Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
William “Willie” Nutzhorn was a scenic artist at Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio for approximately two decades, from 1894 until the early 1920s. He specialized in interior settings and took numerous assistants under his wing, including Art Rider and John Hanny.
Born on Nov. 23, 1873 in Chicago, Illinois, he was the fourth of nine children born of Gerhard Dietrich Nutzhorn and Antonie C. Wilnes (Wilms in some accounts). The couple emigrated from Germany in 1868 with their two young daughters, Amalia (1865-1951) and Augusta (1867-1925). Amelia later married an architect (Otto Runde, 1886), and Augusta later married a musical instrument merchant (Herman Sakrzewsky, 1889). When Gerhard, Antonie, Amelia and August relocated to the United States, they first settled in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Shortly after their arrival, they celebrated the birth of Henry B. Nutzhorn (1868-1931). The family continued on to Chicago by the early 1870s.
Gerhard also went by Gerhart or G. D. and opened ran a grocery store, Nutzhorn & Praeger. He was naturalized on Nov. 1, 1873. By 1874, local newspapers advertised, “ G. D. Nutzhorn (formerly Nutzhorn & Praeger), wholesale and retail dealer in groceries, flour, food, and provisions, 568 and 571 Elston-av.; goods delivered to any part of the city; prices as low as the market; satisfaction guaranteed” (“Chicago Tribune,” 6 Dec, 1874, page 14). At the time, the family was living at 724 Elston Avenue. In 1875, twins were born to the couple, but neither survived infancy. More children followed, including Arthur Carl (1876-1940), Clara (1878-1942) and George (1879-1880).
In 1876, The Nutzhorn family was living right next to their business; the Nutzhorn grocery store was 725 Elston Avenue and their home address was 723 Elston Avenue. Gerhard continued to run a grocery store for the remainder of the 1870s. but by 1880 was running a saloon.
The 1880 the Federal Census listed Gerhard’s occupation as “saloon,” an occupation that continued to be listed in the Chicago Directory in 1888. It was located at 241 W. Chicago Ave.
On March 1, 1894, Gerhard passed away at the age 56 yrs. old, with his eldest son Henry becoming head of household. By 1900 the entire Nutzhorn family was living at 1075 Kimball Av. This included Henry (plumber), William (scenic artist), Arthur Carl (plumber), Clara (house work), and George (no occupation). It became obvious that William was striking out on his own in more ways than one. He was employed at Sosman & Landis as a paint boy, gradually making his way to paint assistant before securing his own palette.
On January 16, 1900, the Chicago Tribune” reported, “WOULD NOT ENFORCE THE LAW. William Nutzhorn, Being Examined for Service as a Juror, Gives an Answer that Excuses Him. “No, I don’t believe in the enforcement of the laws,” was the statement made yesterday in Judge Hutchinson’s court by William Nutzhorn, 1075 Kimbark avenue, who was being examined touching his qualification to serve as a juror in the case of James H. Bird, on trial for forgery. Mr. Nutzhorn would not qualify his answer in any way, but said he was no Anarchist. The court excused him from jury service.” This may have been a turning point for William, however, as he soon settled down somewhat.
On April 21, 1901, William married Rose Z. Stephens (1882-1918), and the two celebrated the birth of a daughter on January 10, 1905 – Clara A, Nutzhorn.
Around this same time, Art Rider became an assistant to Nutzhorn at Sosman & Landis. When Rider later left the studio to start a position at the Grand Opera House in Philadelphia, John Hanny became Nutzhorn’s new assistant; this was around 1909. Each young man started out as a paint boy, working their way up to journeyman status over the course of several years. Paint boys became assistants before receiving their own palette, projects, and pay raise. Moses records that he hired Hanny in 1906, starting him out at sixteen years old. However, Hanny first applied for the position when he was only thirteen years old in 1903.
A paint boy’s duties primarily included washing brushes, cleaning the palettes of older artists, and other odd jobs. In later years Hanny recalled, “As I look back over the years, I now realize that I have had a full and exciting life – hopefully a productive one – and have known and rubbed elbows with some wonderful generous people including Tom Moses and Wm. Nutzhorn for which I am most grateful.” Hanny greatly appreciated his training and the role of Moses at the studio, writing, “He, like Mr. Nutzhorn, was a very patient and kindly man and I shall be ever grateful for the help and the encouragement they willingly gave me” (Excerpt from Hanny letter, July 14. 1976). Many of Hanny’s statements and recollections are based on a series of interviews conducted by Dr. John Rothgeb between 1976 to 1978. At the time, his student Rand Givercier Frank was working on a B.A. Thesis entitled, “The Sosman & Landis Studio: A Study of Scene Painting in Chicago, 1900-1925” (University of Texas, Austin, 1979). Dr. Rothgeb had several students research specific topics as his continued to explore the history of scenic art in America. He conducted personal and telephone interviews with former Sosman & Landis employees, including Hanny and Art Oberbeck.
In a July 14, 1976, letter written by Hanny, he described that Nutzhorn’s trained in wood carving, so he was an expert on all styles of ornament and architecture. In Frank’s thesis, she wrote, “[Nutzhorn] made most of the designs for the so-called ‘Interior’ for the ‘sample case’ from which the selections were made by clients, and later produced in the Studio. These included what were called ‘Palaces,’ part of the equipment of most Vaudeville theaters. Aside from this he was an expert in wash water and did many floral pictures. As you may gather from this, he was a most able and accurate-exacting craftsman.”
In 1902, Sosman & Landis delivered an interior setting delivered to the Tabor Opera House in 1902. It is very possible that the interior was painted by William Nutzhorn, when considering the time period, and Nutzhorn’s specialty of interiors. Here are a few examples of a set that was possibly painted by Nutzhorn in 1902; I documented the setting at the Tabor Opera House in February 2020.
In a telephone interview with Dr. Rothgeb on September 6, 1979, Hanny described his advancement at the firm and becoming Nutzhorn’s by 1909. Hanny recalled, “Those things come by chance. Somebody dies or goes away or something and you get a chance to fill in and if you make it you stay there. That’s all.” It is hard not to think George E. Snell’s (employee # 36) passing from a freak cable car accident after work. Snell was an upcoming star at the firm; one whose death provided an open slot for another aspiring paint boy.
Before Hanny, Nutzhorn’s assistant was Arthur Rider. However, Rider had a chance to join the Opera Co. in Philadelphia, therefore opening up a position for Hanny. On July 14, 1976, Hanny recalled, “It was perhaps the most fortunate thing that ever happened to me when I was selected from the paint boy group to be his assistant and learn from a ‘pro’ the fundamentals of good craftsmanship. I was with him for three years and then assigned a palette of my own at the journeyman’s pay ($35.00 per week).” Frank surmised Hanny’s training at Sosman & Landis: “From Nutzhorn he learned to be very exact and to measure correctly, an approach to painting that he found valuable. On interior scenes it was especially important that everything be laid out carefully on each piece. If this work were not done precisely, the mouldings and baseboards would not meet when the set was assembled” (pages 80-81, based on letter received from John Hanny, July 14. 1976).
By the second decade of the twentieth century, several Sosman & Landis artists joined the Brotherhood of Scene Painters and Sign and Pictorial Painters; Nutzhorn and his assistant Hanny were part of the group to join in 1912.
In 1915 the “Chicago Directory” listed William L. Nutzhorn as an artist, living at 3412 Cortland. St. in Chicago. A few years later, his WWI Draft Registration Card still listed his occupation as theatrical scene painter, with Sosman & Landis as his employer. At the time, Nutzhorn was described as short, with a medium build. His eyes were grey and his hair brown. This description, when combined with the 1910 studio photograph of Nutzhorn provides a pretty good picture of this talented interior painter in the early twentieth century.
Shortly after he registered for the draft in 1918, his wife passed away that fall. Records indicate she passed on October 7 and was buried at Forest Home Cemetery on October 10. This left Nutzhorn with a teenage daughter to raise, prompting a new living situation again. By 1920, he was living with his sister Clara and brother Henry again, but this time he was listed as head of household. His brother was still a plumber and his sister managed the household. Clara A. attended high school, completing coursework until her second year.
William continued to live with his daughter, even after she reached adulthood. In 1930 the two were living at 1510 N. Mansfield Ave, with William still listed as an artist and Clara A. as a homeworker. Daughter Clara was 25-yrs. old at the time. By 1940, however, each had their own home, with William living in the Saratoga hotel on 19 Dearborn Street. He was still listed as an artist in the art industry.
In a letter written by Mildred Nutzhorn (William’s niece) to Dr. Rothgeb in 1983, a little more information comes to light about William’s career in the 1930s. On August 26, 1983, Mildred wrote, “I’m sorry I can’t tell you too much about my uncle. I only know that he worked for the theatre during the Depression of 1933-1939 for the P.W.A. as a scenic artist. My father and I would attend several performances at the Blackstone Theatre. After that he painted ice for ice shows (Ice Follies?). My one cousin told me that he painted he mural about the proscenium of the stage at Medina Temple in Chicago ages ago when it was first built. Although I’m sure he wasn’t associated with the lodge.”
She also recalled his passing, “He wasn’t written up at his death because I attended his funeral. Here is his death date however, Dec. 1942. (69 years old). Nutzhorn passed away on Sunday, December 27, 1942 in Chicago. His sister Clara Nutzhorn preceded him in death by seven months on Feb. 28, 1942. As indicated by his niece, Nutzhorn was laid to rest without any fanfare. His obituary in the “Chicago Tribune” simply stated, “NUTZHORN- William Nutzhorn, suddenly, beloved father of Clara. Funeral services Wednesday, 11 a.m. at chapel. 4523 Broadway. For information Longbeach 2454” (29 Dec., 1942, page 22) He left this world in relative obscurity, his contributions to scenic art only recalled by a few individuals.
Two years prior to Nutzhorn’s passing, his daughter Clara was living on her own, working in sales. In 1940, she was listed as head of her own household and working as a saleslady, residing at 672 Sheridan Road. Clara soon changed her name to “Claire” A. Nutzhorn, and eventually became Claire Adams, dropping the Nutzhorn entirely. Keep in mind that this change occurred in the midst of WWII, and I have to wonder if antisemitic sentiment prompted the name change. I cannot help but think of the name-changing in New York City during World War II and the American documentary photographer Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn (1895-1965) who changed her name to Dorothea Lange.
Claire Adams passed away on Sept. 15, 1987, in Chicago. Little is known of her life.
To be continued…
As a Nutzhorn (great grandson of Arthur Carl and great nephew of Mildred), I found this to be fascinating. Thank you for collecting and publishing this information.
You are welcome!