Father Marquette Lands in Raynor Library

May 2007--Just in time for the University's celebration of his birthday, a painting depicting Father Marquette has been installed in Raynor Library.  The 42" x 51" oil painting by Wilhelm Lamprecht, titled Father Marquette and the Indians, depicts Marquette preaching from his canoe on the Mississippi in 1673.  The painting, on loan from the Haggerty Museum of Art, is now located on the approach to the Opus Bridge on Raynor Library's second level.

Documents found in the Libraries' Department of Special Collections and University Archives reveal details about both the painter and its history at Marquette.  Lamprecht was born in Germany in 1838 and attended the Royal Art Academy in Munich, winning many awards as a young painter.  His talents were noticed by a Benedictine abbot, who recommended the 25-year old artist to the Benedictines in Newark, New Jersey.  He was invited (1867) to paint a series depicting Mary for their abbey.  In the 35 years that followed, he remained in the U.S. with more commissions than he could fill, and his paintings and murals were found in churches, seminaries, and hospitals throughout the East and Midwest, particularly New York City; Hartford, CT; Hoboken, NJ; Indiana; Ohio; and Illinois.

During a period in Cincinnati, Lamprecht co-founded the Christian Art Society, for which he painted his Marquette on the Mississippi (1869) as a donation to the Society for a fundraising raffle.  The painting passed through many hands until a Jesuit priest, Rev. Francis X. Weninger, purchased it about 1880 and presented it to Marquette College during the administration of Fr. Lalumiere.

Interestingly, the United States Post Office has issued two commemorative stamps featuring Father Marquette's explorations.  The first, in 1898, used the Lamprecht painting for a one-cent stamp in a series commemorating the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.  A second depiction, Marquette Explorer, was used for a 6-cent stamp in 1968 to commemorate the tercentenary of his arrival.

The Lamprecht painting is one of several University-owned art works depicting Father Marquette.  A marble bust of Marquette resides in O'Hara Hall and an early 20th century pastel portrait by John A. Nielson is part of the permanent collection of the Haggerty Museum of Art.  A bronze statue of Father Marquette weighing nearly 3,000 pounds is installed on the campus' Central Mall since its 2005 dedication. Father Marquette and the Indians hung for many years in the old library in Johnston Hall, and up until the 1980's was displayed in the Archives Reading Room in Memorial Library.  Thanks to the  Haggerty Museum's former director, Curtis Carter, and acting director, Lee Coppernoll, for bringing the historic painting to Raynor Library during the University's 125th anniversary celebration.