Alix Hanna: Sculptress of Beneficence
As an avid eBay scavenger, I'm always looking for items that can enlighten histories of visual artifacts and/or the good ol' Hoosier state. Above is a plaster bas-relief portrait of Frederick W. Ranney created by Alix Hanna in 1930. A bas-relief (pronounced bah) is a sculpture protruding from a flat background. Coins are great examples of bas-relief sculptures that everyone carries around... or collects for a rainy day fund. Though the portrait may seem formal and unassuming, my initial interest grew from its creator. The Hanna surname has historical ties to Indiana, most notably from Fort Wayne and Lafayette. The latter is where Alix's family originated. Her paternal grandfather was Hugh Henry Hanna Sr., an industrialist and former president of Atlas Engine Works as well as the fourth president of the Art Association of Indianapolis (now IMA/Newfields) from 1898 to 1903. Senior Photo, Shortridge High School Annual 1926 Alix, officially named Alice Barteau ...
