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' EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1922
HAND THAT CREATED WONDROUS SCULPTURES
NOW PALSIED. BUT ARTISTS SOUL LIVES ONI
0
Johannes Gelert, Far Inte . the Gray Shadows of Life, Seeks
Haven for Rest in Brooklyn Heme for Aged His
Fight JVith Fate Lesing One Americans Toe
Materialistic, He Finds, te Cultivate Spirit That Leads
te High Ideals in Art
Man 's Best HandiM
work, He SaySfP
Should Be Fash
ioned Out of the-
Pure Leve df
f!f,"9'''','ir,;"rv'''',"r'
r ( ) mmummmL!
v mWmmim v
t ivvrrifesv "OH Rk?raiK
lliSfiiil w .: - uv-. Mlli . B -;,.;;;;;::!
sj5saaaKm v-sifiiM'wi vsM'wiB .bl. . '. va.. .& 581?. s - 'j-s h-.
4JAsy?3.-AwM c"w""". i-y Biffi: -- - , -iwr? w i
AN'i;iyZJ.SiiMvW iJl&V&Pnm.-XM&Z7 :!, v- v rai'wwv'r - -n..--- -.-,.,lJ..,v .
-., XNKg?TOlaffl?S!ffi Vi??iBm aaaKNiaccaw
-SMMi PlfflMHPl "Thp truRRle for Werk.- erected in the 3MM
SWWiPVfSamfl lP City of ChicaRe and regarded as n splendid m&$p&
ISSSSKStWh. example of (Jelerfs 'virile conceptions fiM
,--J??i VWWffflfcv seventieth hlrtluluv Tlii nir- '"'-"" ""'"""- " ""-.'". "" ; My,r''5Se3 &&OS37.3JsW-a-'. - !
?SS5'' v XTixYAjvtS8S3HfV etimtin eirinuuj. inis pa- i member nf I n- inti'iin Idii.-iI .r:rj ni K?j.5Vv3s" trf)Mt3fATK .. . a ifl
PARALYSIS, old age, oblivion.
Then, what of Fame?
That riRht hand of Johannes S.
Oclert, which fashioned the majestic
pieces of sculpture and statuary that
enhance the beauty of many Amer
ican cities, lies weak and helpless.
Mighty monuments withstand the
onslaughts of wind and weather. Hut
net se the human frame.
Today Gelert, noted Danish sculp- j
ter, is in the Danish Heme for the i
Aged in Ikoeklyn, penniless broken
in health and fortune.
His last work, a memorial te Dr. !
Themas H. Slicer, which is in the
All Seuls' Church, Manhattan, he
made entirely with his left hand.
Nev, that hand is being overtaken
by the paralysis which has crippled
his right.
A year age, without any notice at
nil, Gelert closed his studio in New
Yerk, where he had wrought some
of his best work, disappeared from I
his us tal haunts and faded from the
group of fellow craftsmen who had
been hi3 cronies in the National .
Sculpture Society and similar or
ganizations. '
Last week, en his seventieth birth
day, his friends found him in the
Danish Heme for the Aged.
Although he created many not
able civic groups, among thorn the
Denmark Greup en the New Yerk
(Vf-tem Heuse, the Haymnrket
-!atue in Haymarket Square and the
Hans Andersen piece in Lincoln
Park, Chicago, and although he ,
wen three cold .medals in contests i
in the United States, he received
few commissions te de remunerative
".erk.
What a young artist who comes
te America and finds it a land of
premise has te say is notable. But
what an artist who for a lifetime
has battled and beat against the
oremiso of America says is mere
ipnificant.
"I have no fault te find with
Vmerica," said Mr. Gelert. "I am
junt stating facts."
He sat in his rocking chair in the
Giving the Best
YEslRS AGONE
ACCLAIMED
IS SUPERMAN
New Forgotten, but
Although Pride Is
fVeuuded, Dane
Docs Net Cavil
at Passing of
Fa we
litili' nil 'i ilinii. And the
silir,,,'. no ) ,. t H. !. ! ll'.icll I lie silb
Jf" t tllil I ! Ill llll'I.I."
(irlrrt-.- Iii'liif thai nil ni'ist have
tlif litif'kurntinil nf liiHterv Mini cxpe-rii-mi'
uiim ruj-rii'il nm in his in edu
cation. Hi hri;;!'i lii ciirpi'r iih an
f.'i-iii' te .-. .. ...i--:irv"r -i : te'k-
lielm fur fin:r m'pim.
T'
In
niJiwl
ii i i p m iii i ii ii i i i i m v c, js ' iv '. V'rt,r:i5jrtr::x.ntv.WKFf-vj i :.i .... .:-..!
WtiwmmffimWmW --..; -i -s w$wKMt(wm a iv mm t- ni.i...i.-.h at ti. st.
HiilHH W iU' " 'i7 s' VdktMMWSsi "Art is m the iK-'ait," he said. "If r.imN i:m.emiI,wi: Hi ri,w ,,f status,
W Tn WnHmvmtn ift'lil " V ," w VV JPW'SlRv .W3 . ,. ... ! l-l'Dii'il.Mi Initilnte nt Art- mill f-i ii'Mi-i':
MWffia W$WM$Wfim Vy V , ' IWW Sa nrl no ftmeut "f reading or writing ,in Matt:,. .,f C,.l,.i1(.l .1. r. St..v.... Hi,.
W SSOSSiHB VN;"' '" v 6 5" 0 m$M$M$?M '&&& ' will give it. ,f.iiiiidi.r .if Minm-atiiili-: tln .1 nitimi
SlfflHHHH! - , tyfm&VM k'- vwfeWWS t Bent deal of icadtng abe u ,.,...,., N. .,.. wl iM .,,,,.
WXMm&mmSm A" PA 0 M$tM$iMiV V- 3S1K PaW1 nrt la' K've a person a certain, stntim- .i.l a tr-,z,. mmm.i tl... ,.vt.-
WMmMBtffl Xl "felifefiitl ' ;V WMIIrII "K about art, a certain vh.r f .,., ...,,, ,.. ,Mm
rtwws rfflsji'xTa3Bi Hy-,'. ,i.dKBiKaj'. -'H- !:, r.' ,r KjvAiwajiMiwN y'A-raj??
NNH ' f'SHPrnr II Plr' SSPH
mttliiS , LtL .uMaN..Hi . .-w.Miv .As .Vrf,r.v ,v.-'lT . tt,VlV.,lLr," . i'S.f
ni at tli" I'.n.Mii .rmlfiin nt' Copen Cepen
I'tici'n. Up ni.t tuiiri'ii (niii'i hc
v.p ei.'u" in I'nfi- tn wnrl: iii'd study.
Hi cxliilii'cil ju t!i,. s;i'(iii thiT' in 1878,
tin II Nfllt ' -k (. r.iTlin te llil nionu nienu
nii'iital work. I.nti'i-In- -tuiliiil at Itunie
t' a I:ini!i llmi niiin'iir ni'ltelnrship
'"iiilly hi- cit;!" te thi- country in
issT, Mw -iv ItittT In1 became a
'itizi i'.
Finds Philosophy In
Reading Own Poems
nor I." iii-.-iiMilfil from
te liriii? i'iiuii some of
11- i-iif..li. .1 '.M.' ..iivf.iilv.
Hi' i-Miil iii Hi- lush. fifMii tone et a
!wt iitnl tirephi'i.
'l'!i- kri'ini- nf thK limni' nnd tlin
lien-ikt'i'in'r leth fame in te hear his
lini'iii.
t win n -inaili'i- auiut'iicp than tjie
weH.l Iki.I Ii- !.
iti nt 1 1. ii '. wii.it i- i.ii'u '' They
Mli. I "ul hi Ills in- ...in- ii).i'crmtlVU
tllllll I l-i.Wcl-.
If i-.i'l e'i te tl.- i iii-c ei Mi necra.
It -ii-: "Se in !... -hi iciirn
from ,eit. lii-.i' !'i' ,1 lle- i .- . H, like
ihi. t.. yni- iii. i- Iim-. Ti cliidih-n and
Peltll'-il ! till- V ! WO.-'il .'I 1 l-t."
WVWTjRVftir.V-'T'l
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.lehannrs S. Gelert. famous Dan
ish sculptor, as he looked en his
seventieth birthday. This pic
ture was taken in the Danish
.-mil Ntiuh iiiC An.i-.-ii .'in
luiil tn.-i-tcii-il it.
Ills Hi-iiliitiii'M hrniiKht 1 1 1 ti Muimis
IiikIi ri'i'dcnitieti.-i. Ili n .-l-iiil ;i
1 member of tli- luti'i-nntleti.-il jirj of
I nw.-iril nl' llin I 'li!i-.-ii'ii l--.vnn-.it inn tstllt
Heme for the Aged, liroeklyn, i 1 1- ii.i-im.iI Iiemhi-.iIiIi. menthm iii tin'
. i uhere .Air. uelert is runs l.-,-',ti .-. liinit. (lehl himiIiiI-
spending his remaining years, i were iiwnt-ili'il him l.y tln Nii-liv-ill-
He is tihiiwn looking ever his I ''rntptitiiiil nxpinitieti in sn7. hy iln-
latest work, "Schleswig and . Pliiladidphiu An (lull ami Lv the
l)inmnrl(" At'lPIK'illl Art Sin .cty. I !' wn cli'i'tnl
" R , :i iiit'tiilii-r of the National S-iilptim. Se-
cti'ty and of tlu Ai-i-liiii'i-tiinil l.t'iimii'.
immobility of despair. They just I S"iiu of the in-emlii-iit inihlli- works
I'liu in wiis rniiril I1P"II ie (..rin- ni-
true d-sire, ii true need for it. I I'nM. Hnttlc I'rwli, .Mh-h. : u n.it:-nlt
"Americans de net want nrt. Art S!';!M' (','r,. ,V""I,!,",;,.,IU i,''l.n"si' ""'
,,..., .... . . i Mattii" et 'tiMicral iiraiit. (!:ihmki. 111.
is dehnitely spiritual. Americans i .. .
have been and still are materialistic. ' """' (fi'iun vies
I believe what Russell Sturges tnid "'s' 3 cat'fs Advance
about them: 'Art is a birthdnv gift1 ,'1'1"' ',,!'1 !1-'f' ,n,n" "I "" :..!. .-. I' ...
. I . , i i i ti ... ' , . ' III" ainl i ltH' ..-nl tn l'l-ilili - 1 i 111
winch is denied te English-speaking , R1VP f ,lM ,,,.,. m,,.,,,,! ,,,-., i,,--people.'
tvvpi'ii him ami hi- ufi (whom 1,- inr-
T!ir nit which h.-m hpen dpvcleppil 'l"l whi-n In- wn- f..rty-f.nii- .111 Li
as 11 .ii-tlaitly Aim-riraii tireilii.-t in- ihmchler and 1vm (-nti".
rhuI.'M tin. .Medem Scheel of Art and, ',ls -'''le li.Tiitn.- iiiifivi.i.-nt-i.
the NVw Ri-he.il of Art. Thev ur.. dn- D''1 f-'nllicn'il en til" inspii-iMi; Im-ts
vi'lepcil te attract attention. 'Tlicv ai-e'1'1?' "I"'"'' '""' heferc had been the
what shmiiitiK is te a deaf mnn. They l"-'!'0 of '"' '0"" ','' . , ,
are like n call for help from a ship in , ht" t-'ehl mediiU tarnished anil were
distress. add away. ,
mcrirans reprcj-s and Niipprean "'"' ""I'l'J. m" ..i-ierc. in
their feelliiKs until there is nu feelins "ratP is '" liv'' "f'1- When I h.iil no
left. work te ile I imiile -ketches nhent
"Art imiit have a h.-ickgrnitml of rtne- -J" I" ti. Tin. wen. all life -aver-,
tl.-lli- ami epe-li.ii-e. I i'!i... in ''"he Hi Mil who hi.- 1 'lliins te de i
it lili'm arl 011 tiailllien. iliinei-nr-i te In;. .-(.If,
"Aiit-riru li;is no feelitiB for art of its "I aid te :n--lf. 'It ilee-n't mattei mattei
ewn," he eiijiiined. wlilli-i- tin wm-Ks nr- em led away a-
Then, iliKturhed anil Inenn'elnblp. lie ruhhi-h after in'' death. I will de n. n.
are.su nnd. in slippired feet, slinflled ' ChrNt nuid : "Ve.i shall net hide veur
across the 100111. I liuht under a 1-i-hel, Imt jmt ii ,n n
"Amerirn neetiiH te present llfelf ns I raiiilh-Miek that it mnv -ive life te
a vast field of miipiiatiim te many art- 'all."' Se I considered "it m duiv te
isls.' he was reminded. Kive the-,, i-hildr.-n of mv hrain "and
"Hint is Iicpiiiipc they nre venns and In'ellect a hmi-im;."
appliuise means nnieh te them. When ,lust 11- the artist s-tiled ha. k te en
' 'm "V't! (t'.V .. .. , i"V the life of ,-i-enltiii! I,is -,i:l,t I111111I
lie left off tl sentence wlih 11 Minrp ,,nd 111:11 I.-mihu- -nuri'lt pnralireil.
Ki-tillT of his l.nny left hand. I.if- N ,.Um- futile." I, e .,,,';. .,,1
a Ii.. .fit. II1.1I I . . I l- . . . '
;" " " f"i iiiiii-i 11 'wiieii 1 iiiiiii iioiem;
1
.i.-iii.-i. of two .Ihl mm detenill.iR the ll21!lrK ,lf ,.,.,., , ,..,,,
1 1- of a ei-t. Ilieu-spir 1 Bi'i-iiis mi- ii,,,,,,..!, , 1, ,.',,
il.iimteil. hill tlieii- Imilleu re ,,. , '"""Ml. Ii.) I'l .1111, a
.... .. . .. .. ..... ,,,. ,,.,,.,. , ... ,.,., , .., m. ,.,. ... iiMii-iiutlii.. I !.,,,. 1.
- I In iiiiiii . 11
:-r nu- mi iiainl.
ell.llllieit in pi-
11 I I lietn was l,.f;
"-Napuleen," which wen cemmetiditinn at I lie St. Leuis lvxpositien and which takes rank with
(ielert's mere famous works
"ain-h Henii' tn he talked. His clean. A housemaid busily moved wi,u.,
1 worn lihifi. suit caught the about, dusting the limnm-i'. Hits
l'"i ns uliii.i, Ime-i.iI niwl flu-kiired mini v he bieiithes the gospel of art
in tl,,, iv. ii,,,t u,,..,,,,,,,,,! tiii-niiirii I which dwells in etecple towers and
the liattly raised slunk. . in the dusty shadows or light and
The plnce seemed comfortable and darkness is confined te a room
nt ws only the art of the
lieu.-ic.wiV th.-tt of cleanliness. His
every ideal seemed contradicted.
His large, earnest eves staved
stt night ahead. They Had net the
Krlii.M.'' There is Jey and tlinnkfulncsi I "".. ", ' ' V"1 V ' ;., r , , ..
in it for the ( senvcry of the New I ,', ll ' ' ,' ",l,M",r ', fashion
I ami-,, land of ilrca.nn,,, ,,', U ,! ! ' " f ' J'i" 'tUw' (,r '; '"-h en-.!
premises inncl m '0lt- 'v weik is horn of Inns-
,, . .. , llnK " Ir.-inntiiit tlu- .tin- 1 imve known
two rtunlings Hedge ,0 countless nh. r iimt th-i .ny f. ei
,,. ... , ,-. . the rapt in-own the!!! its Ti-it imi nine
Hlii Lifer, It itttei'U "It de,-, net ina.t.i- win.. ..,.,,w
(ielert's feehle frntne Meed between ''" '" "" "fe '"'"'r rehs jen of the
the two picture. Iim life's history P'i.''r te (jive." His hlgh-piii-lied
seeiiieil hed-.ied In hy ihe two pnltitiiiBs. i 0,p,'', 'ni',,(' '"'" ,l feeble trenie'.i.
At tir-t for him there was weleeme I "Then you de think theie i- hop,.
in this hind of his lengiujjs- -Ameriea. i 'or the development of art in America""
Later tliere was milled te this rennivn. ' "e was hhkcii.
Theucli he could net Kpeak lhifllsli dis- "Yes," In. an-wered, and his Inns'
linellv, lie wen tile contest te eveetitc ' steel urn.i leelts which fell back ever
the iruymmkel Btatue In (Tileaee. j his head shook with emotion.
Shortly thereiiTter lit was piveii tln ' "The hope for art In America is Ie
' mission ie (leceraie tlie new llet-nlil develop an art out of the mixture of
IIuildltiK In Chicaite, Many of his com
missions called for a eemnlni- l. i.,,u-l
edite of tlm lives of Americuti hei-ees
art which has been hreuzhr int.. it
from diffcreiit niitlnus.
LurepennR are well versed In mat
He set himself te the tank of renilliis teu of art nnd histur.i. Americans
aenmssiM
T.',li. V-Z:.'&7?Mmrttl
ie&m&um
mm&mm
splendid mMwrPXi tSSrnlSB
&mMkH M"'yms 'mmm
ligurcs k.i'hm0A t MB V i.tc&u.$?Mmn
i Kil vi fill f&smmm
Mim$9 ; & mm m
bye -. -'-' irf i ',; : i tiv- ;-. s?l ..JqpMEM
mmmmi:': ... - mum
tew . .. hSI.
1