To own a“ Henshaw,” even one of the smaller examples, was something that those in the know in New York had long coveted.— Joseph Lewis French, art critic
for Henshaw and affirmed his reputation in the art world. An exhibition at the Paris Salon followed, with Henshaw delivering his paintings in a wheelbarrow to his first showing— again feeding the peculiar stereotypes held by the public regarding artists.
The Henshaws returned to the United States, like many others, when war threatened the European continent. In New York, Henshaw established a studio and quickly received commissions from the East Coast patrons of art. Working in oil and pastels, Henshaw could complete a canvas in two or three hours and was recognized for his cityscapes and portraits. He had an unmatched talent for capturing the personality of a subject in few brushstrokes. Art critic Joseph Lewis French said after visiting Henshaw’ s studio:“ They seemed to reach out from their frames and embrace me. Portraits of old women, of old men, of laughing girls, of boys, all vibrating with life and full of character.”
An illness claimed his wife who died just after arriving in New York. Henshaw made the Northeast his home as commissions for his work grew. Portraits anchored his notoriety, but he was also known for his scenes of the East Coast life. In 1912, Henshaw painted a portrait of Hoosier writer, James Whitcomb Riley. Arriving in Indianapolis for more portrait commissions, newspapers claimed him as a Hoosier artist. A secondary studio was opened in Chicago. In 1925 he painted the portrait of poet Edwin Markham, who wrote,“ Man with a Hoe.” Artistic kindreds, Markham and Henshaw shared a belief in mysticism, love of books, and writer Edgar Allan Poe.
Helen Magner wrote in her column Pencil Sketches:“ Not many painters ever attempt to paint moving lights at night, or the dimness of a harbor in mist with the water reflecting lights. Only a poet can see it as does Glen Henshaw.”
In 1941 Henshaw came to Nashville, Indiana and bought the Odd Fellows Building, where he and his wife, Carolyn, planned to spend their summers. Baltimore would be their winter home. He found wonderful characters to paint in his Nashville acquaintances. And they in turn studied this strange artist in their midst. Sarah Spicer, who cleaned for the Henshaws, noted that he drank beer all day long, like other people sip on coffee. She said
“ Madison Avenue, New York”
he worked quickly and treated her children kindly. He paid them 50 cents an hour for posing for him.
Henshaw died in Baltimore at the age of 66 on April 5, 1946. He was buried near his birthplace in Windfall. Etched into his gravestone under his name and date of death is this epitaph:“ His place as secure in American art as that of Keats in English Literature.”
His wife, Carolyn, decided to keep 85 of the 400 paintings in Henshaw’ s gallery in the Odd Fellows Building in Nashville. These pieces were eventually put into the permanent collection of the Brown County Art Gallery. A fire in 1966 at the Gallery tragically consumed more than a hundred pieces, including many by Henshaw. Surviving works along with others donated by private collectors are in a special Henshaw room at the Brown County Art Gallery today. For years, Markham’ s portrait was on display at the Brown County Art Gallery before it was accepted as a gift from his estate trustees“ with enthusiasm” by the portrait gallery of the Smithsonian, thus cementing his reputation in America’ s own art history. •
Nov./ Dec. 2018 • Our Brown County 49