Synopses & Reviews
Edwin Howland Blashfield (1848'"1936) rose to prominence as a muralist between the 1893 World"s Columbian Exposition and the United States"s entry into World War I, the period of the 'American Renaissance.' Blashfield"s monumental work can be viewed in courthouses, state capitols, churches, universities, and museums across the United States and at the Library of Congress; some survive only in reproduction. New scholarship highlights Blashfield"s contributions to the beauty of civic spaces and his lasting influence on public art in America. The book portrays the artist as a defender of the classical tradition, surveys his artistic production, observes the works from a conservator"s perspective, and discusses Blashfield"s legacy, referencing his writing and his leadership of numerous cultural organizations, as well as his paintings, in examining his efforts to codify the professional relationship between architects and artists and promote the blending of classic principles with American symbolism, history, and contemporary realities.
Review
….. a heroic force for good on America’s walls….an important, overdue volume….a triumph.
Review
"[A] succinct overview of Blashfield's work, illustrated by dozens of color photographs of murals from courthouses, capitols and colleges." Milwaukee Express
Review
"An impressive work of impeccable scholarship and a strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and library American Art History collections." Midwest Book Review
Review
"Over 100 large color photographs―many taken expressly for this publication―and extensive new scholarship combine with an exhaustive list of known murals, a detailed chronology, and a bibliography to make this work valuable either as an introduction to the artist or for the reader already aware of this great American muralist." Style 1900
Review
"[T]he richly illustrated study provides much in the way of new material on the artist and his milieu." Art History
Synopsis
Edwin Howland Blashfield (1848-1936) rose to prominence as a muralist during the "American Renaissance," the period between the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and the United States' entry into World War I. Blashfield's monumental work can be viewed in courthouses, state capitols, churches, universities, museums, and other places across the United States. New scholarship highlights Blashfield's contributions to the beauty of civic spaces and his lasting influence on public art in America. The first book in decades to focus on the renowned muralist, this covers the artist as defender of the classical tradition, surveys his artistic production, observes the works from a conservator's perspective, and discusses his legacy. It references Blashfield's writing and leadership of numerous cultural organizations, as well as his paintings, in examining his efforts to codify the professional relationship between architects and artists and promote the blending of classic principles with American symbolism, history and contemporary realities.
Synopsis
The first book in several decades to focus on the muralist, an esteemed exemplar and advocate of the classical tradition.
About the Author
Mina Rieur Weiner, a museum consultant, has organized exhibitions for numerous New York City museums, including "John Koch: Painting a New York Life" for the New York Historical Society.