Published: January 12, 2009 12:11 am      

BECK: Versatile artist glows in city’s history

One of the nation’s foremost and prolific artists at the turn to the 20th Century is back in Lockport for the Raphael Beck Revisited exhibit that will continue through March 1 at the Kenan Center.

Beck, who was born in 1858 and died in 1947, was a master sculptor and painter who also worked in stained glass windows, murals, etchings and lifetime masks.

“What’s most impressive about Raphael is that he worked in so many media and a lot of his work was commercial,” said Elaine Harrigan, the Kenan marketing director from Williamsville. “He was very prolific in drawing logos and emblems for exhibitions and historical events. He really did excel.”

More than 100 of Beck’s paintings are on display at the Kenan Center for the first time since 1981, thanks to his granddaughter Johanna VanDeMark and private collectors. Kenan also displayed paintings by Julius Augustus Beck and Henry Kepple Beck, Raphael Beck’s father and brother, respectively.

One of Raphael’s works, the Lady Liberty statue, sits on top the monument at Veterans Park. The model for the statue was his daughter Phyllis.

Nina Franco, now 10, met Phyllis three years ago at the dedication of the monument. “She was really nice,” Nina said. “I asked, ‘Is that you up there?’ she said she was the model.”

Lisa Franco brought her daughter Nina and her friend Kaleigh Ellinger, 12, to the exhibit. “It’s local history,” Lisa said. “We wanted to see the collection and learn a little bit more about the artist.”

Beck’s portrait of William McKinley, begun while the president was in Buffalo for the Pan American Exposition, is in Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. His mural for the dedication of the Erie Canal is a dominant work of art at the Discovery Center.

Julius Augustus Beck was Raphael’s first teacher. Raphael was the oldest of eight children and two of his brothers and a sister were painters. The family home in Pennsylvania became a tourist attraction for people who went out of their way to see the family working at easels.

Raphael learned about the masters, but also excelled at impressionistic work. “Most artists copied old masters and started to break away from them and used their own creativity,” said Tracy Dulniak, a painting conservator who has preserved several of the Beck paintings.

“I love his work so much that I love it all,” said granddaughter Johanna VanDeMark. “He was well trained. He seems to have done it both ways. I enjoy the variety.”

The exhibit was the idea of Selena Truax Morello, past president, who coordinated the show with Ilania Kaplan Stangler and Johanna VanDeMark.

“The family goes back a long time in the history Lockport,” Harrigan said. “He lived here and brought so much fame because of his work. People know his family and have relationships that go back so many years. There are such long connections from generation to generation that remain in Lockport.”

Twin Kyle and Tyler Davis. 15, entertained on the piano during the reception.