The San Francisco call. [volume], December 01, 1907, Page 1, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
The San Francisco Sunday Call.
Magazine
Section
Part I.
AN ARTIST'S
IMPRESSIONS
OF THE BUILDING CITY
WHILE businessmen have; been
measuring" the <-it>'s roha'>sli-"
tatlon by bank olcirliigf^ ar.o
promotion committees' by
, building permits and kindred manifes-,
tations, Arthur F. Mathisw'js. painterar.d
sometime philosopher, has been study
v Ir.g the situation from; the standpoint
cf his art. What he has felt and scon
he has limned-in illustrations that \a:
epeak courage: and "bring with them a
measure r of". gratification .that /.'not, all
tba growth of this stricken citS' has to
be rated by the measuring- stick r of dol
lars and cents. Ills- drawings "\u25a0\u25a0-.which
tell of this were made for" Philopolis",
the little publication i.«r»u~«?«3 "for those
who care." But it is lik'»;ly that thay
Tnay ba destined for a jtreater And
more permanent nsc. in . th*- series fs
material foran 'important .mural deco
ration to adorn and ' beautify some
local public building that will 6e a tri
unph in : the- years' near at- hapd. /\u25a0Jti.is
net posslfila, to/ think of .the masterly
moral work, ' the splend id - panels .'that
Arthur Mathews has made for the Oak
land free Horary, without hoping that
he will be asked to do the decoration
I of Jan Francisco's new free public, li
brary, embodying discriminating
conception of.;the Etrlcken" cityl going
iorth "a* a^youth."
This personification . gives San;Fran-
J Cisco all the- attribntesVthat:'rnake*fbr
*: permanent and \ dependable* " reliabijltat
ticn — the \u25a0 Btrength/'jtheij'pp^rrt^Uhe
beauty, and, rbest \ of s all, the hope -that
belongs to.the' early j«ars of^Jfe.»Back
ct this concept of the .condition* 'ob
ARTHUR F. MATHEWS
ta-inlng i.n ; ;:his.i:i,tr : js the.realization; of .
a!l ; that* jo '.nislit vUiein. -. but
ihrrrls nbtu Utvc -to ;dci4cl thiß .•\u25a0pttawe.";
In; the rebuUdSng' of Pan Francisco*
Arthur, ilathews fiees , also.th«. likeness '
to "i. masterpiece. in painlihg which^is^
nbtj born : of -the -day's' reckoning,?but
com'is 'out of the: distant harmonyvof.
thlngfs. ,slbwiy,vand;;-ev€h to ;the -hour,
of -.lts revelation is lost=ln^the-.anxieties' ;
of tbc' master, 'mind,"-. -lie v further,' ei-'.
plaijis: ' .",\u25a0*" ".. "-,-'. ','": J^r'%; 1
" "Vriicn- the- time," is 'ripe with^oppor
tunity.-and • experifence. • the.* masterpiece '
sprhig's-'- out'Of [he .mysteries * nature,,
love*,' leaving no-: trace, ot. the' way. of \
ite.coroinßT.ibutjSt&n'ds fulliledgpd,*seem
ingly "of 'a'l moment's inspiration. r In
spired tiic masterpiece is; 'still"
nont may.' say truly th\t; behind;, the;
master -\u25a0\vorkr tJicrc'- Is not a. long road
of travail and' failures. - Every itcp; '\u25a0\u25a0ot.
the "Way ' has "been fraught ' Wlth-r prchi- j
ises ;of disaster,', an'd". every ;,Wo_rkr worth »
anything ;bears .strange^^ marks/;w"tiich', ;
if v.'c could '.but \u25a0 readY them, "straiglit,
would toll the , whole "story; from be-;
ginrihg to jend.'V;': \'::^ '-\u25a0-.' \u25a0' '"'V" \u25a0•\u25a0\u25a0' l:> . • ' -
Thc/'City'a ? ,yquthV:(.4-^J;: \ '{^;- : ;
v Nothing could be _ more "thought pro -^
voklhg ;* t'han V the-' illu'sti-ation.^inspired "
b'y.^ilathews' idea^th^f the* city.-is'-go.-:
lng!)on "as f a youth*^ strong, hesitating,
perhaps; . butVstrojig.". > v Drawn r with'Tth'e';
inimitable skill, in draftsmanship : \'th*a't.
'distinguishes? Jlaiihewß*" work,- lnt§rest f
"ce n*er s t i p * tKc.' V*V, liis.l l l ti £. *i n up?ul a r,
I'fi^reirhold^gf^thev'^potcntiaHt'^J^df".
st r t n gth •: an d p r ogces's. v .To [ t he, 1 e ft *'o f •
the • boy,' "but' kcepin?: L her *T>la.'T>' ! *i V..H>,
\u25a0_ '' •-. X-->? -\u25a0-\u25a0• \u25a0'\u25a0\u25a0•\u25a0?\u25a0•,+ ...:\u25a0\u25a0: '}\u25a0 \u25a0.;..' ;v; v.r: --\u25a0: i;*^
•picture,- although * - dominating^- figure,'
i s. a ' Wo rh a n, ';. ty p 1 f j'l n'sr .'. tiVe ss p ictifresc;\ic,i cc t if r esc; \i c,
th,e:rVniamjf£i4^
ing, as the^ambodinicct of the; p'a'^st -y'th'e
Qucen'of ' the'jPacific— half almond*eyed
:6rieritaj; '*? half : cowboy, • . wlUi f- v incense :
; strop ger,V«rnnre"- pungent ; than "*the. «o""dor'
.'of -j.th*eT dpfum 'pipe, st jil^cllns'ing,' to her
.'skirts,;, spingt to :h*er^'fa I tQ;.seren'e'lK' like
:* ;^t™el - s|_9icfof-^lj|B'^a6tV^ v it.'is4l^^ ; {ie' i
.'lad~of , beauty* and' ; 'brawn; • justf in* tRe.
'foregTOund,'s : >thatT^ > Math»Ws-' embodies:
th'eTwoDdr o iis \L spiri it \ that.- < is \u25a0 ca fr yl p t g.
Vi?an'> ! Fxftn?;iaco^x>rl '} to '\u25a0 tirei-iplacc^si^OAis".
/deit/nV^*tp<'tin v 'alj4Vs"?rnaliii%^]^
r iTjfrejVnt;\from.^th'e"/San';.' : '^
: the 'past:-- '-'; y "; - y \u25a0/ -;.^ J,;' ; ;i \/:f: '': 'J^
-\u25a0The second draw ing of the scrics?pic
tures. the 'nia tcr iairprosross \u25a0 iii '^th is• ci ty ;
-but Aviicrc -others 'count' .thefatorieatliat
Varc bclri r p i\ led \u25a0[ one 'upon • the /other ? and
r^ik.,BcfenUllcaliyv'bf';.tlieV ''strengtir*6f
: "materials," r Math,ewafweaHzealtne^facts."'
This "drawing \u25a0•> Buggests;';^howe*vcr3; l in
every, line ' : the'^hjeight' •VndNdeptlrof, the
tremendous" impbrt
;anca r *Qf l tha^ work* that 'is t^goin's '"Son*
::3lathftws.'developed : this co*ncep"tibn with
: the same jd'e'a of .' tha t'jriiust '.have
v hel^^icTpiingr when^he'^wroteCiri.l VTlie
' ]D^"6".%W«rk.".- of ' the"' 1 Bhi^ that Jfound,
/heVi_6lf.^.'.Th*ere^is''- nb I. mistaking.* what
f^MjUh'ews Wished'"" to; convey .; when ; iie
I- worked ;/out intelligence .'.jtbisVun
« usual/ del I neat lon7 v and^when', h"e'» wrote
"'" ' \u0084'\u25a0. ,'\u25a0 "No w "aii hljgh l 3 u nipsy fr 6 m j t he ]' pa v o -;
|©f .^great ;steelv^
-feet, '-only : . to; uush . back; and up.th*
• strC'f't. •\u25a0:\u25a0 Ominous .shadows 'follow, close
>; and Wrapas.ygt almost shapeless 'struc:!
'\u25a0' lures 'in < ; cLoalts^ of I iploom/- ? Bright red
.fire! \u25a0bolts '''glance s hither f andyUhither;
r-;gip\v'ingr • aVaiast ;the black ' for- an- in
;stanCk^l>cn^ vaiiishing'.VslnkinK .deep,
; steel ;iiiU> ;stcel,\ under," the sharp \u25a0 rasp
l*of;-'an 4 electric. -riveter. : In-:
'cumberinsf ;';sliarlo.w3. lift; .'the "happy,
''\u25a0 danc'i/var sArligiit'jS'n-eepsthr.ough space;
{ i grctit'. stohps^muy 6', 'heavily .•about ;.'ir'6n>'
;-stcfti>an«l •^i»tir'k^sb%^upward;^and-Vstop7
.'arid'.unc'-lons;';hftrmoiiS" of tapping-,'rat
\u25a0 tiihFr;,.tootivig", -shouting,^ 'Whistling:., re
\u25a0 verbe'ratos- an\l ?cchocs < •through", the'' city'
:': ' an d o yftr,'-ay ft r,'- a 11 i u .11 n dcr 1 is- (ounijallons.( ounija 1 1 ons. '• it
' ; i s'i a s"i f 'no 1 nan's -har/d^wc re in ,the \u25a0 playl
';*but "sis t ; if ' ,t lVcUimhari ml ml,: a V last = freed
.^frumjil's.casc, '•\u25bavaslsliovrlhg -the, way of
„ the \u25a0fomiiieAof ' tlicl masterpiece In "tho
Scry prr strife \u25a0 cir common -clay/* 1 ..' \u0084 ;
.; • '* MathrW' s ~\'{ c|p rcsseV >in^' the - v last - : . of
these i piu tures Tan; exqulßite \u25a0'sombiancii
•Sot the ?sreep",pfjthel''unpleasant v niemo^
\u25a0ries'';th'atfmuistVp^*B^th{ i tb!«'-day
\'l s*< tlfe"J : fj gu re *of faxWonian,.: hooded c ! and
•\u25a0 cloaked;Un Jw^hicbjone. finds the stamp of
\u25a0\the' ; master; haiVd^;ln; surprisingly '"few,
\u25a0 lias , told "the], story.
it itheTskiil » of 'a .wizard 'of 'jth c 3 pencil "c he
• . liaV ''indicated t he' modeling of ; the : form,'
' ,an'd';,th^.cfir t ; ;r o'.r. t . ne V ha . n .d shown: as
: ;"cling^^rvto^/J^ n «':jßuppor^;.t^
Vfc3t^ i{V a>|h\^
;y«ioii t'oifr?, of .'th efface i.^s^dene^ fTi^th^the'
4 or : gricf^bc?r^a3{sHii^'stfugs:lg
>~ botorVfsfecp|brousht: peace.)< t * /:, ,V;
\u25a0' 'i\ir \ 1^11 1^; In*' the city's: wonder fulVfa
*.;--. ,-:^:'. -\u25a0-\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0' ..\u25a0..\u25a0\u25a0•\u25a0 : , \u25a0:\u25a0; •. i: i'w;^ i.i>~\ >.-; \u25a0 : -;\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0:-.- : . •'
bulldlnff;"does -not ..blind tJlath'eifS.j,t» v
thavmateriaifsiffris of/the.times. ,* Injth*:;
next 'part she rhiis'giveh'hla'aytention'to';
a?consldoration|,o£ vthev^practicalpina^
proyernents,'.* those -under, the ? headings
Jof^ tlie^"beautiflcation • 'of \ \the ;- ci ty^'' f
'which;* in* its^. ! last 'analysis,"..' means; ; tha v
bToadenjng^'of;7stre^'t3';'and^the_^^^^^
'of UiatCwlllJ make; better iceTm^V
', muntcatior/ \ Vet Ween' \ different \ parts .* of ; V
.'the7 icTty « as '/well \ a's *' aff ordingr - jfreafer''*
.'fWe' > V ro^*4^^"^''^^P?)°^' ?^?-t d i^r^-' lts ." i-i -'
alr^ady?covVrci'with;b^i^
ltl^t\ tnc'j rehab jlltatlo'ncup^ to/ date\has V
:lef't'j .h !:impstV.inipbrtant ; ;;" section >.fpr-': v a.>;
'possiVilc'improy^mctit he indicated- long v
ar«.^ilt ; involT^i^th* t part - f *tj tba ' p "clty^
bounded ; by. California ito' O'Farrell and s
between jilason? and^Larkin. .^Hli plans *
provide ,; for^an Vajenue'^ thVoukh ; this
• a" iargre" space reserved for
parkland t rbmT Jones, to M
Jkiason'^and^'^rom^Post> :to 5 California. "
Mathews seey.thatlb^tVtwo brick build-;
Ingfs Vhavairbeen^orecte"(j i inTthis' area, V
a^dfwlth^th/s hwSopea>
the': VfuiflllnVen't^Tof^Ws :<>drearas.^^e'«
: w'pu'ldvM'td'e'ijßUair^atreVt kn"a*svreep 'it t
a round: pal£fornlaT*s trcet^ at Stocktonjto;:
•Pacific,,^ :th©»o"3ject f^,\th'«r._wove ": haying :
lalso^the^paot^ve^oCfcroWaing*, Chinatown"
VackUo'thVfflatsr-Tliis'plah'hVsketched •'"'
? yy.. \u25a0*<••\u25a0-,:%\u25a0'* -••'. - .\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0•'\u25a0 -\u25a0-
years w ago when .he .ira* yengajfea ,ti
assisting In the preparation of Vb*rd3'
eye "view ef .„ the 'city. "
* -And so it is that' trds California. «rdat
whose /mural decorations alone would
maSe , him,' a .< consprc-ous * ftgnr c m anj
o'fVhe /world's e'r t •cehters."'could not \u25a0 b»
driven out.of San'rnincisco.. write?
and'piansr f or \u25a0 its ;bette"rjnent. draws th«
story*, of ; Its' prog?ess In ,w,ondrous >pic
tur©sA arid -. newr < for* a -fraoment ';' Iw»e«
hope V tha t ; the , day is; at', band -when th t
people |Wfio oVn; the ;niost '.tb«antlfull3
sttuat«l''cits' : ln\th*er^orJd:.wUr t ßtop 1«
thJs';sr?pat tirno-of irebuUdin* to utUU«
the.ppS3lbiHtles befqre .them and tlj«re«
b'jv'gtt' the~ blessings \u25a0 that ar«' ponibl*
out of the dreadf nl \u25a0 calamity. -
-'"JL -~ > ' \u25a0\u25a0 - \u25a0 ' \u25a0 •** •\u25a0•