International studio (42.1910)

Frederic Crowninshield

Mural Painter." In the
preface he refers to the
"vast scope for mural dec-
oration now offered by an
extraordinary building ac-
tivity . . . and the very
misty ideas that are enter-
tained of its (mural paint-
ing's) techniques by archi-
tect, client and would-be
practitioner." His proph-
ecy has been fulfilled and
to-day the demand for mu-
ral decorations is still on
the increase. He closes the
preface by saying: " I dedi-
cate this little work most
plum trees, early may by Frederic affectionately to my pupils.

stockbridge, mass. crowxinshield Should any of them, through

its means, be induced to
practise monumental paint-

and is a member of the advisory committee of the ing, the noblest form of all pictorial expression, I
National Gallery of Art at Washington, D. C. For shall deem myself well content."
some years he was the acting president of the Na- Twenty-two years after this dedication Frederic
tional Society of Mural Painters and several times Crowninshield was appointed director of theAmer-
was vice-president of the Architectural League of ican Academy at Rome, a post which he still occu-
New York. He is an associate of the National pies. The Academy was incorporated by Congress
Academy of Design, an honorary member of the in 1905 "for the purpose of maintaining an institution
Copley Society, of Boston, and a corresponding mem- to promote the study and practice of the line arts, and
ber of the American Institute of Architects. The to aid and stimulate the education and training of
Century Club is his social headquarters, and he is architects, painters, sculptors and other artists, by
much in demand as an after-dinner speaker, no enabling such citizens of the United States as shall
gathering of artists and art lovers seeming quite be selected by competition ... to develop their
complete without his sympathetic and encouraging powers and complete their training under the most
presence. And, withal, he is a very modest and re- favorable conditions of direction and surround-
tiring man, never putting himself forward, but ever ings." The Academy has an endowment fund of
ready to help the serious worker and freely giving nearly one million dollars and owns the Villa Mini-
time and energy for "the good of the cause." fiori in Rome, where each year one painter, one

In his present New York studio, built over the sculptor and one architect may join the colony for a
entire roof of his home, he divides his time between term of three years' study in Kurope. What could
painting with colors and painting with words. Sev- be more fitting than that the winners of the Lazarus
eral volumes of his poems have been published: Scholarship for Mural Painting,theRinehartSchol-
"Tales in Meter and Other Poems," "Pictoris arship for Sculpture and the Academy's own prize
Carmina" and "A Painter's Moods." This last is winners should be guided in their studies by a man
illustrated with reproductions of some of his draw- who is so consistent in his many sidedness, and,
ings, thus happily blending the two arts. whether he paints a mural decoration, designs a

His book on "Mural Painting," published in stained glass window or writes a sonnet, is never
1886, is a standard work on the subject, but it has outside the realm of art. F. N. L.

long been out of print. The chapters, originally

printed as "papers" in the American Architect, Tin-: third exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery,
treat of the following subjects: "Encaustic and Washington, I). C, of contemporary American oil
Tempera of the Ancients," "The Wall," "Modern paintings will be opened on December 13, closing
Encaustic," "Fresco," "Oil Painting," "Water," January 22. The last day for receiving exhibits
" Glass," "The Education and Qualifications of the will be November 24, for entry cards, November 8.

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