New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-03
AN AMERICAN ARTIST
The Late James Wall Finn and
His Work.

statue to the public shows save on the
rarest occasions. If on any occasion at
all. James Wall Finn was one Of
them. When he died, last week at
Giverny, the lovely little place near
Vernon. about an hours ride from
Paris, where Monet lives in his Won
derful garden and MacMonnies and
other artists have their homes. he
closed a career comparatively incon-
spicuous, but uncommonly rich in good
work. AS a decorator Finn was re-
marka BILE man. playing a solidly con-
structive part in the development of
our school. He left, here and there,
productions familiar enough TO most
observers. the delightful masque Of
Flora in the dining room Of the Knick-
erbocker Hotel, the cloudy ceiling in
the great reading room Of our Public
Library and very important scheme
Of decoration worked out for a Hart
ford bank But still his broad and es-
sential contribution TO American art
remains unknown to the public at
large. Before characterizing IL more
in detail it is perhaps worth while TO
explain how the resources Of this gifted
man were developed
They were stimulated into activity
at the outset in an architects office.
When the present writer first knew
him he was busy at a drafting board
under Babb. Cook e. Willard. With
architecture. indeed, he was thence
forth always to be allied But when
he went abroad in his twenties he was
full Of an ambition 10 be a painter. I
remember meeting him again at this
time in Paris. 1t was at the Louvre.
and Jimmie" as his friends loved TO
call him, was hard at work in a paint
stained blouse among the solemn re-
ligious masterpieces Of the gallery dedi-
Gated to the italian Primitives. He
was copying one OF the.L and talked
enthusiastically about the exquisite art
disclosed never left him. For years it
fertilized his best work. But he had
surprise in store for me when he
mentioned casually that he had been
painting a picture for the Salon. and,
as | was leaving town the next day
and so could not see it. would send me
photograph OF it, In New York
waited for the promised reproduction.
II showed me a realistic subject, dra-
matically treated. al in the process
il made me realize anew how various"
Jimmie" was, with what courage and
ability he could take up any task.
That was intensely characteristic Of
him. He was a sound workman. and
the sounder because Of a practical.
resolute way that he had, amounting
in the upshot to a strong moral force
1t was splendid TO observe the manner
in which he went TO work on his re-
turn 10 this country.
He had suffered hardships in Paris
and his path here was in the beginning
none too smooth. He did not repine.
nor did he attempt 10 paint pictures
when once he had seen that he could
not by this means discharge the re-
sponsibiIities laid upon him. He did
instead the work that came TO his hand.
and did IL superlatively well. He did
decorative painting. not the kind that
means a big pictorial composition, but
the unobtrusive kind which embraces
all the walls and ceilings OF a house.
even those which bear nothing save a
flat tint He was. in his way, not only
an artist but q contractor. The i'm
portant point, however, was that the
artist in him was constantly kept we'll
TO the fore Stanford White spurred
him on to reproduce in his ceilings
some Of the effects created by the mas
tiers centuries ago in Italian and French
palaces White told me once how he
and Finn had labored together over a
ceiling that We were looking at just
then. The architect knew he had had
a share in the beautiful thing, but he
seemed 10 forget il in his affectionate
rejoicing over "Jimmie's' talent. That
talent went on from one fine triumph
TO another. The fiat tints at which
have glanced became more and more
of a minor detail. carried out under
the chiefs directions. He gave him
self TO larger problems, and in many
houses. in many cities, his powers of
design and execution produced superb
interiors.
He could work in any key. but ii was
the style OF the Italian Renaissance
that especially interested him. The
rich vet restrained method OF Pintu
ricchio stirred him 10 ardent emula-
ton and he used il in the Morgan
library and elsewhere with extraordi-
nary success. In recent years the Zest
of the painter returned upon him. lie
nainted the designs mentioned above
and others even more ambitious in the
private chapel of Mr.. 7. +. Ryan.
When he went abroad. year or more
ago II was not only in the hope that
he might improve his health. but to
work at ease upon some important
decorative commissions. He told me
that ne had given up forever the mis-
ceuaneous work that had long been
eating into his time and energies and
tina, for the rest of his life he meant