Viewing page 22 of 36

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

FOREWORD

Samuel Finley Breese Morse was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts on April 27, 1791. In this, the month  of his birth, the Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts is proud to honor one of his greatest geniuses of all time - rightfully called "The American Leonardo"

As Brenda Putnam, N.A. has written: "Though Morse continued painting when the demands of science were not too heavy, his early dream of becoming one of the truly great painters faded. Without realizing that through his masterly portraits he had bequeathed a priceless heritage to the art of America, he died in 1872 quite convinced that the only two worthwhile accomplishments of a lifetime of incessant labor were his telegraph and the founding of the National Academy of Design."

The Syracuse Museum is indebted to Mr. Vernon C. Porter, Director of the National Academy of Design, for assistance in obtaining addresses and several loans, thus enabling us to copy on a reduced scale the great Morse Exhibition of Arts and Sciences sponsored in 1950 by the National Academy in celebration of its 125th anniversary.

Also much help was received from the granddaughters of Samuel Morse - Miss Leila Livingston Morse of California and Miss Clara Morse of Massachusetts; and from the International Telephone and Company and the Wester Union Telegraph Company. And to all the generous lenders who have made this important exhibition possible we extend heartiest thanks.

A.W.O.