The Portland daily press., 1884-02-15
PORTLAND SOCIETY OF ART.

OpehiuE Oh tine S0clefys New Building,
The Portland Society of Art formallv omen.
ed it's new building to its members and friends
last evening Although description OF the
ed11ce was published in the PRESS from the ar.
chitect's plans.at the time the voted to soeiatv
erect the building,it may not be out of place e
reproduce it, with the Embellishments and de.
tails that are apropos to finished work.
The edifice Is one story in height, located on
the lot in the rear OF the Baxter Block on Con.
gress street, and situated half way between
Congress street and Deering Place. The On.
trance is somewhat Moorish in style, and the
broad arch of the porch gives space for a good
sized piazza. Over the front of the porch is q
frieze bearing the name of the society. and In
the centre Of the front door s a beautiful pan.
81 OF opalescent stained glass, with back
ground of dull gray glass, and bearing the mon.
ogram OIL the society in the centre. The bald.
lag Itself has shingl walls and roof, the shin
giles stained . reddish yellow and the trim
miDgs olive green.
Upon entering the house the visitor steps
into corri1or running at right angles with
the entrance, and into this corridor opens the
smoking-room, at the left, 13 x 16 feet and 10
feet stud; at the end the reading-io0m 16 20
feet and 10 feet stud and at the right. the ex-
hibition room, 80 20 feet and II feet stud
without including the skylights-which is
practically two rooms for it can be so divided
by means of portiere. The wainscottinp
around the exhibition room is three feet deem
The walls are painted a Brandon red. TIE
corner angles are cut off, making a place for
cupboards and giving more 81 ace for hang ing
pictures. The northern room has three high
windows which are closed by shutters to give
all the wall space in time of exhibition. The
windows are to be used for the convenience Of
drawing classes
The walls of the corridor are tinted reddish
brown. The reading room slighted by a high
window, and delightful large fiat bay win
dow, with old fashioned deep window seat. In
one corner, next the smoking room Is the brick
chimney which affords chimney places of the
old style with terrs-cotta tiles, for bath rooms,
with high, double mantels supporting costly
bric-a-brac, while two beautiful cerbels adorn
the chimney place in the reading room. These
are the gift of j. I. DAILY. The key note o,
color In this room is gray-blue, with a friezs of
dull red, and prevailing buff tone In the ceiling
decorations.
The prevailing tint In the smoking room
is brown. Heavy portieres of gray.
blue and red material separate the
apartments. The gas fixtures, provided
by Cleveland & Marston, are of wrought brass
and very handsome. The draperies were fur
nished by Walter Corey & Co., the paper
hsngings by G. M. Bosworth & Co., tho paint
ing was executed by VIM Gray, the pasteripe
10y r. K. Galley, the masonry by Smith g.
Blackstone, and the carpenter work by George
g. Sylvester.
The following is list of the articles which
have been presented to the society:
Carved Panel (outslde), e. s. Griffin.
Bulletin board, Theodore johnson & Son
Carved corbels John A. DAILY.
Terra Gotta tiles Boston Terra Gotta Company.
Stsined glass panel, Redding Baird & &c.
Books and mag zines Mrs. T. o. Hobson
Mask of Apollo Belyidere, Fred A. Thompson.
Bookcase. William e. Gould.
Japanese vases, Owen, Moore g. Co.
The building committee consisted OF g. r.
Kimball, ). P. Baxter and j. G. Stevens. The
architects we're Fassett aud Stevens. Mr..
Baxter has given to the society a lease of the
land on which the house stands for five years.
and he has also presented furnace which
heats the entire house. The society appropri-
ated $1,000 for building purposes and later 5000
additional for furnishing. The cost has been
slightly less than the appropriation.
The attendance last evening was very large.
embracing some three hundred OF our citizens,
ladies and gentlemen, all interested in art, and
many very prominent people. The
exhibition room was hung with many beauti-
full and costly paintings, loaned for the coca
sion by members, many OF WI ich have never
been seen in public before. They included
Vintris' fine portrait OF Mr. j. P. Baxter;
superb interior of cathedral the property of
Mr.. johnson Mrs. Elizabeth Murray's "White
Rose, Weekss castle OF Ronbat,' Bluh-
ield's "Fisher Girl" Lippincott's "Children
With Kittens" Ernst Melsier's "Boy and
Sheep" There WAS also beautiful Corinthi-
IN bronze Of "Uatimous These are but
ew of the many beautiful works OF art dis
played. To Mr.. Cyrus E. Davis the credit of
he work OF decoration is chiefly due.
The guests were received by the special re-
iaption committee, which consisted Of William
.. Gould, George D. Rand, Thomas j. Little,
J. F. Libby, j. P. Baxter and John A. De-
Witt. Chandler's orchestra of six pieces dis
cursed the finest music, and at the close of
be evening the young people enjoyed several |
ances.
The society is to be congratulated on its |
omfortable quarters, and it is satisfactory to |
ote the fact that it now numbers 225 members |
nd that the membership is constantly increas.
1Q