Mural Eight
LAFAYETTE IN THE OLD SOUTH
In the series painted by Francis V. Kughler I or the
Institute of Government building in Chapel Hill
The carefree way of life in the prosperous ante-helium South,
with its graciousness and charm, was considered by the rest of the
world to be the ideal expression of American culture. In the mural,
’“Lafayette in the Old South," I have endeavored to present the
romance, the gaiety, and the brilliance of the period.
In 1825 the great Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette, who
had rallied so nobly to the cause of the American Revolution
almost fifty years earlier, visited these shores. He toured the
country and was steeled with the greatest acclaim, feted and
honored wherever he went. North Carolina was particularly warm
in its appreciation and even named a city, Fayetteville, in his honor.
The mural depicts a reception given in Lafayette's honor at a
prosperous North Carolina plantation. In the distance the pillars
of a famous mansion of the period rise above a mass of wisteria
that forms a background for the central group. Lafayette stands
between his host and hostess while being introduced to the guests
as they arrive. At the moment depicted, a shy belle of debutante
age is being presented; filled with awe, she looks up at him. The
gallant Frenchman, appreciative of her youth and admiration, is
holding her hand and about to bring it to his lips in a gesture she
will always cherish. Modestly in the background, the sister of the
hostess watches the proceedings with an appraising eye.
To the right of the central group is a tall brunette beauty with
an officer of the militia clinging to her arm intent on winning his
way into her affections. In an aside he is prompting a servant with
a fiddle to play some love lyric that will soften her heart.
Below this group there arc three young women who have already
been presented to the guest of honor and arc now on the look out
for beaux and further entertainment. The one in the center is
clearly more worldly than the others; the one on the right seems
more concerned with food than flirtation. By her side a woman
servant wearing a bandana carries a tray of mint juleps, while in
front of her a little boy looks up at them longingly.
In the lower right corner a field hand is holding a board on which
some hands of tobacco arc piled. The young son of the family is
showing the tobacco off to a visitor who holds a bundle of the
leaves aloft and examines them with a critical eye.
In the lower left corner, a Negro mammy, obviously very dear
to the household, entertains two little girls with an imitation of a
rabbit by means of a handkerchief she folds over her hand. To the
left, another little girl wanders restlessly off into the crowd.
Above this group is what appears at first glance to be a casual
introduction of two strangers. Closer examination of the man in
the center who is bringing the others together indicates that it
might be something more than that. Perhaps he is bringing men
who arc enemies together. This would not be unusual for at that
period a strong rivalry existed in North Carolina between the
inhabitants of the lowlands of the cast and those who dwelt in
the mountains of the west. Behind them a sweet-faced house servant
is standing.
Further up is a couple obviously very much in love. The man.
an officer of the militia, is ga/.ing quizzically at the beauty who
coqucttishly clings to his arm. In the background behind the hostess
are two other officers in attendance on Lafayette.
In a technical sense the composition is composed of three slightly
diagonal lanes of dark, light, and dark, with the light pattern ris¬
ing into a pyramidal shape near the center in the person of the
young girl being presented to Lafayette. This device spreads the
interest over the whole mass of people while bringing the accent
upward in a staccato way to the group of which Lafayette is the
center. Near the top of the canvas, the distant trees and plantation
house bring the eye structurally upward. Long trails of Spanish
moss hanging from above keep the eye pleasantly aloft despite
the compositional weight of the large group of people below.
The figures of the host and hostess in this mural arc those of
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Palmer Knapp. Their love of North Carolina
and what they did for the state made them the logical choice for
me to paint in this role. The beautiful home they maintained for
many years at Mackey's Island near Currituck, in the great tradi¬
tion of grace and ease and hospitality of the period depicted here,
was also one of the reasons for making them the hosts,
Most of the models I painted in this particular canvas were
members of Mrs. Knapp's family, and the servants were all old
family retainers and friends who had been with them for many
years. — Francis Ki'giii fr
stack them for one summer and served
tables during a whole summer 1926
under John Obic Harmon and his
tolerance helped promote my courtship
of the girl who has been my wife for
the last 31 years. She ate slowly and
sat long enough for me to cat also
after each meal except breakfast. This
added time to my work each day and
John Ohio said he knew what was
happening but he didn't slice off any
of that extra time from my record.
It also reminded me of the groans
John Obic Harmon uttered often
during Sept. 1925 when Billy Car¬
michael's predecessor used to bring 10
or 20 more boys to him to put to
work on tables or in the kitchens so
they could stay in the University. All
they had was tuition money. 600 pay¬
ing students and 100 or more boys
were just too many to find work for to
pay for their meals. But somehow, John
Obic Harmon did it. Big man, big
heart. — Frank L. Young, Greens¬
boro.
READERS WHO WRITE
Your editorial (A Sure Cure) in the
Oct. 14. 1961 issue of The State
emphasizes a problem of considerable
importance more forcefully and more
succinctly than any essay of 10,000
words. — Michael F. Keleher, Ashe¬
ville.
I'd like to advise you to change
my address as below. It wouldn't do to
miss a single issue of your magazine.
— Robert C. Ruiz, Asheville.
Please pay no attention to the left¬
wingers who would shut up the last
state-wide conservative organ left to
us North Carolinians. Just tell the truth
and hit harder. — Louise Maness,
Charlotte.
I have read your editorial "Solid
Prosperity” in the October 28 issue of
The State. Wc deeply appreciate this
very fine reference to our section. —
W. B. /\ustin, Jefferson.
CARROIJNA
The spelling of the hotel name in the
picture, page 36, Sept. 30. The State,
is incorrect. It should be Carrolina
Hotel, as the name was taken from
General Julian S. Carr, not the state.
The hotel stood on South Corcoran
Street at the railroad where Durham
Hosiery Mill now stands. It was de¬
stroyed by fire.
While on names — about 3 or 4
years ago you were puzzled over the
avenue here named Wa Wa. It stems
from a real estate development in the
mid 1920’s called Wa Wa Yonda. At
that time it was outside town and really
what the name implied. — R. B. Car-
neal, Durham.
a
THE STATE. NOVEMBER 25. 1961
