DOI issue:
No. 95 (February, 1901)
DOI article:Knaufft, Ernest: An American decorator: Edwin H. Blashfield
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19787#0044
An American Decorator
cavalier of the days of Louis XIV. He seems to
understand, as did Meissonier, the way that his
characters wore every article of dress, and to know
where every rosette, every garter, should go.
It is not, however, as an illustrator, but as a
decorator, that Mr. Blashfield is most widely
known. In his Congressional Library decoration,
the theme is the Progress of Civitisatio?i, which is
symbolised by a series of figures, each representing
a nationality, as well as an art or a science. The
motive for America is the mechanical arts, and
here we notice in the treatment of the theme a
scholarly attempt to work out his problem with
a scientific love of symbolism.
The figure typifying the Middle Ages is avowedly
intended to suggest the features of Mary Anderson,
the artist having obtained permission of the actress.
The figure representing England, and emblematic
of Literature, is a portrait of Ellen Terry—a most
striking characterisation. That the artist was able
to make this portrait carry from a distance of
125 feet, showed that he had practised mural
painting during the past few years to some advan-
tage ; he had, in short, passed the experimental
period. In his figure of Germany, emblematic of
Printing, a clean-shaven, youthful face is found in
the artist's first sketch, but later on he changed
this to a portrait of General Casey, the architect
of the library. The other figures are Egypt, typify-
ing Written Records; Judea, Religion ; Greece,
Philosophy; Rome, Administration; Islam, Physics;
the Middle Ages; Modern Languages ; Gothic
Architecture and Chivalry ; Italy, the Fine Arts;
Spain, Discovery; and France, Emancipation.
The central group is in the lantern crown, and
is circular in shape. It contains a seated figure,
typifying the Human Understanding, looking up-
ward from the finite intellectual achievement
(represented in the circle of figures beneath) to
the higher Wisdom which is above us all.
In painting, in 1897, the Vanderbilt overmantel
decoration, the artist was very much at ease, as
he had previously painted a lunette at the end of
the room and knew his surroundings perfectly.
In his lunette he has probably put more colour
than in previous decorations. The background
cavalier of the days of Louis XIV. He seems to
understand, as did Meissonier, the way that his
characters wore every article of dress, and to know
where every rosette, every garter, should go.
It is not, however, as an illustrator, but as a
decorator, that Mr. Blashfield is most widely
known. In his Congressional Library decoration,
the theme is the Progress of Civitisatio?i, which is
symbolised by a series of figures, each representing
a nationality, as well as an art or a science. The
motive for America is the mechanical arts, and
here we notice in the treatment of the theme a
scholarly attempt to work out his problem with
a scientific love of symbolism.
The figure typifying the Middle Ages is avowedly
intended to suggest the features of Mary Anderson,
the artist having obtained permission of the actress.
The figure representing England, and emblematic
of Literature, is a portrait of Ellen Terry—a most
striking characterisation. That the artist was able
to make this portrait carry from a distance of
125 feet, showed that he had practised mural
painting during the past few years to some advan-
tage ; he had, in short, passed the experimental
period. In his figure of Germany, emblematic of
Printing, a clean-shaven, youthful face is found in
the artist's first sketch, but later on he changed
this to a portrait of General Casey, the architect
of the library. The other figures are Egypt, typify-
ing Written Records; Judea, Religion ; Greece,
Philosophy; Rome, Administration; Islam, Physics;
the Middle Ages; Modern Languages ; Gothic
Architecture and Chivalry ; Italy, the Fine Arts;
Spain, Discovery; and France, Emancipation.
The central group is in the lantern crown, and
is circular in shape. It contains a seated figure,
typifying the Human Understanding, looking up-
ward from the finite intellectual achievement
(represented in the circle of figures beneath) to
the higher Wisdom which is above us all.
In painting, in 1897, the Vanderbilt overmantel
decoration, the artist was very much at ease, as
he had previously painted a lunette at the end of
the room and knew his surroundings perfectly.
In his lunette he has probably put more colour
than in previous decorations. The background