The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-19

Il
for the youth, but when Blashfield |
went abroad it was to study with Bon
nata, altho he received criticisms from |
Gerome and Chapu. Mr.. BIashfield
spent about twenty years abroad but
returned to America when the time |
was ripe, wholly unspoiled by his long
foreign absence and fully equipped for
the commanding place he has taken. |
At the exposition the subject of his
decoration of a dome in the manu-
factures' building was "The Arts of
MetalW orking." Mr.. Blashtield's
decoration in the library of congress
occupies the position of honor and
binds together the whole decorative
scheme, as the dome is the architec-
tural and decorative center of interest.
His decorations are in the dome. In
the lantern itself the subject repre-
sented is Human Understanding"
Around the collar in a band twelve
feet high stretches the representation
of 'The Evolution of Civilizations" a
grouping of twelve seated winged
figures, types Of the peoples who have
carried forward the light of civiliza-
ton.
One of the most interesting and
important decorative commissions in
the young American art of mural
decoration is the building of the ap-r
pe1late division of the supreme court
of New York, and in this Mr.. Blash-
field has a noble panel showing THE
Power Of the Law Other Of his
decorative commissions have been a
courtroom in Baltimore, a lunette6 for
a Pittsburg bank, the ceiling Of the
Astoria ballroom and several notable
decorations in the homes Of w. K.
Vanderbilt, G. f. G.. Drexel, G.. p.
Huntington and others
Father of Municipal Art.
Like Mr.. La Fargo. Mr.. Blashfield
has varied talents. He is one of the
ablest lecturers in the country, and
he has employed his gifts in press
ing art interests. His lecture, "A
Plea for Municipal Art afterwards
published, had such influence that he
is called ''The Father Of Municipal
Art" He has done some splendid
work in illustration, and, with Mrs.
Blashfield, wrote italian Cities and
has done other writing.
Simmons Won Competition.
- One of the first results of the new
ly awakened interest in mural art was
| the formation of the Municipal Art
society of New York, for which Mr..
| Blashfield wrote his "Plea.''. It's aim
| was to present to the city from time
| to time gifts Of paintings or sculpture
such as it deemed worthy Of accept
ance. The first gift was to provide
the decorations for the appellate
| courtroom of the criminal courts
building. A competition to which
there were many responses was held,
and the award was won by Edward
r. Simmons. The work done by Mr..
Simmons is the tall panel Of Justice
| and the small wing panels of three
grouped figures on each, representing
:"The Fates'' and .Liberty, Fraternity
and Equality
: Mr. Simmons was also one of 1.-The
decorators Of the library Of congress
who gathered fresh laurelss by=1fis
| treatment of a curtain corridor in
which he represented the: muses. in
nine large tympanums in q remark
able way, a series of figures of rare
| dignity and significance. Mr.. Sim
mons also contributed splendid panel
to the decorations of the supreme
court room in New York, his Justice
Of the Law balancing that of Mr.
| Blashfield's. The Astor gallery of the
Astoria has some or the most delicate
and charming of Mr.. Simmons work
in light and joyous vein suited to the
uses of the room. One of his most re-
cent works is the painting of "The
Battle of Lexington" and ''The Return
of the Battle Flags.
| Garnsey Already at Work.
Mr.. Garnsey is already in st. Pau
land has begun his work on the gen
era1 scheme Of the decorations. II
Iaddition to this work of strictly archi.
Etectural accentuation in color, Mr.
Garnsey will provide the entire deco.
: | ration of the house of representatives
chanbe
OF the painters, only Mr.. La Fargo
ihas progressed far with his work. The
four spandrels for the supreme court
room have for their subjects the de-
velopment of law, and include '"The
Divine and Moral Law ''The Rela:
tions, of the Moral Law to the State,
| The Recording of Precedent in Law,
'"The Adjustment Of Conflicting Inter.
ests and Privileges Under Law" These
are, Well under way.
+ The method of managing the deco.
rative scheme is in accordance with the
! best development of the ideas of mura
I decoration. 1t is intended that no
Eonly each decoration shall fbe beauti
full but that there shall be a definite
relation between the parts of the work
and between that and the beautiful
building Of which the decoration i:
to be a vital part. In order to unif,
and harmonic the entire work board
of design that includes the artists
Cass Gilbert, architect of the, building
and Daniel French, the distinguished
sculptor, who is providing portion
of the exterior decorations, will pas
upon all designs, insuring the con
formity of each individual to the bes
general results.
Harmonious Designs Insured.
This plan is one evolved an
strongly indorsed by the Society Q
Mural Painters, Of which all OF" tn
artists are members. The brillian
success. of the code is suggested an
of which this Is an essential featur
: received a complete dem onstration i
!. the decoration Of the appellate cour
I in New York, in which it was frs
put to the test. The program fo
this building was prepared by com
y mittee of the society and approved b
it. The principal condition of tn