Evening star., 1922-04-30

EDWIN II. Blashheld,, president OF
the National Academy of Design. and
one of the foremost mural painters
Of our day, has just completed four
immense spandrels. which, translated
IN mosaic. are to be placed In the
dome of st. Matthew's Church, this
city. These spandrels represent the
-four evangelists, ST. Matthew, ST.
Mark. st. Luke and st. John. Each
Is seen at half-length, the figure en-
veloped In drapery. rich in color. and
as standing in front of his symbolic
winged beast or creature.
The figures are heroic in size. mag
nificently drawn. splendidly colorful:
architectural In their simplicity and
with the color held in large, broad
masses.
These works have, been painted
precisely as II the painting were the
last process in their production. They
are now being checked 2ff in little tie
workers. and when they are COM
pleted they will be exact reproduc-
tions of the paintings as they now
stand.
Mr. Blashfield has produced no
handsomer works than these. nor
works more virile and mastery.
During the past year Mr.. Blashfield
has produced not only these four
spandrels for st. Matthews Church.
but four enormous mural paintings
signed by Cass Gilbert. architect.
Two of these are vertical panels
more than twice as high as they are
wide and filing a space terminated
by an arch like a great doorway
or hall entrance. One of these panels
represents Music-church music. in
strumental music. dramatic music.
the OPERA and song: the other repre-
sents the Arts-painting. sculpture.
architecture, etc.
The treatment in both instances is
similar. Groups ct figures in hand
some costume have been assembled
and combined in a unified compost.
ton. The great representatives of
the Arts have been used as persona
flying accomplishment. and In many
instances accurate portraiture is set
forth.
form of lunettes many times wider
than they are high. These represent
Literature and show assemblages Of
great writer's, one of poets the other
Of prose writer's. Again the painter
has resorted to portraiture. The ap-
decoration of public library is quite
obvious.
The dome of the Library of Con-
gress. in this city, was painted by
Mr.. Blashfield. and he is represented
by mural paintings in the Baltimore
building. the Hudson county court
| house. Jersey City: the Wisconsin
state capitol. at Madison: the appel
late court. New York: the College of
the City Of New York. the Church OF
Our Savior. Philadelphia. and else
where. He is. moreover well known
as writer and a lecturer.
X = X
Interest in mural painting is un-
doubtedly increasing. The Missouri
state capitol, at St. Louis. will con-
tain many fine paintings by some of
the foremost American artists. The
capitol decorations commission has
lately awarded contracts to Carl
Melchers, for four panels. represent
/; ing Mark Twain. Eugene Field. Maj.
S. S. Rollins and Susan Blow: and to
! Frank Brangwyn, the British painter.
| for a series of panels for the upper
| rotunda and the eye of the dome.
This same committee lately COM
| missioned "A. Stirling Calder. sculptor.
| torical in theme, 12S feet long. across
the facade of the handsome new capi-
| toll building.
Ezra Winter and Barry Faulkner.
both former fellowship holders in the
American Academy in Rome, have
els. two each. representing pastoral,
dramatic. martial and romantic mu-
sic, for the New Eastman Theater, in
Rochester, n. Y.
Mrs H Van bur su5an Ma:on,ss 2, Of
paintings for the great soldiers me-
| mortal to be erected in Kansas City.
| Mo-. at a cost of many million dollars.
The architect and designer Of the
liberty memorial group is H. Van
husband. and he has associated with
him Robert Aitken. president of Ma
tional Sculpture Society; George z.
Kessler. landscape architect of Kan
sas City. and his wife, who has al
, ready won for herself considerable
distinction as a painter Of murals.
i laboration.
At the Washington Arts Club. from
| April % to May s. there will be an ex-
| hibition of paintings by Miss Cath
| crime C. Critcher of this city. Miss
Critcher studied at the Corcoran
School of Art, in this city. an1 under
| in Paris. For a number Of years she
I! conducted an American school of
painting in Paris She has also been
! an instructor at the Corcoran School
! Of Art.
! Her paintings have been shown in
| the Paris Salon and the foremost
American exhibitions. And at the
most recent exhibition Of the Society
i of Washington Artists she was given.
! for her portrait of Glenn Madison
Brown. the first award. a silver medal.
Miss Critcher has now for a number
Of years had a studio in st. Matthews 8
alley, adjacent to studios owned and
occupied by Miss Ellen Day Hale and
by Mr.. Zolnay.
y \
An exhibition Of the work Of repre-
sentative handicraft societies through
out the country will be held In the
galleries of the Art Center, 1106 Con-
necticut avenue, May to 20, under
the auspices of the Washington