The San Francisco call., 1896-10-04
The Frieze in the
Horace Hill
Palace
An Original Piece Of
Work by Arthur
Mathews
Brush

The most original and meritorious piece
of art work that has been produced in San
Francisco in a long time is the frieze
which Arthur Mathews mas just finished
for Horace Hills new home, on Sacra-
mento and Laguna streets. This frieze is
very likely the only one OF its kind in ex-
istence. 1t is the only frieZe of a highly
artistic character in any residence in Cali
fornia, and indeed the only piece of inte-
rior deco ration of the kind ever executed
by an artist resident of the State.
The principal popularity of the frieze
painted by Mr.. Mathews is that it is an
endless one. That is it is not series OF
panels set in certain places, but one long
picture, passing all the way around the
room and really having no beginning nor
ending point. 1t is three feet deep and
has total length of 108 feet. On two
walls it is thirty-two feet long and on the
two others il is twenty-five feet long.
AS the room in which the frieze is placed
is Grecian in style Mr.. Mathews has fol-
lowed that theme in his work. The idea
OF the frieze is "The Arts of Peace and
the whole field of that is covered.
That portion of the frieze that first
strikes the person entering the room is
over the mantle and might be called the
beginning. 1t represents emusic and
the Dance" The figures in this are full of
grace and action, being skiIlfully drawn
and well composed. Every line is easy
and harmonious. In this group are buildA
ings and statuary that represent the arts
of sculpture and architecture.
! Following the frieze around to the left
"Romapce" Is represented by figures and
| landscape that tell some of the stories of
ancient Greece. "Poesy" is also repre-
sented in this group.
! On the wall opposite the fireplace are
represented the 'Industries." This theme
is also extended to the wall on the south
and covers fishing, sheepherding, sailing
the seas, merchandising and tilling the
soil. The minor industries. such as spin
ming and other household duties, are also
represented. This carries the frieze ali
around the room, and the observer will, in
following ii, have come back to the group
over the fireplace.
| In the treatment of the carts of Peace
Mr.. Mathews has followed the modern
school of decoration. That is, principally.
that he has got his effects by the proper
management of color, form and values
rather than elaborate detail. 1t is by do
ing this that he has been able to make his
work harmonize with the surroundings.
| In tone the frieze is warm gray, inclin.
ing toward yellow in the lights and to
browns in the shadows. Nearly all of the
| green's are warm in tone, except in small
| spaces, where little, cold and dark. is
| used with pleasing effect. The room, is
| finished in dark red mahogany and the
warm tones seem part of it and vet are
| il good contrast.
| The work of executing this frieze was a
long one. 1t was commenced last March
and the designing alone consumed several
weeks of hard study. At least two months
of solid work was consumed in painting
but the canvas had to be retouched from
time to time until about the beginning of
last month, when it was placed in posi-
| ton.
| 1t was impossible to buy canvas for the
! frleze, so it had to be made. This Mr.,
Mathews did himself, so as to be sure that
the materials used were OF the best quality.
The canvas is of the absorbent kind
which gives dead surface with oil colors
and enables the work to be seen from any
direction without reflections. The frieze is
not mounted on stretchers and set in
panels but is pasted directly to the wall.
| In painting this frieze many things had
| to be considered that are not apparentat
| first glance. AS there are windows in the
| room it follows that there is more light in
one place than another, and to overcome
this the picture had to be painted accord
ingly. The part over the windows had to
| be painted in different key.