The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-01-12
Mural Painting by Francis La
tlrOp, Born in Hawaii.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"
Great Surface Area-DeSign and
InScription-Mo important
DeCoration-Figure

d6OTS0 PARSONS, anu IduClS, were
born on these Islands. DR.. Lathrop,
after acquiring a fortune here, settled
in the city of New York. He was not
fortunate in his business investment.
Mrs. Lathrop possessed remarkable
social gifts, and under favorable cir
cumstances became a social leader
George Parsons Lathrop married Rose
Hawthorne. He has an excellent repu-
tation in the literary world. Francis
Lathrop has obtained some distinction
as an artist.
A. private view was given in st.
Bartholomew Church, New York, re-
Gently of a mural painting, The Light
of the World" by Francis Lathrop,
which has been executed on an order
from the brother, children, and wife
of the late George Kemp. Since the
order was given Mrs. Kemp has died.
The painting, which has occupied all
Mr. LathrOp's time and attention for
nearly two years, was completed last
summer. 1t fills the entire wall space
of the chancel above the altar and re-
redos, and has a surface area OF nearly
500 square feet, with a semi-circular
border around the top. 1t measures 30
feet in height and % feet in width,
and is painted on canvas, which has
been cemented and rolled on to the
wall, a process now extensively used
in interior decorations, and which was
employed in the Hotel del Vile and
other public buildings in Paris, in the
Boston Public Library, and the AS
tOria Hotel The picture has a mas
sive frame of Arabesque design, with
the subject text from Mark xiii, 20. u:
The Son of Man coming in the clouds
with great power and glory" in Gothic
letters This frame was designed and
modelled by the artist and was cast
under his supervision.
The picture is not only the most i'm
portant work that Mr.. Lathrop, who
has achieved deserved fame for his
decorative work, has produced, but will
| take high place among the more i'm
portant mural paintings of the country.
The artist did the interior decoration
of ST. Bartholomew several years ago,
| and he has made this last painting TO
complement the church decoration.
There are IS figures or heads in the
composition, and most of these, even
lin the remoter groups, are above life
tsiZe. The figure of Christ, which Is
the centre of the composition, is OF
heroic size.
The scheme of color of the picture is
white, gold, and purple, and the pic
lture is so placed that the side nghts
Iof the chancel illuminate it even on
idark day and invest it with Joyou:
Atmosphere The keynote Of the com
position is one of triumphant rejoicing
The figure of Christ, draped in Whit
garments falling in fine folds. advance
in a cloud of light, with arms EXTENDED
in a gesture Of protection and welcome
while numerous figures OF the elec
land saints, rObed in white, purple, an
gold. are massed in the foreground o.
either side of the figure of Christ. Nv
langels holding palms, one on the rlgh
and one on the left are the marshals {
| this heavenly host, some OF Wnom az
lkneeIins in attitudes of devotion an
some of whom are praying. Other
again. stand or kneel with doWhcas
| eves and bowed heads, but all sho
| lave and wonder in the attitudes an
| iexpressions Above this host two al
| gels Faith and Hope, are depicted {
I | mead
| Christ. and on either side are groul
! of trumpeters. On the very top al
| completing the circle around the Get
| figure another group OF angels 1901
| lnpon the scene below. Two seated a.
/ gels are below the figure OF CHRIST
| either side, and on the right and lie
| iare still two angels, one bearing a haI
! and another a Tyre.
/ The treatment of light IN the plctu
! is both mastery and effective. Il
| figure of Christ itself, which is I
| central point of the light mass,
! modelled out of the light, the rays co
lverging and forming the lines OF dra
| erv. In looking closely at this cent?
| noint. il is seen that the figure
| Christ. with the lights above and
| low. forms the upright of a great Gro
the angels holding the crown forml
the arms. The outlines of the dr5
. cries melt imperceptibly into the 81
rounding cloud like setting. 1t is
~ possible to describe in cold type
L beautiful color and light effect and
strength and power OF Mr.. Latino
painting. 1t should be seen and stud