Opinion

Viewing The Lone Wolf

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

A print that I have had the opportunity to view my entire life is The Lone Wolf. This is a snow scene with blue sky of a wolf looking down from a hill at some buildings. Many readers will remember this popular picture, while younger readers may not be acquainted with it.

This is now referred to as the vintage 1920's Lone Wolf. Many homes in the 1930s had this picture hanging on the wall. Movies showing scenes from the '30s and '40s often had this picture on the wall.

As a young child, I remember looking at the picture and not knowing what it was. I was told that it was a wolf. That scene of a wolf up on a hill was rather frightening to a little boy. Once I asked what the wolf was looking at and was told there were buildings there.

As a child, that picture was something that I often looked at. It was also interesting to go into other homes and see the picture. Not only was it meaningful to me as a young boy, it still means much to me and I enjoy looking at the picture.

The picture was one of the things that were handed down to me and a few months ago, I was surprised and pleased to see it in our family room. So in reality, I have had an opportunity to view this picture my entire life.

Recently, I was visiting with my cousin Gary Hawk, a western, country and wildlife artist. He knew what I was talking about it and recalled that his parents had one. The artist considered it as good art.

This picture was popular back during the depression years and now considered to be rare. Yet, it is rather inexpensive to purchase at flea markets or on the Internet, about $10 to $30. I would have a hard time departing with ours at any price.

It was not until this week when I was looking at the picture more closely that I had noticed the artist had included some twigs coming out of the snow. It is a good piece of art.

It has always been my thought that the scene was a scene some where in the United States. In reality it was a concept that the artist had in another country. The artist was Alfred Von Wierusz-Kowalski. It is seen this way or also as Kowalski Wierusz.

In 1876, he established himself in Munich, Austria. In 1891, he was awarded an honorary membership of the residents of the Minch Academy. In 1892, he was awarded medals in Vienna as well as in Munich. In 1910, his main work was Assault of Wolves.

In his time he was recognized as an outstanding artist and his works are now enjoyed by many people.

I still appreciate viewing the Lone Wolf.

It sometimes is odd to all of a sudden think about an incident that occurred during childhood.

One of the things that my mother told me is that the best time in her life was when she had young children and the neighbors got together with their children.

One of the things that they often did was getting together in the neighborhood to play cards.

One of the neighbors and a place that they sometimes played cards was at Glen and Mary Weiss. The other day when it was cold, all of a sudden I remembered when they went there to play cards. Their house would be small compared to our houses today. But no one thought about it as being small.

What I remember is that we as little children as it became our bed time, they put us upstairs in their bed. The room was cold, but under the covers, we were warm and soon went to sleep. Having a cold room was a part of life during that era.

I also have memories of going to Grandpa and Grandma Ernsbarger's home. They lived only about a quarter of a mile from the railroad track near Butler. When I knew that a train was on the track, I ran upstairs for I could see the train with the steam engine smoking and at the end of the train was a red caboose.

Grandpa and Grandma lived in a big two story house. One of the things I liked to do was slide down the banister on the stairs.

Among my memories was sleeping at their house on a cold winter night -- it was cold in that house. I slept with Grandma and there may have been a heating stove in her room. She had a soft, feathered mattress that helped to keep a person warm. She had me curdle up to her to keep warm. I have no idea how old I was, but I was young.

Each one of you has memories of events that took place during your life time, and once in awhile we remember them.

Still, as I leave this room, I will be viewing The Lone Wolf once again, another memory of childhood.