Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-25
ITALIAN ARTIST
WINS DISTINCTION
LIVES QUIETLY AT RIVERSIDE
HOME
Famous Paintings Of Near by Scenes
Endears Sez Savlnovlch Nieo-
llni to All Southern
callfornlans
ny u. EMnnnN.

BY u. EMBODY.
Perhaps there Is not a more versatile
artist I'm the west than Sez Savinovich
Ncolini, who has won distinction inI
many cities Of Europe and who re-
Gently opened a school of art in River
side.
As his name implies he is of ItalianI
origin, but a native Of Ragusa, a city
of southern Dalmatia by the Adriatic.
For four years he has lived at River
side, almost in seclusion, although in
dustriously at work About once al
year he holds an exhibition and sale,
thus clearing out his studio for new
work.
Beginning in childhood, he studied
many years in Italy, both music and
painting, soon abandoning music and
choosing painting for his life's devo-
tion.
Mural painting or interior decorating
he claims as his profession, yet a va
riety of work is found at his studio,
which is one of the show places of
Riverside and is visited by hundreds
Of travellers during the tourist season.
The first of his excellent work inI
mural decoration in California is found
in the Congregational church edifice of
Redlands. Here he has followed thel
italian renaissance In the conventional
designs adorning the interior, the pre-
vailing color being sap green. This
work was finished over three years agol
and took Sig. Nicolini one year in it's
execution.
The second and most noteworthy are
his frescoes on the walls Of the Car
negle library at Riverside. These
colossal figures. four in number. arel
allegorical representations of history
poetry, art and music, which he has
given modern treatment. The dra-
peries of these lovely figures are donel
in most pleasing tints, that of music
being especially effective In shades of
violet, contrasting daintily with thel
soft yellow of the walls, forming al
whole of exquisite magnificence. Thel
plastic decorations Of the arches inl
this library were made in Italy and
realistically resemble old ivory.
A Citizen of the World
Signor Nicolin is truthfully a citizen
of the world, selecting the beautiful
scenes and views Of various lands for
his brush. Previous to living at River
side he resided in st. Louis, where he
opened a studio. Among the homes Of
that city bearing his artistic work are
those of John T. Milliken, the million
aire manufacturing chemist, and H. |
Kempner, a banker.
Since making his home in Southern
California. this artist has felt the sub
tie spell of our missions and has excl
cuted number of striking works along
this line. The ablest is a hand carved
screen of high dimensions, with panel
decorations of Spanish padres painted
in oils, in most life-like attitudes. The
crude crosses and old mission bells
carved on this screen give it the ap-
pearance of an antique treasure.
His studio is well filed with pictures
of his recent work. These are entirely
of the west-landscapes. marines, fruit
and flowers. The gem of all is a |
massive picture of muscat grapes done
in cool greens so real that the bloom
is still upon them. On the opposite
wall hangs companion piece of navel
oranges, making the impression of one
actually standing in the orchard by the
tree loaded with its golden fruit These
two canvases are said to be the largest
ever finished Of California fruits and
the people of Riverside are proud to
have them in their midst.
A few portraits and two nude stud
les of a young girl are the only pro-
ductionS In his studio that he brought
with him from abroad.
He never tires of trees. The grand
sequoias in his picture of the Mari
posa Grove" Lake Elsinore by Twi-
light" with Its winter clouds, "Crater
Lake" in northern California, near the
oregon line, Lovers Lane" repre-
sented by two gigantic forest trees and
"Orizaba Mountain" "The Mexican
Volcano" which he sketched from the
snow line on Mt. Popocatepetl, are all
evidences of his love of the wild.
Coming nearer home, he has a strik-
ing bit "Sunset on Mt RubidouX," with
the Los Angeles range in the distance;
and another, "The Cucamunga Range"
is much admired by his toWnspeoplel
because they dwell near these hills and
love them. His delineation of the blue
haze that envelops our distant noun
tains just before "norther," is perfect.
Will Teach Art In General
Signor Nicolini opened his school last
October, just after his return from re-
visiting Alaska. In this new school, It
Is his intention to teach art in general,
decoration, designing, etc. There will
be twenty-minute sketching classes. or
two-hour studies. In order to induce
pupils to work hard he offers valuable
prizes and will hold an exhibition an
nually- 1t is well known that he has
received hundreds Of applications to
teach and was finally prevailed upon to
establish a school,
Painting in oil Is his speciality. In
his opinion oil has no limit: to every
other medium there Is Limitation.
This artist is not yet fifty years OF
age and promising future lies before
him I'm the land which he has chosen
for his home.
With the noble purpose of raising
art standards In the west, and provid- |
ing western pupils with methods of in-l
struction similar to those employed inl
the old world, surely SignOr Nicolini
deserves success in his worthy UNDER
taking.