Evening star., 1923-05-27

MT MATTHEW'S Church in this
city is before long to have in its
~ dome four magnificent mural dec
.orations in mosaic by Edwin H.
Blashfield, the dean Of American mural
painters, president Of the National
Academy of Design and member of the
American Academy Of Arts and Letters.
These were painted, full size. In his
studio in the Carnegie building, New
York, and are being executed in Italy
under the personal supervision of Sal
vatore Lascari. a fellow of the American
Academy in Rome, who has made a
special study of mosaic.
These splendid decorations. which re-
call the great works of Michael Angelo,
represent the four evangelists, st
Matthew, st. Mark, st. Luke and St.
John. each, seated in a spandril. the
upper portion of which is filled by a
pair of outstretched wings, light above,
dark below. almost as though belonging
to the typical beast or creature whose
head is seen against the nimbus SYM
bolic of the saint. With Mark II is the
lion, with Luke 1t Is the OK. with John
the eagle, whereas behind St Matthew.
the youngest of, all in appearance. is
the guardian % angel; % youth; nn,n holding ,hn an
original paintings ts magnificent, rich.
resonant, profoundly impressive. Pc
culiarly appropriate for such decora-
tions as these.
After the paintings were done, then
came the work of marking them on In
little blocks and checks for the guidance
of the mosaic makers. year ago Mr..
Blashfield went to Italy to arrange for
having the designs put into mosaic vis-
iting many establishments and makers,
fortnight ago he sailed again for Europe.
with the intention Of watching the work
In progress.
Among Mr. Blashfeld's most notable
mural paintings are |Washington @ !.11S. aay.
Edict of federation OF Lord baltimore,
courthouse. Baltimore; wisconsin in
the Past and Present" state capitol,
Madison THE Power of the Law, ap-
pellate court, New York panel In gov
ernor's room. state capitol of South Da-
kota panels and lunettes In Minnesota
state capitol, and The Law" four PEN
dentives in Mahoning county court
house, Youngstown. Ohio.
Mr.. Blashfield is also well known as
writer and lecturer on art. With the
late Mrs. Blashfield, he was author OF
italian Cities" and with her and A A.
Hopkins. of Vasaris "Lives~of the
Painters" He also wrote an authori-
tative work on Mural Painting in
X = X
co important is the exhibition OF
~ American sculpture now being
held in New York at 15Sth street and
Broadway that an English writer, In
a letter recently received by a cor
respondent in this city, laments the
fact that circumstances prevent his
coming to America on purpose to see
IL. This exhibition, which will be
open until August, comprises more
than 700 works. and. though all may
not uphold the highest standard,
many are of exceptional merit. or
course, all are not in permanent ma
terial; not a few are plaster casts,
representing original works in per-
manent placement. Among these are
subjects here in Washington, such.
for example, as the bronze doors OF
the Library of Congress, by Herbert
Adams; the Mcmillan fountain. by the
same sculptor: his Joseph Henry. in
the Library of Congress; Herman
MacNeirs charming Indian group,
The Sun Vow" in the Corcoran GAL
lery of Art: the statue of Steuben. by
Albert Jaegers; Shrady's cavalry
group. from the Grant Memorial;
James E. Fraser's Alexander Ham
ilton. and Daniel Chester French's
Lincoln. Augustus Lukeman shows
his equestrian statue of Francis AS
bury. which is to be placed here in
Washington, but has not yet been put
up-a fine presentation of the circuit
rider gravely making his rounds.
Daniel Frenchs beautiful Spirit of
Life" the Trask memorial, at Sara
toga, n. Y, is also there, and Paul
Bartlett's handsome statue of Robert
Morris which. unfortunately, is not
coming to Washington.
Among the Washington sculptors
represented are H. *. Bush Brown,
who shows his washington at New
burgh"; his portrait bust Of II. X.
Brown. his uncle. and also his por-
trait bust of the late Viscount Bryce.
besides lesser works. Rudolph Evans.
formerly of Washington. makes an
excellent showing. as does Brenda
Putnam, the daughter Of the librarian
of Congress, who has more lately
come into prominence.
The Academy in Rome fellowship
men are well to the fore and their
works are ranked among the striking
features of this noteworthy exhibi-
ton. Among these adventurous spirits
who have had the opportunity of
three years residence and study in
Rome, with travel, and have made
good use of 1t. are Paul Manship. John
Gregory, Albin Polasek, Leo Fried