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Stored and forgotten for nearly 40 years, this historic painting by a Watertown artist has been unveiled in a state park in Oregon. Entitled "Birth of Oregon" the 1920 painting is the work of Theodore Gegoux.
The painting commemorates an 1843 meeting at Champoeg when the settlers of the Willamette Valley voted to separate from England. By Twyla Cushman - Times Staff Writer Stored and all but forgotten for more than 40 years, a historic painting by a Watertown artist has been unveiled in a state park in Oregon. The painting, willed to his son in 1931, remained stored in an attic in South Pasadena until 11 years ago when his son's widow engaged appraisers and tried to convince the State of Oregon to buy it as a permanent commemorative. The painting, "Birth of Oregon," by Theodore Gegoux, commemorates an 1843 meeting at Champoeg when the settlers of the Willamette Valley voted to separate from England. Completed in 1920 or 1921, the painting was originally hung on May 2, 1922, in the Champoeg State Park Memorial Center where Mr. Gegoux was allowed to live as caretaker. There, his finances depleted by the expense of the canvas and materials to complete what he considered his great work, he collected 25 cents from all visitors wishing to view his seven-by-eleven foot painting. Musing over his situation in 1923, he observed:
But, he did hope that the State of Oregon would buy what he considered his "masterpiece" for permanent display. Finally in 1924, Times files reveal, he did become quite discouraged and, at age 74, left Oregon to take his painting on exhibition tour. Still not finding a buyer, he returned to Oregon where his canvas was hung in the governor's office at the Oregon State Capitol for a short time in early 1925. But still the state did not buy it. Earlier, in 1923, Gegoux had described himself as a vain old man. Adding that he was:
But, it was not until 1926 that he did just that. Disillusioned, he took his "masterpiece" to California. There he rolled it up and, along with the frame which he and his son Frank had constructed in 1924, placed it in a specially constructed crate. At his death in 1931, the painting, willed to his son Frank of Watertown, was still stored in his son Theodore's attic. And there it remained, stored and all but forgotten, in an attic in South Pasadena until Mrs. Frank Gegoux, widow of the artist's son, engaged appraisers and contacted Governors Hatfield and McCann of Oregon, beginning about 11 years ago. Finally, working through an art collector, Mrs. Gegoux sold the painting to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Advisory committee which made it available to the State Highway Commission for display in Champoeg Park. But Gegoux's masterpiece remained in storage for yet another ten years until the Oregon State legislature appropriated funds for its restoration. Finally, "Birth of Oregon," based on an event at Champoeg 136 years ago and first hung at Champoeg 57 years ago went home to Champoeg on May 22 of this year. "Birth of Oregon' based on the 1843 meeting at Champoeg at which the settlers of Willamette Valley voted a provisional government, thus separating themselves from British rule. It took only another six years for the first United States territorial governor to arrive in the region which is now Oregon. The State of Oregon now says the Theodore Gegoux visited the 1915 ceremonies at Champoeg. Impressed by the event and the annual celebration, Gegoux reportedly researched the event itself as well as portraits and eyewitness reports of the participants. Able to find likenesses of 27 of those voting on the statehood issue, he learned that at the critical moment of the 1843 convention, Joe Meek, who had called the convention, strode from the building into the yard. Gegoux then used this moment as the focus of his painting. Those whose likenesses he had found, he painted outside so their faces could be seen. The others were painted as shadowy figures through the open door. The frame, considered an integral part of the painting, uses the state flowers of the four states once included in the jurisdiction of the provisional government of Oregon. The artist, Theodore Gegoux, was born in Montreal in 1850 and came to the Watertown-Carthage-Lowville area at the age of 14. Times files indicate that before his marriage in 1881, he traveled to Europe where he studied the masters in Paris and Brussels. After his marriage, he established his home as a studio, variously reported as on the second floor of Van Namee building at 77 Public Square and at 20 1/2 Public Square. There he lived with his wife and two sons and practiced his art. In addition to being a recognized portrait and landscape painter in oils, pastels, and crayons, he was also an accomplished sculptor, violinist and violin maker, making his own maple violins. In December 1909, Mr. Gegoux disappeared from Watertown, according to Times files, after telling his family he was making a trip to New York to paint a portrait of a nephew. He did not return and was not heard from until an employee of the local Agricultural Insurance office saw him and talked with him in Portland, Ore., in December 1911. Several of Gegoux's paintings are now housed in the Jefferson County Historical Society, including the often-mentioned, full-length portrait of Justin W. Weeks, one-time court crier, which for many years had hung on "the east wall of the court room in county court house." The Historical Society also houses a portrait of J.C. Kimball, originator of the Watertown City Directory, and two portraits of children. A landscape called the "The Duck Hunters" is also at the museum. A well-known and often reproduced painting by Gegoux is the "St. Lawrence," a painting of the old St. Lawrence River side-wheeler boat. Private collectors in Watertown also have examples of both his oils and his pastels, including a water scene with a hunter, a painting on birdseye maple, and studies of water lilies. On July 7, 1931, at the age of 80, Theodore Gegoux died in California. His body was returned to Watertown and is buried in Brookside Cemetery, Watertown. |
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