The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-19

receive a. degree of attention that
would be bestowed on no other similar
art works. The capitol is to be the
show place Of the state, where every
citizen may go without let or hind
rance, and the work of La Fargo,
Garnsey, BIashf1eld and Simmons will
have an exhibition such as would be
possible under no other circumstances.
In the magnificence Of it's plans and
In their scope Minnesota will be the
pioneer of the west in mural decora-
tions and civic beautifying. 1t is
rarely fortunate that the state first
undertak king a great piece of decora-
ton should be SO admirably guided |
by the capitol architect, Cass Gilbert,
as to assure the elevated character of !
the work even before the details are
fully planned.
Garnsey Will Direct Work.
The work Of interior decoration as a
whole has been intrusted to Elmer T.. .
Garnsey Of New York, a most distin- |
gushed artist, whose particular gift is |
for planning large decorative schemes
with breadth, magnifcence, harmony
and variety. Mr.. Garnsey occupies |
unique position, being without peer
and with scarcely a competitor in his |
line of work. He had complete charge |
Of the mural decorations of the con-
gressional library at Washington and |
was responsible for it's entire color and |
decorative sCneIne, experimenting the
work personally. So fully has he
grasped the relation of decoration to
architecture that he is greatly appre-
ciated by architects and scarcely an
important public building has been
decorated since the Columbian exposi-
ton except under his direction. One
of his notable successes was the United
States pavilion at the Paris exposition
and for this he received a silver medal
Other commissions Of Importance have
been the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburg,
and Mr.. Carnegie's house in New
York; Boston public library, Ryedson
library. Chicago; Columbia university,
and the New York Stock exchange
John La Farge's Growing Work.
The particular triumph for Gilbert
Is in securing, for the most important
portion of the work, John La Fargo,
the pioneer American mural painter
and an artist whose fame rests upon
sure foundation. Mr.. La Fargo is
nearly 70 years of age and could not
be expected to execute many more
monumental works. He expects to
make his contribution to the plan, the
decoration of the supreme court
chamber. the crowning work of his
life.
Mr.. La Fargo stands in a class by
himself. both by reason Of his great
and varied gifts and by reason of the
attitude of all other artists toward
him. 1t Is a remarkable thing that
InS 1ttdu "ilO IIlduc LilG DeSlllIl1QR
a great field Of art should still be sur
viving and full Of vigor to see such
development as 1t has attained. The
history of mural art does not even
cover the whole Of Mr.. La Farge's
artistic career for, while he ALWAYS
had strong inclination N towards a1ds
mural art with it's splendid color pos
sbilities and his noble treatment of
the figure, it was not until he had
made his artistic reputation that he
hi frct oI Nv,
for mural painting, with it's accessory
arts.
Trinity church in Boston was Mr.
La Farge's first important commits
sion and was in reality the first large
decorative undertaking in the coun-
try. The plan was an experimental
one undertaken under, very un-
favorable conditions, but its successful
completion was a revelation to Amer-
cans and it remaips important and ad-
mirable intrinsically as we'll as his
torically.
The story of the Trinity decorations
as told by Mr. La Fargo is full of in
terest, as are the circumstances lead
ing UP to this work. While studying
art abroad as an accomplishment Mr..
La ,Farge had interested himself es-
pecially in the work Of the old mas
ters, their breadth, simplicity and
richness of effects appealing to him.
On his return to America his artistic
of his chosen profession, the law into
a. career devoted to art, altho as he
declares, mo one has struggled more
against his destiny than L. Ior did
1 for many years acquiesce in being
a painter, tho I learned the principles
and studied the methods Of my art.
had hoped to find some other mode of
life, some way Of satisfying the de-
sire for a contemplation of truth un-
biased, free and detached.
While abroad Mr.. La Fargo had
entered the studio of Couture, but his
strong personality and artistic gifts
being recognized by the French mas
ter, he was advised to study indepen-
IDENTIFY and develop his individuality.
This he did thru the study of archi-
lecture, of the old masters, and of
Delacroix, Millet. Rousseau, Corot and
the pre-Raphaelites. His principal
technical instruction he received from
William H. Hunt, but this was quite