life of a portrait artist: victor lallierlife of a portrait artist: victor lallier victor lallier...
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CHAPTER THREE
Life of a Portrait Artist: Victor Lallier
Victor Lallier ultimately became known as the premier
portrait painter of twentieth century Texas. His work was
exhibited and admired across Texas, and reminders of his
lasting legacy can still be seen throughout the state and
beyond. Having painted over 2,000 portraits in his career,
Lallier enjoyed great success in his life and should be
remembered for memorializing so many great citizens of
Texas and the United States.
Born on April 22, 1912 in Fort Worth, Texas, Victor
Alvin Lallier (fig. 7) had the fortune to visit many
museums and galleries across the United States at a young
age with his father, a railroad worker and amateur artist.
These visits deeply influenced Lallier as a young child;
soon he was carving figures out of soap and drawing cowboys
and horses from memory, which he gave to schoolmates.14
Lallier grew up in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas and
attended Bryan Street High School where he was known for
his sense of humor. His senior quote from the 1928 Bryan
14 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years of Southwestern Portraiture,”
pamphlet (n.p., 1957).
20
Fig. 7. Victor Lallier, 1928. Courtesy of Don Brownlee.
Street High School Yearbook, “A man of wit!,” shows his
humorous side.15 After high school, Lallier began a year-
long apprenticeship with artists Frank Calder in Dallas and
Hobart Britton in Atlanta, Georgia. He then enrolled in
classes at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas,
15 Don Brownlee, e-mail message to author, March 7, 2009.
21
anticipating a degree in art advertising, which he had
studied with Calder and Britton.16 Lallier discovered,
however, that his true passion was sketching from life. He
sharpened his skills by sketching friends and family in his
spare time.17
In 1931, he took an art class at SMU under the
direction of Olive Donaldson; this would be a pivotal point
in the artist‟s career.18 She saw in him an inherent ability
to draw faces and gave him a copy of John Vanderpoel‟s book
on human anatomy. Under Donaldson, Lallier experimented
with charcoal, pastel, and oil paint. Lallier was also
inducted to Alpha Rho Tau, an honorary art fraternity.19
In addition to his formal art education, Lallier also
spent time studying locally with artists Olin Travis, Otis
Dozier, Ralph Rountree, and Dallas Morning News editorial
cartoonist John Knott. He even studied with well-known
photographer Clarence Bull at MGM Studios in California and
traveled to New York City to study in the studios of
Leopold Seyffert and Joseph Cummings Chase, both
accomplished portrait artists.20
16 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.” 17 Mary Anne Cullum, “Lallier Portraits in Pastel and Oil to Be Shown
Sunday,” Dallas Morning News, October 25, 1936. 18 Elisabeth Crocker, “Bishop Selecman‟s Portrait by Victor Lallier
Unveiled“, Dallas Morning News, June 7, 1939. 19 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.” 20 Ibid.
22
Upon his return to Texas, Lallier was anxious to apply
his new skills and begin a career of his own. 1933 was a
very important and busy year for the young artist, for this
was the year in which he broke onto the art scene in
Dallas. He showed work at the Dallas Allied Arts
Exhibition of that year and had a few smaller one-man
exhibitions in the area.21 These included a group of pastel
portraits at the Dallas Little Theater,22 a group of pastel
portraits at the Oak Cliff Little Theater23 and a group of
sketches at the Melba Theater.24 For these occasions,
Lallier made portraits of the play‟s cast which hung in the
theatre lobbies for guests to view. Lallier promoted
himself as a portrait artist, even making an appearance at
the Melba Theater to sketch any interested patrons.25
Lallier‟s work at the Dallas Allied Arts Exhibition even
earned him an award in the pastel category.26 From a young
age, Lallier‟s promise, determination, and talents as an
entrepreneur were quite evident.
21 Esse Forrester-Obrien, Art and Artists of Texas (Dallas: Tardy
Publishing Company, 1935), 141. 22 “Dallas Artist and a Little Theater Actress,” Dallas Morning News,
April 7, 1933. 23 “Briefer Art Mention,” Dallas Morning News, April 16, 1933. 24 “Work of Victor Lallier To Be Shown at Melba,” Dallas Morning News,
May 17, 1933. 25 Ibid. 26 “Lallier Pastel Shown In Recent Exhibition,” Dallas Morning News, May
31, 1933.
23
Lallier partnered again that year with the Melba
Theater in a unique collaboration. He was chosen to sketch
models at the theater, from which a winner would be
selected and given the portrait along with tickets to the
theatre.27 This event would prove to be more than just a
giveaway; two of the judges selected to jury this contest
were none other than artists Jerry Bywaters and Alexander
Hogue.28 At age twenty-one, Lallier was exposed to two of
the most prominent members of the Dallas art scene, and
they were, consequently, exposed to him. This must have
been a thrilling and influential time for Lallier.
Bywaters, who went on to become the Director of the Dallas
Museum of Fine Arts, would later give Lallier a big break
by selecting his work for display in the renowned museum.
Lallier had another exhibition at the Melba Theater
later that year, this time showing twenty pastel and
lithograph portraits of prominent Dallasites.29 He
continued sketching patrons of the theatre in its
mezzanine, and his reputation as a portrait painter grew.
Lallier was making a name for himself at a very exciting
27 “Models Will Get Awards From Artist and Theater,” Dallas Morning
News, May 19, 1933. 28 “Name Prominent Artists Melba Contest Judges,” Dallas Morning News,
May 26, 1933. 29 “Victor Lallier Sketches Go on View at Melba,” Dallas Morning News,
November 16, 1933.
24
time in Dallas and was soon sought after for his
exceptional pastel portraits.
By the next year, the Dallas Morning News reported
that he had portrayed over 300 Dallasites.30 Now, at just
twenty-two years old, he established himself as a true
portrait artist and was recognized for his individual
technique. By this time he had dabbled in oil and
lithographs, but pastel was his favorite and primary
medium.31
His first solo show was in January 1934 at Joseph
Sartor Galleries in Dallas where he again exhibited twenty
pastel portraits. Included were a portrait of the City
Manager and a self-portrait, along with many other Dallas
persons.32 The Sartor Gallery show was an important one for
Lallier, it being one of the premiere galleries for young,
up-and-coming artists. Lallier also joined many art
associations like the Dallas Artists League, Dallas Art
Association, and the Frank Reaugh Art Club which helped him
make connections with other artists and exhibitors.
Also exhibiting at the Sartor Galleries around the
same time were several members of the prominent “Dallas
30 “Lallier Portraits Go on View; Also Town Hall Exhibit,” Dallas
Morning News, January 7, 1934. 31 Forrester-Obrien, Art and Artists of Texas, 141. 32 “Lallier Portraits Go on View; Also Town Hall Exhibit,” Dallas
Morning News, January 7, 1934.
25
Nine” circle. The “Dallas Nine” were a group of Dallas
artists working in the 1930s and 1940s who drew inspiration
from the Southwest. Because of their focus on the people
and landscape of Texas, they were also known as the “Lone
Star Regionalists.” Led by notable artist Jerry Bywaters,
they gained national acclaim for their highly sensitive
“regionalism” and eventually used their artwork to comment
on social and political events. Lallier and Bywaters
ultimately became friends and supported each other‟s
careers. As a young artist during this time, Lallier was
certainly influenced by the “Dallas Nine” and their circle
and could not have entered the art scene of Texas at a
better time; it was truly blossoming. Although Lallier was
not considered a member of the “Dallas Nine” himself, he
undoubtedly made an impression on the artists and critics
alike, and with the well-received show at Sartor Galleries,
gained further recognition.
In 1934, Lallier traveled to San Antonio, Texas where
he worked on several commissions. While there, he was
overcome with a desire to study art professionally.
Lallier knew he had talent, but realized there that he
wanted to gain a more technical understanding of the
26
subject. He specifically expressed the desire to expand
his talents to include the medium of oil.33
After returning from San Antonio, Victor Lallier
entered artwork in the 1935 Allied Arts Exhibition held at
the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. In his review of the
annual art exhibition, Jerry Bywaters, then art critic for
the Dallas Morning News, mentioned Lallier in a short list
of local painters who had recently shown great
improvement.34 A few months later in his review of the year
in art, Bywaters again recognized Lallier in the News,
stating that his “work demands that [he] be watched.”35
By 1936, Lallier was working in both oil and pastel
and noted for his ability to achieve a “near photographic
likeness” of his subjects.36 His work was included in the
Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas which was the first
time his work was exhibited at the Dallas Museum of Fine
Arts. He also exhibited twenty portraits in a solo
exhibition at the Lawrence Art Galleries in October 1936, a
transformative time for Lallier. He began to paint oil
landscapes at this time and also experimented with tempera.
33 Mary Anne Cullum, “Lallier Portraits in Pastel and Oil to Be Shown
Sunday,” Dallas Morning News, October 25, 1936. 34 Jerry Bywaters, “Not Good Intentions but Finest Achievement Marks
Allied Exhibit,” Dallas Morning News, March 24, 1935. 35 Jerry Bywaters, “Art of Dallas for 1934-35 Viewed in Terms of the
Artists Who Made It,” Dallas Morning News, June 16, 1935. 36 “Victor Lallier to Have One-Man Art Exhibition At Lawrence
Galleries,” Dallas Morning News, October 19, 1936.
27
Oils became his preferred medium and Lallier received
compliments for the meticulous way in which he could paint
faces with such life and detail.37
On January 16, 1937, Victor Lallier married Margaret
Edna Hensel at St. Matthew‟s Cathedral in Dallas, Texas,
her home town. The newlyweds honeymooned in Mexico City
and settled in Dallas upon their return.38 They had six
children: Vicki (b. 1938), Alvin “Scott” (b. 1940), Sharon
(b. 1944), Lauren “Lollie” (b. 1946), Michael (b. 1953),
and Bruce (b. 1957). Each was able to participate in their
father‟s career in some way, usually going on the road to
help deliver paintings.39 Early in their marriage, Lallier
kept a studio in the Dallas suburb of Lakewood. When the
family grew and moved to nearby University Park, he set up
a home studio where he sometimes slept.40
Between 1936 and 1939, Lallier spent a good deal of
time traveling. He received commissions in Tyler, Texas;
Waco, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Oklahoma City,
37 Mary Anne Cullum, “Lallier Portraits in Pastel and Oil to Be Shown
Sunday,” Dallas Morning News, October 25, 1936. 38 “Victor Lallier Weds Miss Margaret Hensel,” Dallas Morning News,
January 17, 1937. 39 Sharon Lallier Pedigo, telephone interview with author, February, 14
2009. 40 Mike Lallier, telephone interview with author, February 8, 2009.
28
Figure 8. Charles Claude Selecman. Photo by author.
Oklahoma. He continued to paint prominent people in
Dallas, including Norman Crozier of the Dallas Independent
School District and J. L. Long, another leader in the
school district of Dallas. One of his most important
commissions to date came in 1939 from his alma mater,
Southern Methodist University. Lallier painted a three-
quarter length life-size portrait of the university‟s
29
former president and former Dean of the United Methodist
Church, Bishop Charles Claude Selecman of Dallas. It was
to be hung in the rotunda of Dallas Hall, at the heart of
the university‟s campus, along with portraits of the
university‟s other past presidents.41 The assignment of
Bishop Selecman‟s official portrait (fig. 8) was the start
of Lallier‟s career in painting university presidents, and
likely prompted important commissions from other large
universities such as Baylor University, Austin College,
Texas Christian University, Texas Women‟s University,
Southern Methodist University, Arkansas State University,
and Louisiana State University.
As a Christmas gift in 1940, Lallier, who always
unveiled his portraits with a red velvet drape, presented
the Munger Place Methodist Church with an oil painting of
Christ. The painting was given in honor of his
grandmother, Katherine B. Lallier, who was a member of the
church. The portrait was hung in the church‟s youth
department.42
Lallier and his family were members of St. Matthew‟s
Cathedral of Dallas where they remained active. Lallier
41
Elisabeth Crocker, “Bishop Selecman‟s Portrait by Victor Lallier Unveiled,” Dallas Morning News, June 7, 1939. 42 “Painting of Christ To Be Presented Munger Methodists,” Dallas
Morning News, December 21, 1940.
30
and his wife even wrote an editorial in the Dallas Morning
News in honor of the Greater Dallas Council of Churches‟
observance of National Family Week. In the article,
Lallier and his wife describe the rich way in which faith
brought their family together in Christ. Their humble, yet
powerful message signifies the family‟s dedication to
family prayer and devotion to the Lord.43
The 1940s were an active and fruitful decade for
Lallier. He received numerous important commissions, won
his first one-man show at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts,
and participated in several large group exhibitions
throughout the state.
In addition to showing work at the Texas Centennial
Exposition in 1936, Lallier was represented at the Texas
General Exhibitions of 1940 and 1944 and the Dallas Allied
Arts Exhibition each year from 1941 to 1946.44 He also
participated in exhibitions outside of Dallas, once at the
Texas-Oklahoma General Exhibition in 1941 and then with the
River Art Group in San Antonio in 1949.45
43 Victor and Margaret Lallier, “Religion in Our Home,” Dallas Morning
News, May 6, 1953. 44 John Powers and Deborah Powers, Texas Painters, Sculptors & Graphic
Artists: A Biographical Dictionary of Artists in Texas before 1942
(Austin: Woodmont Books, 2000), 290. 45 Ibid.
31
Lallier received his first commission from the state
of Texas in 1940, that of Justice John E. Hickman.46 He
then submitted a semi-nude portrait for the Dallas No-Jury
Show in 1941 which was recognized by one critic as his best
work to date.47 Also in 1941, Lallier was acknowledged for
his impressive showing at the Texas General Exhibition
hosted by the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts in Fair Park.
There he exhibited a figure study of a girl and was
considered one of the “keymen” exhibited at the museum,
alongside “Dallas Nine” members Jerry Bywaters, Alexandre
Hogue, and Charles Bowling.48
Lallier spent the summer of 1941 taking graduate
courses in fine arts at Claremont College in California
under the direction of Millard Sheets and James Chapin, two
well-known American artists.49 More professional study
followed when “Dallas Nine” member William Lester offered a
lithograph class at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts School.
He signed up for the class, which was held at night in the
46 Ali James, e-mail message to author, November 19, 2008. 47 Louise Long Gossett, “Lack of Artists‟ Interest No Jury Show‟s Death
Knell,” Dallas Morning News, June 15, 1941. 48 Louise Gossett, “Preview Friday of Fair Art Exhibit,” Dallas Morning
News, October 3, 1941. 49 Sandal Dailey, “Lallier Works Will Be Seen In New Show,” Dallas
Morning News, January 9, 1942.
32
Figure 9. Harry A. Olmstead. Photo by author.
museum‟s educational wing.50 Later that year, Lallier
received an important commission to paint Harry A. Olmsted,
Director General of the Texas Centennial (fig. 9).
In January of 1942, Lallier was given his first solo
exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. This one-man
show, which displayed oils and pastels, ran for two weeks
and was a part of the museum‟s active exhibition schedule
50 Louise Gossett, “Texas Officer Has Work in Soldier Show,” Dallas
Morning News, October 22, 1941.
33
during the war.51 His relationship with Lester and other
authoritative figures in the art world, like Bywaters,
undoubtedly provided him with have this kind of
opportunity.
When Jerry Bywaters was named director of the Dallas
Museum of Fine Arts in 1943, he was dedicated to bringing
high-quality programs and exhibitions to the greater Dallas
community. This meant bringing in exhibitions with well
known artists like Frank Lloyd Wright, Leonardo da Vinci,
and the Hudson River School. Bywaters‟s focus, however,
remained on regional artists. He planned exhibitions to
highlight the work of Texas artists like Otis Dozier,
Lucille Jeffries, Charles Bowling, Barbara Maples, and
Victor Lallier.52 The new museum director was committed to
promoting regional artists, and choosing Lallier helped
cement the young artist‟s career.
His second show at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts,
Victor Lallier: Paintings, ran from January 2 to January
21, 1944. By this time, Lallier was exhibiting only
portraits; this particular exhibit featured twenty-two.
Included were the portraits of Bishop C. C. Selecman, R. B.
51 Sandal Dailey, “Educational Department Aids Museum,” Dallas Morning
News, January 11, 1942. 52 Francine Carraro, Jerry Bywaters: A Life in Art (Austin: University
of Texas Press, 1994), 149.
34
George, Mrs. Virginia Meadows, and even one of his wife,
Margaret, who he particularly enjoyed sketching. The show
was well-received and Lallier was again noted for his
artistic originality.53
Lallier continued to receive numerous commissions
which he produced finely and efficiently. In 1943, Lallier
received a commission to paint E. V. White, former Dean of
Texas State College for Women. He was also selected to do
a portrait of J. D. Sandifer, former president of Hardin-
Simmons University in Abilene, Texas54 and one of Mrs. Lula
Jones Rose, a Sunday school teacher at Highland Park
Methodist Church in Dallas.55 In 1944 he painted a portrait
of Dr. E. G. Townsend, dean emeritus of Mary Hardin-Baylor
College and then mayor of Belton, Texas.56
In 1944, Lallier received yet another important
commission to paint the late John F. Lubben, former
secretary-treasurer of the Dallas Morning News. The family
of Mr. Lubben asked Lallier to paint the portrait, which
was temporarily loaned to the News shortly after its
completion. This portrait received a great praise as it
53 Eloise Hamilton, “V. Lallier‟s Portraits Now At the Museum,” Dallas
Morning News, January 2, 1944. 54 “TSCW Dean Is Honored With Portrait,” Dallas Morning News, April 12,
1943. 55 “Sunday School Class to Hang New Portrait of Organizer,” Dallas
Morning News, May 9, 1943. 56 “Lallier Portrait To Be Unvelied at College Ceremony,” Dallas Morning
News, January 29, 1944.
35
was said to perfectly capture Mr. Lubben‟s likeness,
authority, and personality.57 Like most of Lallier‟s
portraits, this was made from a photograph. As the News
writer suggests, it is unusual how Lallier so perfectly
captured the spirit of each individual he painted,
considering he knew few of them personally.58
Lallier was able to open a new studio in Dallas in
1945 and made portraits of Mrs. S. T. McCalmonet, Mrs.
Blanche Brown Simons, and Mrs. John R. Carrell, to name a
few.59 The next year, however, Lallier submitted a series
of landscapes to the 17th Annual Allied Arts Exhibition held
at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. The series, “Farm
Buildings,” was given a poor review in the Dallas Morning
News stating that Lallier “bent over backward” but somehow
his elemental concept did not come through the paintings.60
Lallier‟s third and final exhibition at the Dallas
Museum of Fine Arts came in February of 1947. This
exhibition, titled Victor Lallier: One-Man Show, ran for
five weeks and highlighted his skill in painting fabrics
and textures. One review of the exhibition even commented
57 Patricia Peck, “Lallier Paints Portrait of Late Executive,” Dallas
Morning News, February 16, 1944. 58 Ibid. 59 “Six Texas Artists Asked to Exhibit In New Mexico,” Dallas Morning
News, June 26, 1945. 60 Peggy Louise Jones, “Allied Arts To Open 17th Exhibition,” Dallas
Morning News, April 7, 1946.
36
on a “lovely oil photograph” which had “no quality of
painting”.61 Lallier surely took this as a compliment.
In the next five years, Lallier continued to receive
numerous commissions including those of Dr. Lewis Sperry
Chafer, president of Dallas Theological Seminary; Dr. Floyd
Poe, pastor of City Temple Presbyterian Church; Dr. Wallace
Bassett, pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church; Dr. Eugene
Blake Hawk, Dean Emeritus of Southern Methodist
University‟s Perkins School of Theology; and two of Dr.
William R. White, president of Baylor University. The
portraits of President White began a lengthy relationship
with Baylor University, for whom he has painted over a
dozen portraits. He was also commissioned to paint T. M.
Cullum, a businessman and community leader in Dallas, and
Joseph Floyd Parks, a wealthy banker, also of Dallas.
The painting for which Lallier is perhaps best known
in Dallas is one that claims quite an interesting story.
In 1951, Senator William Blakely, who wished to remain an
anonymous patron, commissioned Lallier to paint a large
group portrait for the City of Dallas of its twelve most
outstanding living citizens.62 Although Lallier and Blakely
61 Patricia Peck, “Lallier's Portraits, Darge's Western Paintings Open
Today,” Dallas Morning News, February 23, 1947. 62 Donald Mitchell, Profile of Dallas: Love Affair with a City (Dallas:
Turtle Creek Gallery, 1981), 16.
37
were both familiar with the city‟s leaders, they felt that
it was not their task to choose the subjects of the
painting, but rather, it was the task of the leaders of
Dallas themselves. Along with mutual friend Reverend Floyd
Poe they developed a survey which was sent to about fifty
of the city‟s civic leaders. In it, each was asked to vote
for twelve men who they believed to be the outstanding
leaders of Dallas. Due to a tie, fourteen were chosen.63
The men selected were: Nathan Adams, J. Woodall Rogers,
Fred Florence, Karl Hoblitzelle, Tom Gooch, John W.
Carpenter, Judge William Hawley Atwell, Dr. Umphrey Lee, B.
F. McLain, Dr. Edward H. Carey, Rabbi David Lefkowitz, R.
G. Storey, John E. Mitchell, Jr. and Mayor R. L. Thornton.
Lallier visited each of the men to take caliper
measurements and make sketches before bringing twelve of
them to Dallas‟ Baker Hotel to pose for a group photograph.
Lallier took additional photographs of the remaining two
sitters and began painting from the photographs in May.
The mural shows seven men sitting and seven standing with
each of their names painted below in capital letters. He
63 “Who Was Who in Dallas – and Who Decided to Find Out,” D magazine,
May 1, 1976.
38
Figure 10. Group mural, Dallas City Hall. Photo by author.
spent thousands of hours on the mural, oftentimes painting
from a ladder in his home studio.64
This is, by far, Lallier‟s largest painting, measuring
eight feet high by sixteen feet wide (fig. 10). The mural,
for which Lallier had to knock down the back wall of his
studio to remove, traveled all over the city before
arriving at the Republic National Bank where it hung for
years. It now hangs in Dallas City Hall. Once the mural
was completed, color photographs were sent to each of the
fourteen subjects.65 In 1954, Blakely asked Lallier to
write a letter to document Blakely‟s commission of the
64 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.” 65 Donald Mitchell, Profile of Dallas: Love Affair with a City (Dallas:
Turtle Creek Gallery, 1981), 16.
39
grandiose mural. The letter remained locked in a safe
deposit box until Blakely‟s death in 1976, when he was
revealed as the patron. Lallier had kept it a secret for
twenty-two years.66
The mural was unveiled to the people of Dallas in a
ceremony on October 18, 1957, the year which also
commemorated twenty-five years of portraiture by Lallier.
Both were marked by a one-man show of over one hundred
original portraits representing his work to date. The
reception for this exhibition was held at the Highland Park
Town Hall Galleries and at that time was the largest one-
man show ever held in the state of Texas.67
With the mural commission and his Silver Anniversary
Exhibition, the demand for Lallier‟s portraits was ever
increasing. He was known mostly for his portraits of
distinguished men – university presidents, wealthy
businessmen, local bishops and pastors – but, during the
1950s, Dallas women began to show interest in having their
portraits made by Victor Lallier. Phyllis Carter Cowden,
Ruth Campbell Hobrecht, and Martea Smith are just a few of
the women who commissioned personal portraits from Lallier
between 1955 and 1958.
66 “Who Was Who in Dallas – and Who Decided to Find Out,” D magazine (1
May 1976). 67 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.”
40
Lallier continued to exhibit his work locally
throughout the 1950s. In 1952, he was part of a three-man
exhibition at Highland Park Town Hall along with Reveau
Bassett and Budd Biggs. The two week show featured some of
Lallier‟s oil portraits, many of which were, in fact,
Dallas women.68 Lallier joined these two artists again in
1954 for a group exhibition at Merchant‟s State Bank, which
also featured Fred Darge, Ella Mewhinney and Frederic
Mizen.69
Shortly after Lallier painted a portrait of Dallas
community leader, Fred Lange (whose wife he also painted),
Lange granted Lallier another important commission – that
of Mrs. John M. Hanna (fig. 11). The story goes that in
January of 1955, as Lallier was finishing up the group
mural now in Dallas City Hall, he phoned Reverend Floyd
Poe, who helped secure the mural commission, and asked,
“Don‟t you know of some person who ought to have his
portrait done?”70 Lallier, who is described as being a
quirky, solitary person,71 must have been feeling
particularly unreserved that day, and it surely paid off;
68 Frank Gagnard, “Local Talent Takes Over New Shows,” Dallas Morning
News, November 2, 1952. 69 Frank Gagnard, “Art and Artists,” Dallas Morning News, October 31,
1954. 70 Floyd Poe, “This, That and the Other,” Dallas Morning News, February
2, 1955. 71 Mike Lallier, telephone interview with author, February 8, 2009.
41
he was soon at work on the large portrait of Hanna, an
early leader of the Young Women‟s Christian Association in
Dallas.72 Then, in 1955, Abner McCall, Dean of Baylor
University‟s Law School, commissioned Lallier to paint a
portrait of Baylor alumnus Price Daniel to hang in the
University‟s law school building. While in Dallas for a
hearing, then Senator Daniel came to Lallier‟s home studio
to pose for some preliminary sketches.73 Although he worked
primarily from photographs, Lallier occasionally hosted
sitters at his home studio. Mrs. Lallier would often fix
lunch for sitters visiting the house.74 Werhner von Braun,
father of the United States space program, also visited the
studio in order for Lallier to put the final touches on his
portrait.75 Lallier was also commissioned by the state of
Texas to paint the portraits of Governors Beauford Jester,
Allen Shivers, Price Daniel, and John Connally, in addition
to winning the commission of several circuit court judges
72 Floyd Poe, “This, That and the Other,” Dallas Morning News, February
2, 1955. 73 “Sketches for Senator's Portrait,” Dallas Morning News, October 21,
1955. 74 Sharon Lallier Pedigo, telephone interview with author, February 14,
2009. 75 Ibid.
42
Figure 11. Mrs. John M. Hanna. Photo by author.
across the state.76
When Texas pianist Van Cliburn won the International
Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1958, the Dallas Music
Teachers Association wanted to honor the 23 year-old with a
portrait by Victor Lallier.77 The Music Association,
76 Mike Lallier, telephone interview with author, February 8, 2009. 77 William Payne, “Oil Portrait Gift „Surprises‟ Cliburn,” Dallas Morning News, April 21, 1960.
43
Figure 12. Van Cliburn. Photo by author.
however, wanted the portrait to be a surprise for Cliburn
who was in Chicago at the time. Lallier made the trip to
Chicago but did not want to risk being recognized. So,
being the clever, “ideas man” that he was, Lallier
disguised himself as a newspaper reporter and photographed
the young pianist in his hotel room while Cliburn played
44
the piano.78 The portrait was presented to Cliburn in
Dallas in 1960 (fig. 12).
The Rayburn Library in Bonham, Texas chose Victor
Lallier for a special commission completed in 1962. He
painted the eight United States Presidents with whom Sam
Rayburn served as speaker of the House during his 48 years
in Congress.79 The portraits, which include Presidents
Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman,
Eisenhower, and Kennedy, were painted from photographs and
today hang in the Rayburn Library and Museum in a replica
of the Speaker‟s office in which Rayburn served.80 He also
painted a portrait of Sam Rayburn which hangs in the
Library. Lallier made several trips to Washington, D.C.
for this particular painting. He visited several times
with Rayburn in his office at the United States Capitol to
complete work for the portrait.81
Lallier had been working on an oil portrait of John
F. Kennedy in 1963 when the president was assassinated in
Dallas on November 22. He had planned to present the
president with the portrait upon his visit to Dallas,
78 Lollie Lallier Twyman, telephone interview with author, March 2,
2009. 79 “Rayburn Library To Get Paintings Of 8 Presidents,” Dallas Morning
News, ,May 1 1962. 80 Kim Burpo, e-mail message to author, December 30, 2008. 81 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.”
45
however, Lallier was unable to received clearance for this.
As the painting sat on his easel on the morning of that
fateful day, Lallier noticed something slightly wrong with
the way he painted one side of Kennedy‟s head. Something
just didn‟t seem right. Lallier worked on the portrait
that morning and was doing so, ironically, the very moment
Kennedy was assassinated just miles away.82 The event was
especially traumatic for Lallier because Kennedy was shot
on the same side of the head on which Lallier was working
and he felt as if it were a sort of premonition to the
assassination.83
Lallier has also painted a portrait of President
Dwight D. Eisenhower, made from a series of sketches he
completed during a speech given by the President. It was
unveiled in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. attended by 1200
people.84
Business remained good for Lallier, as he seldom
painted portraits for which he was not commissioned. Since
the art of portraiture came so naturally for Lallier,
however, he sometimes had the tendency to become bored and
always looked for new projects and ways to express himself.
82 Joe Simnacher, “Lifelong Portrait Artist Victor Lallier Dies at 83,”
Dallas Morning News, September 14, 1995. 83 Lollie Lallier Twyman, telephone interview with author, March 2, 2009. 84 “Victor Lallier: Commemorating 25 Years.”
46
To offset the tedium, in part, Lallier took up the practice
of art restoration.85 Always interested in perfecting the
technical aspects of painting (stretching a canvas, etc.),
it was a natural transition for Lallier. He immersed
himself in the subject and became a self-taught novice. He
enjoyed experimenting with different techniques, but most
of all, he took great pleasure in teaching the skills he
had learned to Margaret and one of their daughters, Lollie.
Lallier very much understood the importance of
preventative conservation and high-quality materials. He
was a member of the International Institute for
Conservation, which he proudly displayed on personalized
tags on the back of his portraits. In a 1974 letter from
Lallier acknowledging the commission of the painting of R.
L. Thornton, Jr. by Mrs. J. Frank Holt, Lallier ensured
that:
This portrait will be painted in permanent oil colors
on artistic linen canvas. Conservation work, including
chemical treatment, varnishing, installation of chrome
edging strips, vented backing board, and special
85 Lollie Lallier Twyman, telephone interview with author, March 2,
2009.
47
hardware will help to assure a better and longer
lasting painting.86
One of the first formal restoration commissions he
received was for an ornate frame at the luxurious Adolphus
Hotel in Dallas which suffered severe damage after
falling.87 Wife Margaret and daughter Lollie assisted with
this restoration, which began a life-long career for each
of the women. While Victor had his own studio and
restoration business under the name Art and Conservation
Studio of Texas, Inc., Margaret began her own practice,
Best Art Restoration. She worked as a conservator and
restoration artist for over forty years, a job she enjoyed
into her early 90s.88 Lollie continues the family tradition
today with her own art restoration business in Dallas under
the family name, Lallier Art Restoration.
In the summer of 1965, Victor and Margaret Lallier
took their youngest children with them to Austin when
Margaret received a commission to restore several paintings
in the Texas Capitol. While Margaret led the restoration
efforts, Lallier was able to assist her when taking a break
86 Victor Lallier to Mrs. J. Frank Holt, personal correspondence, March
18, 1974, Victor Lallier personal papers, Lallier family. 87 Lollie Lallier Twyman, telephone interview with author, March 2,
2009. 88 Ibid.
48
Figure 13. W. R. “Bob” Poage. Photo by author.
from his own commissions in Austin.89
More work followed. A portrait of Representative
Wright Patman from Texarkana, Texas was completed in 1966
and unveiled in Washington D.C.90 Also in that year,
Lallier painted a portrait of Baylor University President
Abner McCall, which now hangs in the foyer of the
89 Mike Lallier, telephone interview with author, February 8, 2009. 90 “Washington,” Dallas Morning News, May, 15 1966.
49
university‟s Waco Hall. He also produced a lovely portrait
of Speaker John W. McCormack in 1966, which hangs at the
United States Capitol, along with six other portraits by
Lallier.91
The portrait Lallier painted of W. R. Poage (fig. 13),
House Agriculture Committee Chairman, hangs in the
committee room at the United States Capitol. It was
commissioned by 313 of Poage‟s Central Texas constituents,
with efforts led by friend Frank Mayborn of Temple, Texas.
Poage personally chose Lallier to paint his portrait, which
was unveiled in 1968 by Poage‟s wife, Francis Cotton, at a
Washington, D.C. ceremony. Of his portrait Poage said, “You
magnify my good qualities and minimize my more unpleasant
qualities”.92
The 1970s and 1980s remained steady for Lallier,
having won commissions for Congressman Jim Wright, Senator
Henry B. Gonzalez, Judge James Ingraham, Judge Owen Cox,
Judge James Noel, Jr., Vernie C. Marshall, and Baylor
University President Herbert H. Reynolds (fig. 14).
91 Art in the United States Capitol (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1976), 443. 92 Sam Kinch, Jr., “Lawmakers Laud Poage at Portrait Unveiling,” Dallas Morining News, February 27, 1968.
50
Figure 14. Herbert H. Reynolds. Photo by author.
Another one of Lallier‟s passions was sketching and
painting horses from life; he even dabbled in western art
under the alias, “Tex Culpepper,” which gives us another
hint of his quirky and playful personality. These
Southwestern landscapes are treasured among family members
today as reminders of the imaginative artist.93 It is clear
that Lallier was interested in other genres of art, but
93 Sharon Lallier Pedigo, telephone interview with author, February 14, 2009.
51
Figure 15. Lallier signature, 1986. Photo by author.
portraiture is what he is remembered for. His work was
recognizable and as he painted more portraits he continued
to receive more commissions for them. Though Lallier did
experiment with other styles, the art of portraiture
allowed him to have a steady stream of income.
Another sign of Lallier‟s eccentric character can be
seen in the way in which he signed his portraits. After
experimenting with several signatures at the beginning of
his career, Lallier‟s traditional signature became his
first and last name in all capital letters. However, he
sometimes added an apostrophe between the “L” and “A” in
his last name (fig. 15). This he did on days that he was
feeling “particularly French,” a nod to his heritage.94
94 Lollie Lallier Twyman, telephone interview with author, March 2, 2009.
52
Figure 16. Victor Lallier. Photo by author.
In 1986, with over fifty years of professional
portraiture under his belt, Lallier‟s career was slowing
down. Eager to take on a new project, he began what
eventually became a retrospective of his long artistic
career. With support from Baylor University, he teamed up
with its president Herbert H. Reynolds and the staff at the
university‟s Strecker Museum to organize the large
exhibition at the university‟s main library which displayed
53
over 170 examples of his work. Though it did not indicate
Lallier‟s retirement, the exhibition was a celebratory look
back at his fruitful career. Friends and family attended
the well-received exhibition which was held in Moody
Memorial Library.
Shortly after the retrospective at Baylor, Lallier
(fig. 16), then in his seventies, was suddenly unable to
paint. Although he was devastated by this abrupt and
unexplained physical inability, he remained mentally sharp
and continued to dream big, constantly coming up with ideas
for new paintings and projects.95 A massive stroke in June
1995 put him in a nursing home, and Lallier died on
September 11 of that year at age 83. He is buried at
Restland Memorial Park in Dallas and remembered fondly by
family, friends, patrons, students, and the American art
world.96
Victor Lallier was recognized early in Texas as a
gifted artist. His career was closely followed by the
Dallas Morning News and he is featured in several Texas art
dictionaries, including Paula and Michael Grauer‟s
95 Lollie Lallier Twyman, personal interview with author, March 2, 2009. 96 Joe Simnacher, “Lifelong Portrait Artist Victor Lallier Dies at 83,” Dallas Morning News, September 14 1995.
54
Dictionary of Texas Artists, 1800-1945,97 John and Deborah
Powers‟ Texas Painters, Sculptors & Graphic Artists, and
Esse Forrester-O‟Brien‟s Art and Artists of Texas as well
as Peter Hastings Falk‟s seminal art reference book Who Was
Who in American Art98, which covers 400 years of artists in
America. Additionally, Lallier‟s work is reproduced in
color in various books which include To Light the Ways of
Time: An Illustrated History of Baylor University, 1845-
198699 by Eugene W. Baker and The Book of Dallas
100 edited by
Evelyn Oppenheimer and Bill Porterfield which features the
group mural now in Dallas City Hall.
Unfortunately, the tremendous recognition Lallier
received early on in his career did not carry over into the
latter half of his career. Literature on the artist is very
limited though his life was well-documented.
This is the first full biography of Victor Lallier.
His personal papers and correspondence, which are kept by
his family, would only serve to expand this biography and
provide a better sense of the artist‟s career. I hope that
97 Michael and Paula Grauer, Dictionary of Texas Artists, 1800-1945
(College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1990). 98 Peter Hastings Falk, Who was who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400
Years of Artists in America (Madison: Sound View Press, 1999). 99 Eugene Baker, To Light the Ways of Time: An Illustrated History of
Baylor University, 1845-1986 (Waco: Baylor University Press, 1987). 100 Evelyn Oppenheimer and Bill Porterfield, eds., The Book of Dallas
(Garden City: Doubleday, 1976).