Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-02-12
.PUyE ROOM
NOW OPEN
1t is An Artistic Gem That Is
Wonderfully Attractive
to Visitors
LOCATED IN OLD PALACE
1t Tells Story of the Cliff Dwell
ers and Their Prehistoric
Homes.

The Puye ROOM the first of the
Pajarito rooms, in the Old Palace is
now oDen 10 the public. The mere
announcement hardly carries to the
mind of the reader the Importance Of
the news. But in attractiveness to
the tourist visitor. Santa Fe has moth
| ing 10 compare with ii. although it
! boasts Of many attractions that are
superior to the things found else
| where. In the first place, the Puye
ROOM is the first unit of the New
Mexico Museum. which will in time
become world famous. 1t is the result
of the founding of the School of Amer
lean Archaeology and the splendid
work it has inaugurated in this old
city, the full Importance of which the
people of this town have not begun to
appreciate or realize. Then it is To-
Gated in the most historic building in
the United States Best of all, it is a
gem artistically. Carl Lotav, the art
ist, has created there a memorial
that will give him fame. He has sue
ceeded beyond the fondest hopes of
Director Edgar l.. HeWett in transfer
ring to canvas the very atmosphere
that makes the cliff dwellings in the
Pajarito park, just west of Santa Fe,
a thing apart from everything else in
the world The man who will gaze
upon those paintings and not be pos
sessed with a longing to visit the
Pajarito plateau has something lack
ing in his make-up-his case is hope
less.
AS a frieze around the four walls of
the room, is a panorama of the Puye
cliff. The mountains that tower in all
directions, the peaceful mesa at the
, foot of the cliff, the mysterious caves
, and communal ruins, partly excavated,
are reproduced faithfully and yet,
. there is a glamour of poetry over it
h all, that only an artist can conceive
G and put on canvas. There are the
plays of shade and light, the wonder
| ful sunshine, the atmospheric effects
only met in these rare attitudes. In
, the corners of the room are vignettes
O that are gems of scenery and art. The
paintings are set deep into the wall
giving them additional prospective.
The lighting is such as to enhance the
effect of realism. Deeply set into the
wall are glass cases containing relics
Is taken from the very ruins depicted in
the paintings. Selections have been
\ made from thousands of pieces taken
out of the ruins and only the best and
most artistic are displayed. Over
crowding has been avoided so as to
Il lead the visitor to study each piece
; minutely and thus gain far better
" idea than he would be glancing over a
y large amount of material The
= vegas" or rafters of the room are
beautifully carved and stained The
massive doOrways into the room are
notable as they convey the idea of
Egyptian massiveness. TIE decora-
ton of the room was paid for by Hon.
Frank Springer of Las Vegas. To
n sum up, the work has been beautifully
|. and exquisitely done and Santa Fe has
here a place to which it will be proud
to take every visitor.
Artist Lotav is now working on the
e paintings for the Rito de los Frijoles
room and they surDass even those OF
the Puye room. One scene in partic-
ular, of the cliffs by moonlight, is a
symphony in green, There are pic
n lures of restorations OF the communal
+ dwellings as well as of primeval
nature. All of the paintings were
made from sketches on the
is spot by Mr.. Lotav himself After
the Rito de los Frijoles room is com,
pleted, the work of decorating the his
toric reception room is to be taken up
i as well as of the main entrance. In
:" the reception room, is to be placed a
u huge painting depicting the meeting
of General Kearney, Colonel Doniphan
40 40 and other American officers with the
- Spanish dignitaries. Portraits of the
- thirteen men who met there in 1876
have been obtained, and the painting
=, will be true to life. The figures will
- be life size and the setting and cos
!, times will be correctly historic. In
- the entrance hail. the friezes are to
WV depict three stages in the history
be of the city, The first is to be view
H. of the prehistoric villages on Fort
nd Marcy and where San Miguels church
he is now located; the second is to depict
re the entry of DeVargas into the recon
nd quered city. The third will give a
m modern view of the city.
IS
mt.