Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

GROUP of paintings by the lat.
IN H. Siddons Mowbray will b(
"A placed on view Tuesday at the
4 a Coreoran Gallery of Art, in tbs
large south room in which, fol
the past fortnight, have been shown
Lydia Bush Browns silk murals. These
paintings, Is in number, are all ease
pictures and of religious subjects. but
though of moderate size, they partake
in measure Of the character of mural
decorations, and thus admirably repre-
sent one who is to be counted among
the most accomplished mural painters
which this country has produced.
H. Siddons Mowbray was born OF
English parents in Egypt, in 1883, and
died at his home in washington, Conn.
in January, 1928. His father, John
Henry Siddons, banker. died when he
was only a year old. His mother re-
turned to England and then came to
this country because her sister had
married an American chemist named
Mowbray and settled here. Mrs. Sid
dons met tragic death shortly after her
arrival in New York. and the little
orphan boy was not only taken into the
home of the Mowbrays. but adopted
given their name and brought up ten
derby, happily and wisely by them. His
turning to art as q profession was one
of those inexplicable things which so
often happen-tlle result of an inward
urge which would meet no denial.
At the conclusion of his schoolboy
days H. Siddons Mowbray went to
Paris and studied, first in the atelier of
Bonnat and later with other masters.
A very homeSick boy he was at first,
but he soon made friends and became
very happy in his work. Those were
interesting days for the American stu
~ De- Ia - -k- 1.
gained admission to the salon by a
painting of . Young Bacchus." That
was in 1879. The following Spring he
and q fellow student, Henry Walker,
went for trip to Spains made under
dificult circumstances but fully COM
pensated for by the VelaSquez's in
Madrid, which he studied and copied
diligently.
Returning to America about 1888, he
settled in New York and stepped" as
Royal Cortissoz has told us in an ap-
preciative essay on this artist, Into
the circle of the leaders; joined the So
ciety Of American Artists and was soon
on the crest of the wave" Thomas B.
Clark, that great patron of American
art and artists, bought pictures Of him
and encouraged others to do the same
thing. 1t was Mr.. Clark, furthermore,
who got him his first commission for a
mural painting, panel 3 feet by 6, to
60 over q mantel in the Athletic Clubs
house on Travers Island, q work which
the artist himself in later years con-
sidered 'amateurish,p but which favor
ably attracted the attention of Saint
Gaudens and the architect, George B.
Post. through whom other commissions
were secured.
In 1897 when Mr.. Mowbray was doing
q ceiling for the Frederick Vanderbilt
house at Hyde Park, he came, almost
by accident, In touch with Charles
Follen McKim, in whose mind the
american Academy at Rome was at
that time taking shape. A chance con-
versation on suburban train proved
a turning point in the artists career,
for 1t led first to q commission for
mural decorations for the University
Club, New York-works which were to
be done in the italian manner-and
later, because Of his residence In Italy
and the work he was doing, to his
close association with the establishment
and development, In its early years, of
the academy at Rome.
To again quote Mr. Cortissoz: Now
bray sailed for italy in the Fall Of 1902,
settled in Rome. by and by took a con-
struetive hand in the affairs of the
notwithstanding director in 10000
and saturated himself in the decora-
ing all the time on his own paintings,
he brought them home and installed
them with prodigiouS success. I used
70 consider this as my library said
McKim to Morgan when he showed him
the room; now. it is Mowbray's' The
hnancier was deeply impressed. 7 want
q GEM he had said to McKim, when
he had called upon the latter to create
the library on Thirty-sixth street, and
for D. aw4A TY,.n.
work persuaded him that MoWhray was
exactly the man. In those two build
1ngs the artists chief monuments are
enshrined. his genius conclusively mani
tested" With reference to this genius
Mr.. CortiSsoz has discriminating said:
Dormant in Mowbray's makeup was
the gift for filling great wall spaces with
elaborate compositions, and through
sheer innate ability he was ready to
exercise 1t when the opportunity came. I"
The predominating elements in his
genius were primarily an Unborn sense
OF beauty, with an Unborn faculty for
expressing it." He was a master crafts
man. He had lofty ideas and ideals
And among his resources was that
practically rare In a painter but which
is inseparable from an architects
character; he knew how to deal with
hard facts" He decorated a room with
the instinct of builder working in
him" Tn all our school of mural
painters there has been no one who
could beat Mowbray In allying a paint
ing to its architectural surroundings
He was both practical and an idealist
his soul on the side Of the angels"
In our day and generation we have
had few painters of religious subjects
The paintings by Mowbray which viii
be placed on exhibition here this week
nAua fh0Vpaa-ffaa fo f@fT HaVfe q
ending with the ascension, the greatest
theme that any painter can ever have
Whether or not his interpretations are
satisfying, his ability Suficient to give
adequate expression to the great sub.
jects he chose, visitors to the iCorcorar