Oc tober 16, 1929, of the Presidency of the American Antiquarian Society at Worcester, Mass., an institution founded in 1812 by Isaiah Thomas, editor of the Massachusetts Spy. The great col lections of that Society are a joy to every student of American history. To our request that he sit for a portrait to be placed in our gallery, Mr. Coolidge wrote the following gracious reply: October 22, 1930 Mr. A. J. Wall, 170 Central Park West, New York. Dear Sir: Your very kind letter has been received. I shall be very glad to sit for Mr. Lockman but I am in New York only once a month and have very little time on those occasions. If he would like to come to Northampton some time we would be very glad to keep him at our house. He might like to visit here. With kindest regards, I am Very truly yours, CALVIN COOLIDGE 42 THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY DR. WILBERFORCE EAMES By DeWitt M. Lockman. QUARTERLYBULLETIN 43 DR. WILBERFORCE EAMES Bibliographer of The New York Public Library No portrait in this series is more welcome than that of Dr. Eames, eminent scholar of the book world. It was painted in Mr. Lockman's studio in November, 1931, and was unveiled in the Assembly Hall of the Society on November 20, 1931, on the occasion of the 127th anniversary of the founding of the Society which was celebrated by the presentation of its gold medal to Dr.