Evening star., 1926-05-16
BY LEILA MECHILN.

~ painting, an immense Iunette,
"A has been permanently placed
4 "A in st. Matthews Church III
this city. 1t is the work or
Edw;p n Rlashfield and Vincent
Aderente. and its placement marks
the completion of a most elaborate
scheme of decoration which has peen
in process of execution since 1915.
The scheme includes two great lu-
nettes, THE Calling of Matthew,
lateIv placed, and THE Martyrdom
of st. Matthew" which has been IN
position for some time; mosalcS rep
resenting ST. Matthew, the emblems
Of the passion and the angel cholf
back of the high altar and the four
great spandrels; mosaics representing
the four evangelists, In the making or
which Mr. Blashfield associated with
himself Mr. Lascari, fellow or the
American Academy in Rome Inc
mosaics over the high altar were exc
cuted by Miss Barnes, the late John
La Farge's assistant.
The history of the undertaking.
covering many years ana involving
four skillful and gifted artists, Is eX-
tremelv interesting and an instance of
splendid cooperation in the produc-
tion of works of art. Mr.. BlaShneld
designed the entire scheme, ana the
mosaics and mural paintings alike
were carried out by his associates from
his carefully detailed drawings ana
colored cartoons. This accounts for
the unity which the work as Whole
displays. The mosaics over the altar
were made in this country: the span
drels are of mosaic made at Murano'
Italy: the great mural paintings, done
in several sections because OF their
size, and carefully Joined, We're pro
duced in Mr.. Aderente'S studio in New
York.
The last Of these represents Mat.
thew as he sat at the receipt or Gus
toms and was called by Christ to be-
come one of the apostles. The figure
Of Christ occupies the center or the
composition. Subsidiary figures, ful
size, are to the right and the lett.
Matthew is represented rising from
his seat in evident surprise, but will
ingness to acknowledge the call. The
place represented is the porch or por-
lico of the temple. Doric tiuted col
umns are a notable feature OF the pic
ture. The observer is looking out
from the temple rather than toward II;
clouds break the horizontal lines, ana
above the clouds are angels-an elaD-
crate composition. but the hgure OF
christ dominates the whole.
Vincent Aderente, who painted these
Italy, in 1880. Coming early to this
country and developing talent Tor
art, he served his apprenticeship. as II
were in the studios of Mr.. Blashfleid
and Mr.. Mowbray. Here is an IN
stance in which q work has been done
AS it was done in the days OF the old
masters, under the leadership and d.
rection of a great artist, with the CO.
operation of his one-time pupil. Mr.
hn, of
Painters Society and of the New York
Architectural League. Among his
works are three lunettes in the United
States Mint Building, Denver, Colo.
a panel in the courthouse at Youngs-
town, Ohio: a panel in the library at
Youngstown, Ohio, and eleven panels
in the city hall at Yonkers, n. Y.
With the exception of Trinity
church. Boston, and the Church or
the Ascension, New York, both deco
rated by John La Fargo, there is prob
ably no other church in this country
that is as elaborately and superbly
decorated as is St. Matthew's Church
here at the present time.
IN THIS connection mention should
be made of the superb but little
known decorations in the great assem-
Oily lAll OL the OIlIlSu NoNdlCS ohdiIlOCi
Of Commerce in this city. This hall.
splendidly proportioned and beautifully
designed, was decorated by Ezra Win
ter. at one time a fellow of the Ameri-
can Academy in Rome, and is superb
piece of decorative work. The beamed
and paneled ceiling has been used for
This purpose TO the utmost advantage
and constitutes q most elaborate decor
ative scheme. In the panels are shown
ships and other symbols of commerce.
on the gilded beams are inscribed the
names of the great diScoverers, and on
the side walls, in appropriately placed
brackets. swinging clear, are the col
orful banners of the diScOverers-Co
lumbus. De Soto, Carteret, etc. The
walls of this room are q very light
gray stone, beautifully finished, and
presenting an almost Velvety texture.
The doorways at the rear and ends
are hung with dark blue brocade.
Such might have been the banquet
ing hall in a medieval castle, but
hero, through the suggestion and the
art of architect and designer, are
marshaled in splendid array me-
MORALS of those adventurous spirits
of all time who have made possible
the world commerce Of today. There
are few more beautiful rooms in exist
ence. Here, again, may be noted a
superbly successful achievement, the
result of cooperative artistic effort.
The architect of this splendid build
ing is none other than Cass Gilbert,
architect of the Woolworth Building
in New York. and lately elected preSi-
dent of the National Academy of De
sign. succeeding in this office Edwin
H. Blashfield.
X X !; X
THE National Gallery of Art has
been entirely rehung since the
Italian exhibition was taken down and