Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-30
ARTIST FINISHES
CAPITOL MURALS
Violet Oakley's Last Two
Paintings Symbolic New
World Spirit
WILL BE SHOWN HERE,
------,---
To Be on View at Academy of
the Fine Arts From Janu-
airy ! to 8
WILL BE SHOWN HERE


mural decorations for the Senate Cham
Der at Harrisburg have been completed
by Miss Violet Oakley, and will be ex-
hibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of
Fine Arst from January to January s.
They will then be sent to the capital
where they will be dedicated by
Governor-elect Sproul soon after his
Inauguration.
The paintings deal with the subject OF
! peace. Planned in 1919. before the war.
when league of nations was considered
most impractical dream of idealists,
they reach completion at the very time
when International unity is the topic OF
the hour.
The paintings are j2axs feet and are
I brilliant In color, in harmony with the
/ panels already at the Capitol They are
Nat and decorative in treatment. with
all suggestion of light and shade pur-
poscly omitted according to the canons
OF mural decoration
There is Interesting contrast in both of
| them between the Quakers and the dark
skin Indians and negroes The tone OF
the night scene is, of course, more sub
dued than the rich and striking colors
of the other.
General Theme
| The panels viii be placed under the
visitors gallery. TO the right and left of
| the central entrance in the Senate, fac
ing the main wall of the cha mber and
the five large panels by Miss Oakley
which were unveiled two years ago. AL
though last finished in point of historic
order these two paintings form the be-
ginning ana foundation of the entire
series. the theme of which is the "Crea-
t.oh ana Preservation Of the Union"
the title of the last great panel, which
is forty-fve feet in length being "su-
preme Manifestation of Enlightenment
in International Unity"
me new paintings symbolic two
great commandments on which hang
All the law and the prophets" The first
represents the Force OF Dominating
truth in Principle" CThou shall love the
l'ord' my God. with all thy heart. and
with sll thy soul and with all thy mind
ana with all thy strength The second.
Whlch Is like unto it, Is the Force. of
dominating Love of the Brethren" (and
thy heighbor as thyselD.
Two legendary incidents in the early
Ire OF the Friends were chosen as
symbols of the invisible forces. which
caused the foundations Of the Common
wealth to be so firmly laid.
Inc utle OF one panel is The Little
sanctuary In the Wilderness" and Illus
tlates The Legend of the Latch String"
The inscription. in gold on black, fol-
lows: Here be8inneth the Legend of
teace' Although [ have cast them far
or among the heather and although |
nave scattered them among the coun-
tries, yet | will be to them as Little
sanctuary in tha
sLall come. This is the Law f"'the
House ! looked and behold the glory
OF the Lord filled the House -
Source OF Inspiration
The predella beneath illuminates the
Source of Inspiration and the Secret of
spiritual Force Set Free by Dominating
Faith in the Unseen, with small panels
of the Passion Of the Christ Around
the crucifiXion in the center are tie
words from William Penn: This know
assuredly, that none ever trusted in the
Lord and were Confounded"
The text of the second panel is The
Slave Ship Ransomed. II illustrates rho
Legend of the Friend who hearing of a
certain shipload of slaves who were to
be landed and sold, bought the entirs
load and sent them north TO Nova Scotia
to be set free
me inscription beneath reads: "Ifi
there be a messenger, one among a thou
sand, then He is gracious unto him and
saith; ! have found ransom Fear
not for have redeemed them 'Ye are
oousht with price, therefore glorIfy
uoa IN your body and in your spirit
"nlch are Gods Return unto me-"
IN me central panel OF the predeIla
the Christ liberates those imprisoned in
hell and around are the words. ..ua
hath broken the Gates OF Brass and
burst the Bars of Iron asunder."
The four other small Danels or ,bo
predella illuminate the inscription from,
the journal of John Woolman that
eighteenth century Quaker protester
against all human slavery and -inhuman
oppression. with the spiritual terpera-
ment and vision of some medieval
saint. '"i