17 minute read
An Interview with the Collectors
Shown: Artist Unknown. Hudson River School Landscape. Oil on paper laid on board. Undated.
An Interview with the Collectors
Paul Biedlingmaier Jr., Mark Biedlingmaier, and Darlene Miller-Lanning
Over the past 40 years, brothers Paul Biedlingmaier Jr., University of Scranton Class of 1976, and Mark Biedlingmaier, University of Scranton Class of 1980, have collected art. Of special interest to them are representations by artists and of regions associated with the Delaware Water Gap, a natural and cultural landmark signifying the intersection of terrain and commerce in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The paired exhibitions and accompanying catalogue, Hudson River and Delaware Valley: Selections from the Paul Biedlingmaier Jr. and Mark Biedlingmaier Collections, highlight this theme.
DML: The title of our show, Hudson River and Delaware Valley, refers to art historical and social geographical considerations linked to your collections. The Hope Horn Gallery at The University of Scranton has presented exhibitions addressing the geography, history, and culture of northeastern Pennsylvania. Research from these projects suggests that relationships exist between regions identified with the Hudson, Delaware, Lehigh, and Lackawanna Rivers. The waterways are separate; only two actually meet. But all have adjacent watersheds. The Delaware Water Gap marks the intersection of these areas, which are broadly associated with the Northeast Corridor. It anchors them, with the Hudson to the East, the Delaware to the South, the Lehigh to the West, and the Lackawanna to the North. Do you have a personal sense of those regional connections?
PPB: There is a connection between my cabin in Wayne County, nestled near Gouldsboro in the Pocono Mountains, and my house in Northampton County, located in downtown Easton at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers. The amazing thing is that the cabin is on Pocono Peak Lake and the natural springs are the source of the Lehigh River. It begins in those headwaters and passes through beautiful country in Monroe and Carbon Counties. Then, the Lehigh River ends in Easton, where it meets the Delaware. I grew up in Easton, and after years of traveling, I returned and have a house there. I can look at the Lehigh River where it ends. Fifty-five miles north at my cabin in Gouldsboro, I can look at the dam on the lake and think, “Oh my God, this is the beginning of the Lehigh River.” I actually have a beginning and ending in two places where I have a family connection.
Our family roots in Scranton and Lackawanna County have been tied to these regions across five generations. Our great-grandparents came to Scranton from Germany during the nineteenth century, and the city was a melting pot of people and cultures because of the industrialization happening there. They settled in Southside and became involved with St. Mary of the Assumption Church. Our great-grandfather worked for the railroad as a machinist. Our paternal grandfather Ferdinand attended St. Thomas College, now The University of Scranton, became a dentist, and maintained a practice on Pittston Avenue for over fifty years. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, he operated a dental clinic near the train station in Gouldsboro one day a week. I’ve met residents in their eighties who remember his practice and weekly mass attendance at the quaint St. Rita’s Parish.
As German immigrants to the United States, our family had a cultural appreciation of scenic natural landscapes and so gravitated towards the Pocono Mountains. Our grandfather bought a cabin in Gouldsboro where everyone gathered for vacations and our father carried on that tradition with us. We continue to love the area.
Dad served in the United States Army and Navy during World War II and the Korean War, respectively, then trained as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Temple University in Philadelphia. He and Mom were married in Scranton in 1952, and he subsequently taught at the University of Virginia Medical College in Richmond. Our sister Amy was born there, and the family returned to Scranton for the holidays. On the way, Dad stopped in Philadelphia to visit Dr. John Cameron, who had directed his dental internship. On Cameron’s advice, he moved to Easton, as they were in need of oral surgeons there. Before buying a home, he stayed at the YMCA while Mom and Amy lived in Scranton. Every Friday he would drive to be with them for the weekend, and I was born in Scranton eleven months later
In 1954 my parents bought a beautiful mica stone house in the College Hill section of Easton, and the family relocated there. Mark was born in Easton, as was our late brother Ronald. Growing up there is partly how we became involved in collecting art. Easton has a rich history. A nineteenth-century canal ran through it, and the Lehigh Valley was strongly connected with the lumbering, mining, and ice harvesting industries. The homes on College Hill near Lafayette College were eclectic in terms of architectural styles. Mom and Dad collected antiques, so we grew up with an appreciation of history and art. To this day those things are still important to me.
MJB: Dad might have entered into a dental practice in Scranton, but our grandfather encouraged him to look elsewhere for better economic, family, and community opportunities. So, Dad attended Temple University and would hitchhike from Scranton to Philadelphia. The midway point was Easton. The Delaware River flowed through its historic downtown, and there were lush green areas in College Hill. Dad felt these aspects made Easton an attractive and inviting place to raise a young family.
Dad was a busy professional, but he was also a great outdoorsman. There was a transition from the hectic life of Easton to a breath of fresh air in Gouldsboro, figuratively and literally. Dad sometimes took Wednesdays off and Mom said it was the happiest time when they would stay overnight in the country to go boating and hiking. We would come up on the weekends. As an adult, the story of my life in government service was to leave that comfortable and familiar environment, traveling hither and yon across the world. Still, I never felt more relaxed and at peace than when I would come back to recharge in the Poconos.
DML: The Biedlingmaiers have been connected to Scranton for generations, but you were both raised in Easton. Why did you decide to attend The University of Scranton?
PPB: We enjoyed growing up in Easton. Amy attended Saint Francis Academy in nearby Bethlehem, I went to Notre Dame High School, and Mark attended Easton High School. In considering colleges, The University of Scranton was always on the radar as a possibility. Scranton was our family hometown, and our grandfather graduated from St. Thomas College, now The University of Scranton, in 1912. Dad attended The University before entering military service in 1942. I continued this legacy and entered The University of Scranton in 1972. It became a family tradition.
Jesuit education is supreme. I think the education of the whole person is essential. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Finance and became a financial advisor, but I didn’t just go to The University of Scranton, take my business courses, and go out and set the world on fire. I was required to take humanities courses, including theology and philosophy. I also took electives in music appreciation and art history. Professor Carol Spain was my art history teacher. Oh my God. When she walked into class she was absolutely beautiful, with her hair swept around her head in a beehive fashion. She also wore a shawl, which seemed very artsy. These many years later, I realize now the tremendous impact she had on my life. That’s when I really became interested in art and architectural history.
MJB: I enrolled at The University of Scranton in 1976. During my junior year at Easton High School, I completed advanced placement classes, and so in my senior year needed only an English and a gym course to fulfill my graduation requirements. Instead, I applied to the Rotary exchange program and went to Sweden in 1975. The academics were rigorous, and I studied eleven subjects, including French, German, physics, math, and natural science. This plan backfired a bit as the Pennsylvania Department of Education did not accept my course credits from Sweden when I returned. Technically, I don’t have a high school diploma, which I laugh about now because I did eventually earn both a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Master of Arts in History in addition to participating in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Program (SJLA) at The University of Scranton. I initially applied to five colleges. My academic grades and SAT scores were fine. Still, the first four institutions asked me to complete my senior year, then enroll for class in 1977, which was an unacceptable option for me.
We spoke to the admissions counselors at The University of Scranton, who said, “Mark, the academic work you did in Sweden supports your credentials, and we invite you to enter the Class of 1976.” Throwing caution to the wind, I thought, “Okay, perfect. A degree is better than no degree or waiting another year.” That brought me to The University of Scranton, which was a wonderful experience. I worked with Dr. Ellen Casey in the Honors Program, Dr. Michael DeMichele in the History Department, and Fr. Edward Gannon in the Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Program. I am an ardent supporter of The University, and now there is a sense of obligation to pay a debt of gratitude to this institution for having offered me this opportunity.
Dr. DeMichele took an intense interest in his students, and he opened a number of doors in my sophomore and junior years. I completed an internship on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and was one of the first students to major in International Affairs because he looked at my background and talked often with me about my career interests. I had been associated with Foreign Service and State Department officers and thought that was exactly what I’d like to do. In the late 1970s, the field of International Affairs was coming into its own. Dr. DeMichele said, “Mark, you have all the requisite characteristics and skills of a Renaissance individual.” I had experience with foreign languages, including Swedish from the Rotary exchange and French from high school in Easton. I participated in The University of Scranton’s Honors and Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Programs and completed my undergraduate coursework in History. At the master’s level, my classes were geared toward International Affairs. This combination of linguistic ability, overseas travel, and internship experience became part of the curriculum that eventually launched the International Affairs major, and I really have Dr. DeMichele to thank for that.
DML: How did you become interested in collecting art?
PPB: I’m very fortunate that I took art history courses at The University of Scranton in the first and second semesters of my senior year. During that period, Mark was a high school Rotary exchange student in Sweden. In December, my early graduation gift was an airline ticket to go and be with him for Christmas and New Year’s vacation. We spent the holidays together, then I borrowed his knapsack and toured Europe by train. In my first art history course, I had studied European art and architecture, and so was excited to see the Rembrandt paintings at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, and the Pantheon near the Forum in Rome. I spent days visiting unbelievable museums and beautiful buildings. This experience helped tremendously because when I returned to Scranton for my second art history course, I had actually seen some of the works we were discussing and had a better appreciation of what was taught in the classroom with Professor Spain.
About fifteen years ago I began seriously collecting art. I was especially attracted to the natural imagery found in nineteenth-century landscapes of the Hudson River School. Several well-known auction houses routinely offer fine oil paintings for sale. I have purchased choice pieces through Freeman’s in Philadelphia, which is a very reputable establishment. There are online sites where I specifically search for Hudson River School paintings a few times a week and many listings appear. Some pieces were carried to places far from the Northeast Corridor as families moved to Florida or California, then decided to sell art they no longer wanted. I also gravitate toward the smaller auction houses in New York and keep in touch with local dealers near Bangor and Wind Gap.
Weekend auctions can be crowded, so I like the ones held on weeknights. You can often visit them and find a real diamond in the rough. With a little care, a damaged painting can be restored to beautiful condition. Cheryl Chase does our art restoration work. Mark and I were very fortunate to find her in the little town of Matamoras right off Route 6. Cheryl was trained by an expert art restorer, and her work is very meticulous and timeconsuming. She takes photographs documenting the restoration process and makes notes on the chemicals and procedures she used. Cheryl is also a good connection with the auction houses, and sometimes knows of collectors selling works by Hudson River School artists.
I’ve been fortunate enough to acquire paintings by Asher Brown Durand and Albert Bierstadt. I actually drove twelve hours to a little town outside of Cleveland, Ohio to pick up the Durand, which was definitely worth the trip. I’m kind of lucky now and I’m so excited I want to go out and buy more.
MJB: I first became interested in art during my sophomore year of high school. I was taking French, and at that time the teachers arranged a quick language-immersion trip abroad. Trips were usually done over the Easter holidays. We took ten days to visit Paris and the chateau country. In my junior year, I trailed along with the German Club on a similar immersion trip to Germany. Paul and I grew up in a household where Mom and Dad collected antiques, but I think those experiences in France and Germany truly sparked my interest in art. Of course, we went to some of the best museums in the world, so early in my adult life I had exposure to excellent examples of European art from the Renaissance through Modern periods.
Later, as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea, I was introduced to a completely different style of art. Eventually, as I worked and traveled in over seventy countries with the Department of State, I visited many of the world’s greatest museums and galleries and began purchasing small pieces to bring home.
Works by well-known artists command high prices, and I could not afford large ticket items. But I bought pieces that I enjoyed and appreciated art from diverse cultures. While my favorite works always seemed to be landscape paintings, I challenged myself to push the traditional boundaries of that stylistic category. I began purchasing paintings by twentieth century artists, and eventually gravitated towards works by Delaware Valley painters from the 1960s and 1970s. I bought many pieces from the Hartzell Auction Gallery in Bangor. They often organize benefit auctions and themed shows featuring works by women artists and regional painters. So, having seen great art from around the world, I was inspired to build my own collection in a unique way and push the limits of my comfort zone.
DML: There is an old approach to collecting, known as a cabinet of curiosities, through which a collector gathers and arranges works representing his or her interests in such a way that together, they become an ideological selfportrait of that person. How have you installed and interpreted your collections within the context of your homes and their locations?
PPB: After graduating from The University of Scranton, I relocated several times, pursuing career opportunities across the country. I lived and worked in Washington D.C.; Wilmington, Delaware; Salt Lake City, Utah; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Once my children were grown, I came back to Easton. Returning to the city gave me the opportunity to see Mom more often. I bought the Clyde Bixler House, a Victorian home in downtown Easton. In the eighteenth century, the Bixlers were among the first jewelers and clockmakers in the United States. I restored much of the house to the original architecture and now call it home. Elizabeth Mitman, a local interior designer with family connections to the Bixlers, helped me with the restoration process. It’s exciting to be back in Easton, which was the foundation of my parents’ success. Owning a historic home in the city which I dearly love is a dream come true.
MJB: Paul’s historic townhouse in Easton complements his Hudson River School paintings. I knew he purchased art but didn’t realize the extent to which he was actively collecting masterworks by several top-tier painters. I am impressed by the quality of the works he has acquired, and how appropriately they are presented in the restored home, which dates from a similar time period, the mid-nineteenth century. I knew Paul had good taste, but I thought of him as an outdoorsman, and was shocked in a positive way to learn that he had such a fine eye for art and interior design. About ten years ago, in the midst of assignments in Afghanistan and Iraq, I began looking for property to purchase in Pennsylvania. I knew I wanted to settle there, and when I found a site in Dingmans Ferry (also on the Delaware River!) I knew that roots could be reestablished in that place. It’s not Easton. It’s not Gouldsboro. But it has many of those same familiar traits. I was inspired by Walden: the house I built carries a sense of peace, relaxation, and appreciation of nature. I have a feeling that’s why so much of my art reflects those particular traits and qualities. It is just a sort of an initial reaction. The house, in a sense, is also a cabinet of curiosities. When visitors come in, they often say, “Wow, Mark, this house is a reflection of your life.” When I built the house, I wanted to reflect my work and travels in spaces that would showcase my collection of American art as well as African masks, Russian icons, and Church and State items including historical documents and political posters. People seem to understand that, so those comments are taken as compliments.
Local art stager Dayne Altemose and auctioneer John Hartzell guided me to install the collection in the unique timber frame interior. When construction on the house was complete, I brought over the furniture, paintings, and artifacts that I had kept in storage for several decades. Dayne and I did a walkthrough, and I described to him what I wanted. Within two or three days, we put the house together. He had the eye for grouping paintings and arranging objects. He told me, “Mark, you have excellent material to work with,” but a lot of credit goes to him in terms of placement and creating a sense of the warmth and welcome rather than as a sterile museum setting.
