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 Hanna, was born on March 11, 1909, in Indianapolis to Agnes McCulloch Hanna and Hugh Henry Hanna Jr. She was named after her maternal grandmother and was the youngest of three siblings, who were Dorothea Hanna and Hugh H. Hanna III. Her mother was the daughter of Rev. Oscar C. McCulloch, who was well known for his civic leadership and social work throughout the city. Agnes was well known in her own right for documenting and writing about the historical homes within Indianapolis. These articles and original images of the homes are available via the Indiana Landmarks Wilbur D. Peat Collection. Both Alix and Dorothea attended Shortridge High School and graduated in 1926. The family resided at 1735 N. Pennsylvania Street. Incidentally enough, they were a half a block away from the John Herron Art Institute, where Alix studied sculpture. Though it's inconclusive when she studied, it is suspected shortly after high school. Myra Reynolds Richards was the head of the sculpture department, specializing in portraits and anatomical sculpture. Additionally, Alix studied under Elmer Taflinger during the 1930-1931 school year. She specialized in sculpting portraits, figures in the round, and bas-reliefs. She exhibited her work in the annual Indiana Artists exhibitions at Herron as well as the Indiana State Fair.

Indiana State Fair 1931 Fine Art Catalogue, pgs. 12-13, Herron Art Library

Alix was 21 when she created the portrait of Frederick W. Ranney, who was 52. Mr. Ranney worked as an insurance agent for the State Life Insurance Company, which was formerly located at 15 E. Washington Street. Dr. Carleton B. McCulloch, Alix's uncle, was a former vice president and medical director at State Life. The portrait could very well have been a gift or commission to support the young artist.  

Two more bas-relief commissions followed shortly after. The first sculpture was a memorial tablet dedicated to Dr. Theodore Potter, which was presented to the Theodore Potter Fresh Air School, now IPS School 74. Dr. Potter was a leading researcher in bacteria and tuberculosis, resulting in the founding of the school. It was built in 1914 on the grounds of Arsenal Tech High School and later rebuilt in 1924 to expand its capacity. That building was eventually demolished in the 1980s, and the current school building now resides at its original location. A year later, Ms. Hanna created a bas-relief in honor of her grandfather, Oscar, where the tablet was unveiled at IPS School No. 5 (which was named after him in his honor). The tablet was inscribed with his signature, a brief paragraph, and included three words that best summed up who Mr. McCulloch was: Teacher, Minister, and Friend. School No. 5 would later be demolished in 1985; however, the facade lives on today not far from its original site within the Indiana State Museum. The whereabouts of these two sculptures remain unknown. 

Memorial Plaque as shown in the Indianapolis Star, 1935

Indianapolis Star, May 19, 2002, pg. I6

Alix's art career, at least publicly, waned after these commissions. She served as a township relief caseworker until moving to La Jolla, California, with her sister between the late 1930s to early 1940s. They eventually moved to the east coast, with Alix settling in New Jersey and Dorothea in Vermont. At the age of 64, Alix died in August 1973. 

Sources: Indiana Daily Times, "Hugh Hanna Sr., 72, Dies Sunday," November 1, 1920, pg. 2; Indianapolis News, "Taflinger Students' Exhibition," June 6, 1931, pg. 12; Indianapolis Star, "Potter School Hails Founder," May 29, 1934, pg. 22; Indianapolis Star, "School Will Get M'Culloch Plaque," June 5, 1935, pg. 5; Indianapolis Star, May 19, 2002, pg. I6; Art Association of Indianapolis, Indiana: A Record 1883-1906, 1906, pg. 49, Archive.org; Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis: Atlas Engine Works, Oscar Carleton McCulloch, Theodore Potter, and Elmer E. Taflinger; Herron Art Library; Hanna Family Collection, ca. 1880-1920s, Indiana Historical Society; Indiana Landmarks Wilbur D. Peat Collection, IU Indianapolis University Library Special Collections & Archives; Shortridge High School Annual 1926, pg. 103; Polk's Indianapolis City Directory 1900-1940; Public Records via Ancestry.com