The San Francisco call., 1910-03-06
FAMOUS ARTISTS
WORKS DISPLAYED
Edwin Rowland Blashfield's
Mural Decorations Exhibited
at Art Institute
By Margaret Marshall Doyle

By Margaret Marshall Doyle
One of the most interesting of the
exhibitions given in this city of late is
that of the studies for mural decora-
tions and the drawings and sketches
in charcoal and crayon of Edwin How
land Blashf1eld, which through the
courtesy of the Architectural League of
the Pacific Coast are displayed this
week at the San Francisco Institute Ui
Art. These drawings represent the in
terror decoration of the congressional
library of Washington, the state capitol
or Wisconsin, the state capitol of Iowa,
the appellate court in New York city
and many other we'll known public and
private buildings throughout the east
ern states.
Blashfields name fand the strong,
pure. splendid work he does are so well
known throughout the United States
that little further need be said in
praise of his work, and the present col
lection. which includes also a few pho
tographs of his completed works. is of
unusual interest, showing as it does the
method and manner of this eminent
artist
Among the best of his works is 1.-The
Progress of Civilization" represented
Dy a series OF sym DOl1C HgureS, tne OIL
ginal or which adorns the dome of the
congressional library at Washington.
Another excellent one, called The Grad
uate, is the theme of decoration in the
great hall of the College of the City of
New York. A pleasing one is his dec
oration in the board room of the Pru-
Dental life insurance company in New
ark. representing prudence Binding
Fortune" and Thrift Driving the Wolf
LFrOx Il
| Wisconsin," Minnesota" and Wash
ington Laying His Commission as Com
mander in Chief at the Feet of Colum-
bia" are among the strongest, most
vital and best displayed, though among
the most appealing may be ranked his
character studies and his graceful
heads and figures, which are merely
themes and sketches not yet carried
out. They are for the most part stud
les of women and children in easy,
graceful poses, with faces of exquisite
purity of outline and softness of touch,
many of them being sketches which he
used afterward in his mural decora
tions. few of the most charming of
these he has worked up in The Uses
of Wealth, in which Capital, supported
by Labor offers to Science Literature
and Art the golden key of Opportunity
The exhibition will continue until
Wednesday, March 16. and will be open
daily from 8 until 5, with admission
free.
A number of the drawings in crayon
and pastels and 20 or so of the etchings
of Joseph Pennell, the famous illus
traitor, are also being shown this week
at the San Francisco Institute of Art.
The exhibition will also continue until
the 18th of March ennelrs work
has appeared In nearly all of the lead
ing magazines of this country. and his
strong decisive style is well known
throughout the world. The originals of
most of these illustra tions are in this
display. They show for the most part
a range of London streets and alleys.
typical views throughout almost all of
the old world cities and a number of
clever sketches of Broadway and other
streets of New York.
The best of these are his night scenes.
London From Ny Window" and one or
two others in which night hangs like a
heavy pail over slumbering city,
touched into a faint warmth of glow
from the many street lights. Pennells
work is quite distinct and unique. and
this opportunity of seeing the originals
of sketches that are world famous is
one that should not be neglected.
An exhibition of the water color
paintings of Miss Minnie Sheppard
opened on Tuesday. March 2, at the
artists new studio in the Gafney build
ing in Sutter street It will continue
until March %, with 2S or 80 exquisite
little views on display. sketches taken
from around Monterey and in the
countryside about Napa and st. Helena.
Many of the daintiest are sketches of
the mountain streams near st. Helena,
painted with great feeling in soft
shades of blue and green. Many of the
artists subjects show deep canyons
between high ranges of hills, painted
from below, where the light is all in
closed and gives to trees and grass and
foliage a peculiar tone, beautifully soft
and distinctive.
The first mill in Napa county was a
theme that appealed to her genius,
and makes a picturesque spot against
the light green's and yellows of the
early spring hillside.
The best, perhaps, of the number dis
played is Close of Day. truly beau
tiful scene in rich deep purple tones
showing the old reservoir in st. Helena
in the subdued light in the close of
wet day. 1t is handled strongly in
warm, rich shades that bring out beau
tifully the dampness of the atmosphere
and the still lingering moisture in the
cloudy sky and In the trees along the
border Of the lake.
There are some charming scenes in
cluded in the view of the coast along
Monterey and of gardens and orchard
scenes near the artists home studio.
An old stone building near st. Helena
painted in the early moonlight is
one of the most pleasing, resembling
as it does an old mission building half
fallen to ruin.