KATHRYN EARNHART | The Butlers New painting depicts rural life

Now on view at Youngstown's Butler Institute of American Art is a recently acquired oil painting by German-born American artist Herman Ottomar Herzog (1832-1932). The painting, titled "Country Cabin, Summer," was created in 1880, and was a gift of the Bresnahan Family Foundation and the Hynes-Finnegan Foundation.
"What a perfect addition to the Butler Institute's permanent collection, and what an ideal complement to Winslow Homer's masterpiece," Butler Director Dr. Louis Zona said. "The Herzog painting represents life as it was in rural America in the 19th century. This could be the kind of home in which the children depicted in 'Snap the Whip' lived. The Herzog work is sure to become a favorite in the Butler collection."
Artist's life: Herman Herzog was born in Bremen, Germany, on Nov. 15, 1831. In 1848, he began his art studies at the D & uuml;sseldorf Academy under several classical landscape painters.
In 1855, Herzog made his first visit to Norway -- a milestone in his career, as it exposed him to the rugged landscape of the Norwegian wilderness and instilled in him a lifelong sense of nature that was to show in all his work. During the late 1850s and early 1860s, Herzog's fame spread throughout Europe, and his paintings were collected for their energetic realism and beautiful atmospheric effects. Among his patrons were several of Europe's royals -- Queen Victoria of England and Grand Duke Alexander of Russia, to name two.
Herzog exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1863 and 1864. While there, he came in contact with the noted Barbizon School, noted for its dedication to depicting the grandeur and beauty of nature in a romantic style; the effect of these painters is seen in Herzog's attention to mood and color in his work. At about this time, Herzog sent several paintings to the United States for exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy. Because of this, he acquired patrons in the United States who consistently bought his work.
In the U.S.: In the late 1860s, the artist settled in Philadelphia after leaving Bremen amid political turmoil. In America, Herzog continued to paint his romantic landscapes, finding the American wilderness a challenge to his style. In 1873, he set out for the West, journeying through Yosemite in California, to Wyoming, Oregon, and along the West Coast to the Coronado Island, near the Mexican border.
Herzog's Western journeys proved to be fruitful, and he became known for his depictions of Yosemite, receiving great acclaim for paintings of the El Capitan cliff. The painter's document of the American wilderness, along with the work of his contemporary, Albert Bierstadt (whose "The Oregon Trail" is included in the Butler collection), achieved a standard for the art of the Western landscape.
As Herzog grew older, he continued to paint actively, even into his 100th birthday. In 1931, he participated in a gallery exhibition with his son, Lewis Herzog. Herman Herzog died Feb. 6, 1932, at his home in Philadelphia at the age of 100.
Events: A series of gallery talks by Zona continues this week with "The Picasso Century" (Wednesday, 2 p.m., Trumbull branch). Other upcoming gallery talks include "Surrealism" (April 29, 2 p.m., Salem branch) and "American Art -- The 1950s & amp; 1960s" (May 16, 2 p.m., Youngstown Butler). These free programs are made possible by Mr. and Mrs. William Clayman, Foundation Medici, The Salem Community Foundation, and National City Bank.
Additionally, the Butler's film series continues with the screening of "Andy Warhol" Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Youngstown museum's Zona Auditorium. This documentary, which was produced less than a year after Warhol's death in 1987, details his life and artistic career with commentary by family members, friends and business associates. The film includes a number of typically subdued yet hilarious interview clips of Warhol himself.
XButler hours in Youngstown are Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. Butler hours at the Trumbull branch are Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Butler Salem hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to all three facilities is free.