Page 5 - Demo

THE E. C. GLASS ART COLLECTION:
A Community
Treasure ABY HEIDI JAMES
t the turn of the twentieth century, Lynchburg had a thriving art scene. Dozens of young, well-trained
artists congregated here and inspired each other. Many of them have since become nationally known, enhancing the city’s incredible fine
arts legacy. Thanks to the foresight of several local public school officials and the generosity of artists and their families, a museum- quality art collection has been amassed and housed at E. C. Glass High School. Almost every piece has been donated to what has become a unique treasure for our community to cherish.
The collection at E. C. Glass spans 119 years and is home to approximately 200 original pieces. It is comprised of works by faculty members, students, alumni, and beloved community artists. This article offers some insight into how the collection was started, details about many of the artists involved, and information on how the collection is managed today.
GLASS AND GUTMANN
It all began in September 1895, when Edward Christian Glass, longtime superintendent of Lynchburg City Schools, hired Bernhard Gutmann to become the first supervisor of art in the public schools. His decision gave local public school students their first oppor- tunity to receive instruction in painting and drawing.
Painting of Edward Christian Glass by Sallie Mahood, a gift to the school by the classes of 1932 and 1933.
Bernhard Gutmann, born in Ham- burg, Germany, in 1869, was a young immigrant to the area. He had an inter- est in art at an early age and studied at both the Düsseldorf Academy and at the Prussian Academy of Art. In 1892, at the age of twenty-two, he came to America to take a job at the Lynchburg
×The Janitor’s Wife, 1927, by Scaisbrook Abbot
SPRING/SUMMER 2014 5