19

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).

55

my efforts can serve as an inspiration to others interested

in the life of Victor Lallier.