The Boston Public Library (Classic Reprint): A Handbook to the Library Building, Its Mural Decorations and Its Collections: A Handbook to the Library ... and Its Collections (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Frank H. Chase

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1332324673 ISBN 13: 9781332324675

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explore a remarkable fusion of art and architecture at the Library’s Sargent Hall, where thirty years of work illuminate the evolution of religious thought.

The upper floor houses a grand mural cycle by John Singer Sargent, a single life’s project that traces religious ideas from paganism through Judaism to Christianity. The hall’s ceiling, vaulting, and surrounding frames were designed and executed to create a unified, luminous experience. The walls feature a sequence of paintings, lunettes, and reliefs that move from ancient symbols to the stories of the prophets and the glorious mysteries of Christian faith. The latest panels, installed in 1919, continue this balance between Hebrew and Christian imagery, and between the synagogue and the church as they were depicted in medieval art.

What you’ll see emphasizes not just painting, but a total decorative program: dolphins above the Music Library door, dignified architectural details, and carefully chosen color harmonies that unify thirty years of creativity into a single, evolving narrative. The work includes monumental figures, narrative cycles, and symbolic reliefs that invite close looking and reflection.

• Thorough treatment of the hall’s decorative program, including the north and south end compositions and the suite of lunettes and vaulting


• Insights into how Sargent integrated painting, sculpture, and architectural decoration into one cohesive piece


• Discussion of the central themes: the progression from pagan beliefs to Judaism and Christianity, and the medieval reinterpretation of these ideas


• Notes on the latest additions, the two “Church” and “Synagogue” panels, and how they balance the overall scheme

Ideal for readers interested in art history, architectural decoration, or a detailed look at one of Boston’s celebrated cultural landmarks.

About this title

Product Description

Excerpt from The Boston Public Library: A Handbook to the Library Building, Its Mural Decorations and Its Collections

On the platform in front of the Library, set into massive granite pedestals, are two heroic seated figures In bronze, the work of the Boston sculptor, Bela l.science, before the main entrance.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1332324673
• ISBN 13: 9781332324675
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 70