New-York tribune., 1908-03-26
AMERICAN ART.
Mr. 4bbey's Eight Paintings for
CAPITOL at Harrisburg.
Fairford, Gloucestershire, March I:


Cor Arthurian romance. the Grail panels for the
poston Public Library converted the big work
-oorn into House Beautiful, where the stainless
might was lighting mystical battles. comrnun-
t-~ with angels. receiving a welcome from lovely
,,siaens and watching over darkling waters for
,be true course TO Sarras. The twilight OF
,nediaevaI literature has passed, and there is
NOW the broad daylight of modern progress
,be glory Of perfect knighthood has given place
- the dignities and utilities of statehood.
The noble traditions. pacific tendencies and in
ays+rial achievements OF the great Common
,rsalth Of Pennsylvania are more prosaic themes
-rar the twelfth century romances which
marked the beginning Of English. French and
German literature: but Mr.. Abbey has enriched
,her, with color and impaired TO them the
slsu7our q imagination He has succeeded in
making common things like coal. oil, iron and
.,eel poetic. That is great achievement
working on a larger scale than in the panels
.o- the Boston Public Library. Mr. Abbey has
carried out a more difficult ana comprehensive
.c,e-,e for the decoration of the dome Of the
cerirol at Harrisburg. Eight immense can
vsses are now virtually completed after years
s arduols labor. -Four are lunettes. about 40
y, - feet and four are circular canvases, Il
.ae+ in diameter. for the pendentives, or vault
,,e connecting the square area inclose by arches
i,b the dome The circular pictures, which
viii he carried beyond the crowns Of the arches,
s-e fl length figures OF Law, Art, Science and
r.sHr5on two with red draperies and the others
- bl,,e and white. The lunette pictures for the
long arched recesses represent the Spirit OF Re-
,,.5ons Liberty in her progress westward: the
sra-t Of Science revealing the treasures OF the
ee-4h; the Spirit of Vulcan inspiring the crafts
o< iron and steel workers, and the Spirit Of
-trht with an ascending swarm Of genn from
=. oi7 vraTYs drawn toward the sun
These uaintfrlEs for the large lunettes are not
sneso-ies with intricate symbolism but ORA
-nsric COMPOSITIONS. poTtraying with enec'iVe
realism the pacific progress Of a commonwealth
<or16ed on religious liberty and toleratlon' ana
-5a 5@xeloprnent Of its chief industrial resources
coal oil. iron and steel The general sciieiiie
s-o- onIv original in design and broad in treat
-7ant. but also decorative. with the plenos oL
r-=q-- ,,olor--ed. yellow and blue-the splrlleo
- ~ The various groups and the radiance OK
80 ,o1d backgrounds for the medallion hgHes-
The 1-,nerres NAV be conveniently described III
rai-s. as they Will face each other unoer liie
dome the circle having been squared Inc
z-f-7r of Religious Liberty, beauteous anger
e--avad in white is winging her flight over 'iie
+7,e sea accompanied by Faith ana nope AZ
-. .-z mink and behind them is a feet with
-a5 sails one OF the angels IS poised win O.
a-rror against the sails Of the nearest snip anu
- o-4,e~s are soaring high above the waters
., Nth : rolden harp II is q restful plctui <
- r.--7,o-io,1s blends Of blue in sea anu shS
I'D = warm glow Of red in the sans anu ~
The westward fight OF angels ana snilS E.,
:. --s-o7,i1 sentiment OF urruffed anu lfiesis'-
HE progress ;e G.
The background Of the oPPosiIe P6i'e-
-,.ge x-eIloyz reach Of Sky, with three ai1e
e-5nZ over the blue sea. Science reN 80,
--..E,--As Of the earth attended by Fortune ",'H
ySlr
x-o,,nd is q section OF coal mine
-, ,--o,,, of stalwart coIliers toilins IN q pi1
,-,-h strenuous energy. AS the tN1 -
@,-,-es in the air are appareleo IN Leu'
.-5 rl7,e with the golden glow OF INC sA' -
-b.-, there IS glorious effect OF 0oi0i' c.
-to- 6e swarthy workrnen InnParls u
energy 70 the picture -,.7,,- an.
--,.5rf-7e rair OF lunettes is equaA'9 Ai
- - s,5 even rrlore stirring IN ac'4oN -
L - t-4- If Vulcan is high in the cen'Ie'
-. md directing the crafts OF WorheiS -
- 80 iron. The larger group OF nahea M
-. - t7arrnering a rudderposl anu ei-
smaller one is shaping a plate III Pie0 -
the molten metal and the rlch ll-i71S =.
t-qr- and blue masses Of shaooN' 1---
.-i-ria-- coroposition II Color anu 'iI7 -.
-,a-ship of the groups OF worAliie" = -
-,ovve-fuI Opposite thls pa1el' WI" -, - I'LL
- or s,lrIe and yellow aglow with reo' W v -
--.- Glory of blue and yellow Inc
Of
- 7,,,,s-ra represents the sending ou' "a
-. 4-,-, 2 maze Of scaffolding and oil Ger
Ticks ---.-o-s % the
60 ~ Light is IN upward fight rom '--e
s-z7ovrv reaches Of bottoEn4ess P''-
,etras ~ male blue gauze, they are soaI'i-
- - circ1ing fight. stretching oul v IA
.,e nd carrying their lights Win ei-e-- it,
-. = g Glow toward and through WHICH N'-o'
.. s---,g~li-,e in q whirl Of joyous energy "e1
INC arasns- one another and pressing 0 =,
1.i-a cT-,s+ers OF fretiies- II Is the Ias' q -
- :, he completed and it is perhaps tiie
best q the series FilckeTl1-s -,s
t5,es -s7--rering draperies, Outstretcfeo al i'-'@
and l,p-urned faces give FiFlo IN
-z-f5 r-cvenent and ardent aspiration
.l,- r,fr-,7res in the pendentives are
-. go effective by the Introduction OF soio
h.cr-o,,nds with Illustrative passages III " ~
,o--s strongly modelled figure OF Id 7"
~ - rof.e eyes bandaged. scales ana sMoi -
- N 7-scrirtion from Alexander faliil
Fstgso, ae q white vestal, with altar anu to' IL
g-5 s--,s o,I-stretched records text 1i0."
rs-5--a- Science. graceful Yeled hs "
tlce guarded by serpent etlels
,,s,i,--o,,,5 o~ gold wherein may be reao iiiS
+e-to-,s lords from the temple OF ISIS Ar IA
re5 5rarerias with academic mooei III o-
ard mirror IL the other. harks BACK u 1'
These -7edaIlions complete the :
scheme The series Of eight paintings VIII 80
=. a,s,--.,e6 - The University Of London IN 'he
Imperial institute group. unoef tiie -
ne r97,-s1 College of Art, and will tnen De sen.
r----..,-.,-g Tor insertion under the dome OF
=. -, ,7-,-e- ,,il b. high above the ground
- = -.,.z5- -5-ls1 framework Of vaultins' pul
- -. .5,.rtageous!y from the upperlnost