Guild Gallery

Through October 26 — CCA Permanent Collection: Curated Work of Louis Orr — Louis Orr (1876-1961) is often referred to as “the Rembrandt of his time,” having the distinction of being recognized as one of the premier etchers of the 20th century. Although born in Connecticut, Orr lived much of his adult life in France and is credited with being the first American to have his work collected by and the first original etching purchased by the Louvre Museum of Paris. During World War I, Orr served as the French Army’s Official Artist and created etchings from the frontlines, often risking his life to create images depicting scenes from that conflict. Most notably, Orr is known for his etchings of the Rheims Cathedral under German artillery fire. His detailed renderings garnered recognition and accolades from home and abroad. In addition to his European etchings, Orr worked with Greenville, North Carolina native, Robert Lee Humber (1898-1970), to capture the historical and significant architecture and landscapes of North Carolina. This project took 12 years to complete, resulting in the creation of 50 etchings of North Carolina landmarks. Today, Orr’s etchings may be found in private collections abroad and stateside, in public collections throughout North
Carolina, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. We are pleased to be among this renown list of curators to have Orr’s work in our Permanent Collection. (Among Robert Lee Humber’s many contributions, he established the North Carolina Museum of Art, the NC Community College system, and the NC Symphony.) — Image of Orr from galleryc.net​