New York's Building Has a Famous Portrait Moro Painting of Christopher Columbus Loaned by its Owner, C.F. Gunther July 9, 1901 Buffalo Evening News The New York State Building has come into temporary possession of the Moro painting of Christopher Columbus. The picture was received today. It is loaned to the New York Commission by its owner, Charles F. Gunther fo Chicago. The latter will arrive in Buffalo tomorrow to superintend the hanging of it. The portrait has a very interesting history. It was painted by Sir Antonio Moro in 1543 for the Court of Spain. It was selected by Washington Irving as the most authentic likeness of the great explorer. It was the first exhibit received by the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The New York State Building has also come into possession of the famous Ogden rustic chair, made by Moses F. Ogden of Angelica. Mr. Ogden is a veteran of the Civil War and built the chair as a memorial of the latter end of a busy life. The chair is 8 feet high and 4 feet across, and weighs about 700 pounds. It is built of 1200 pieces of wood, every one of which is a natural crook. They include 50 different kinds of of wood grown in New York State. The construction is very symmetrical. When Mr. Odgen glued on a piece of wood in the back or arm on one side, he pottered about in the woods until he came across the exact duplicate as to size, grain and color. Then he took this home and added it to the opposite side. In this pursuit he roamed over a large part of Alleghany county. Mr. Odgen has contributed two other rustic chairs to the New York State Building, one of which is made entirely of sumac. These pieces of furniture are admired by thousands who visit the building daily.
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