International studio (60.1916/1917)

Murals by Max Bohm

Murals by max bohm
Some murals by Max Bohm now in
the course of erection at a residence

in Brookline, Mass., were recently
exhibited on Fifth Avenue, New York, at Knoed-
ler’s, occupying the west wall of the main gallery.
Designed as a triptych the three noble paintings,
reaching from wainscot to ceiling, were separated
by handsomely carved white pilasters, thus mak-
ing a very effective display.
Boldly and authoritatively brushed in with rich
surface quality of paint, Max Bohm has rendered
a galaxy of reflections admirably suited to the
end in view, namely the decoration of a music
room in an architecturally superb setting.
The artist throughout his task has confined
himself to a pictorial representation of thought
rather than of mere fact; he is not concerned with
the anatomy of a kneecap, the texture of wool,
or the particular sets of muscles that respond to
a hammer blow. What does interest him is to
portray grandly the different voices of nature
and of life, the world’s orchestra, whether echoing
gently to us from the anvils of Tubal Cain or
wafted on the breeze from shores where the

waves reverberate. Linked with the harmony of
life, this gifted artist shows us the beauty of
nature revealed in a broken capital upon which
his figure rests her right knee, the beauty that
the artist whom we observe behind the singing
children is to convey to his canvas, the beauty
that the lamb is telling to the young maiden
entering upon the threshold of womanhood. To
enjoy the harmonies of life, to listen to its end-
less orchestra it has been ordained from time
eternal that man must labour by the sweat of
his brow, and in the general theme Max Bohm
has suggested the world’s work. We see brawny
men toiling at the anvil, we see the warrior
equipped for battle, and in a boat tossing upon
the waters is a mariner who risks his life to feed

his family.
There is much significance in the matter of
subject in every detail of the canvases and much
may be gathered from their scrutiny that could
be explained in words, but their main intention
has been the pictorial idea, the matter of form,
grouping together of lines, so as to make at first
glance a romantic and interesting panorama.
The correlation of parts—the three canvases
making a unit—has been cleverly worked out,

yet each canvas is complete in itself. Every-
thing that does not absolutely tend to the big
idea has been eliminated. It has been necessary
to compose the pictures and the effect of mass,
line and spacing is the result of anxious study,
but the enthusiasm of the work robs it of all
suspicion of calculation.
Note the man, hammer and anvil united pic-
torially by the same value, and in contrast to
this impression of grime and perspiration we have
the figure of the young girl bending over the
stream while she listens to the voice of the lamb.
These contrasts have been vividly defined in
tonal values. The impossible juxtapositions in
actual life, repeated in other groups, only reveal
the artist’s endeavour to paint romantic truths
and not to organize scenes of our daily exist-
ences. Again in the main figure, a beautiful
radiance of golden colour sonders her from all
else, so that everything leads to her and cul-
minates in her person. This is not a personifi-
cation of harmony that Bohm has painted. It
is rather the figure of a woman who breathes
wisdom, goodness and understanding beyond all
others, representing the past, the present and the
future. Somewhat isolated within the folds of
her sheltering robe, with her right knee propped
upon the crumbling column, she delivers a mes-
sage of joy and hope as she listens to the melody
of the universe. It is unquestionable that the
artist has been soul-seared by the terrible hap-
penings in Europe and his canvases, showing how
far removed is nature’s orchestra from the horrors
of the battlefield, yield a poignant message of
love, peace and hope. W. H. N.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LECTURE
PROMENADES AT THE MUSEUM
OLD MASTERS AND NEW FASHIONS

New York University announces two courses
of lectures by Mr. Louis Weinberg in the Gal-
leries of the Metropolitan Museum, “The Old
Masters,” and “The Moderns in Art.” He aims
to impart to his audience something of the sen-
sitiveness to hue, colour, and pattern possessed by
the master. That the old masters have hints of
value to the modern woman seeking a colour scheme
for her home, or a new idea for her dress, was
proved by a recent newspaper fashion contest,
in which the first prize was won by a lady who
obtained her colour harmony from Whistler.

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