Evening star., 1940-09-08

Illustration with Howard Pyle. who
was, it will be remembered. himself
a mural painter as we'll as illustrator.
Mr.. Oakley has also made a name
for himself as Water-coloriSt,
painting with a full brush and rich,
resonant color. At the time of the
great war of 1914-18 he made a very
distinguished series of Autographs
of war work on Hog Island, which
our Government put to excellent
use. He is president of the Phila-
delphia Water Color Club, has taught
extensively, and in many ways rem
dered large service in both the field
of art and that of public affairs.
Obviously. he is an idealist, but
also executive and efficient. And
after all, why is not this the very
stuff of which great artists have
been and still are made? That
others recognize this fact is attested
by the long list of honors bestowed
upon him both here and abroad.
But more eloquently still speak his
works-his drawings, Autographs,
water colors and now these murals.
Inspired by Research.
In somewhat the same category as
these, but utterly different in style
and manner of Interpretation, are the
mural decorations in the Elihu Root
Hall of the Carnegie Institution of
this city, dedicated in December,
1888. These are by J. Monroe Hew-
lett, and typify the research workers
ef the institution - astronomers,
geographers, explorers, contemplate
ing the heavens and the waters be-
meath, as well as the lands bordering
these waters. The whole wall pre-
sents complete composition, with
out being divided into panels There
are groups of figures on either side
of the stage, and it Is with their eyes
that the spectators look out upon
the great seas, enlivened with ships,
and up to the skies, crossed by birds
in flight. Encircling the room at the
base of these murals, binding them
into single unit, are the words of
the Psalmist:
The heavens declare the glory of
Cod and the armament showeth
his handiwork. Day unto day utter
eth speech, and night unto night
showeth knowledge. There is no
speech nor language where the voice
is not heard"
A unique feature of this mural is
tIn frn 1f
the earth on the side walls, which
literally seems to lay the world at
ones feet and place ones head high
In the heavens. Here again is i'm
agination, combined with scientific
fact and reality.
A first step in the direction of pre-
senting scientific information deco
ratively may have been the pointing
by Jules Guerin of the great maps
on the walls of the then new Penn
sylvania Railway Station in New
York. He was later to do the two
murals for the Lincoln Memorial
here which, unfortunately, get far
less praise and appreciation than
they deserve. Subjectively, these
murals symbolic events or epochs in
the life of Lincoln, which became
part both of himself and of his
greatness But what they have to
tell they do not blare out. 1t is not
their place to do SO. First in the
minds of those who visit this shrine
should be he in whose memory it
was erected and his words (graven
on the walls, which are for all time
and all people, but especially for the
people of the United States. Later,
they (the murals) may be studied
for what they inherently contribute,
enjoyed for their beauty, color, and
gracious rendering-an enrichment
of the shrine as whole Guerin
was also first architectural drafts
man and illustrator, then mural
painter. Proud we may be to have
these examples of his work here In
WASHINGTON.