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Leonard Marion Bahr (May 12, 1905 - July 25, 1990)
was a prolific portrait painter as well as a
painting teacher for 52 years at the Maryland
Institute College of Art.

Of German descent in the Fox/Bahr line, he was
born May 12, 1905, and grew up on Elizabeth Ave.
in Lansdowne, Maryland.  As a boy, he helped make
and deliver funeral wreaths, for his grandmother
and aunt's florist business, during the deadly
Influenza of 1918. As a young man, his next job
took him to Virginia as an illustrator and photo
retoucher for the Lynchburg Engraving Co., owned
by his uncle, Ed Stevens.

In the mid '20's, he became a student at the
Maryland Institute (now "MICA"), was granted
faculty stipends to continue his studies, and
graduated with honors and a prize to tour Europe
in 1929.  As an art student, he also taught as an
assistant to Henry Roben, a painting professor at
the Institute's Night School, and in 1930, met
another art student, Florence Riefle, to whom he
married four years later. He made some choice
friendships at the Institute -- such as Raymond
Creekmore, who remained a life-long friend, as
well as Steve and Henry Berge.  

Early in his career, Leonard (of Christian faith)
wanted to paint for the "church" and produced an
altar painting of "Christ at Gethsemane" installed
in Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Lansdowne, and
he also painted other works throughout his life of
biblical themes.  A book of his drawings depicting
the 23rd Psalm of David was published in 1933. 
Leonard also painted murals for the Works Progress
Administration during the "Great Depression,"
including 2 for the Municipal Aquarium at Druid
Hill Park, and 2 for the Catonsville High School,
depicting the marriage of Polly Caton and the
rolling of tobacco by slaves along Rolling Road to
the Elkridge seaport. The preliminary drawing for
that mural is held at the Smithsonian.

Leonard served as a Naval officer during WWII,
teaching "plane and ship recognition." He was
stationed in Hollywood and Jacksonville, FL and
retired from the Naval Reserve as Lt. Commander in
1952.  In June 1947, and with three children
(Elizabeth, Len, Jr., and Mary Shafer,
respectively), Leonard and Florence moved from
Baltimore City to Elkridge, (Howard County)
Maryland, to Edgewood Cottage, an historic house
on Lawyers Hill. By 1966, they built new studios
and a new home on the same property. 

Throughout his career, Leonard painted many
portrait commissions, including Bishop Noble C.
Powell, various doctors and administrators at The
Johns Hopkins Hospital, and other prominent
individuals. The State of Maryland commissioned
him to replicate an historical portrait of Daniel
Carroll to be exhibited at the State House.
Leonard served on art boards and juries and
exhibited his work widely, winning many prizes for
his painting.  His history and artworks have been
published and are corporately and privately owned
nationally, including the University of Arizona,
The Peabody Conservatory, The Baltimore Museum of
Art and The Johns Hopkins Hospital, to name a few.
The Maryland Historical Society has photos of
Leonard painting outdoors (photographed by friend
and Maryland photographer, Emily Hayden).  And, in
1980, Leonard retired from MICA with honors for
service. 

As an artist, professor, father and husband,
Leonard was a humble man who saw the best in most
people, and always sought the understanding of
higher truth to life's situations and challenges. 
Leonard died of heart failure July 25, 1990. 
Florence's life was claimed in a house fire
January 12, 1998, which fire destroyed some, but
not all of their artistic legacy together.  What
was spared is treasured.

Other sites containing specific information about
and the art work of Leonard and Florence Riefle
Bahr include: "findagrave.com"; "sailor.com";
"mhs.org"; "mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol";
"mdartsource.com"; "medicalarchives.jhmi.edu"; and
"cooldaddio.net," as well as other source sites.