the americanization of edward bok-第56部分

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m：　a　piece　of　work；　the　subject　to　be　his　own　selection；　with　the　assurance　of　absolute　liberty　to　carry　out　his　own　ideas。　Never　was　an　artist　more　elated。

〃Then；　I'll　give　you　the　best　piece　of　work　of　my　life；〃　said　Abbey。

〃Perhaps　there　is　some　subject　which　you　have　long　wished　to　paint　rather　than　any　other；〃　asked　Bok；　〃that　might　fit　our　purpose　admirably？〃

There　was：　a　theme　that　he　had　started　as　a　fresco　for　Mrs。　Abbey's　bedroom。　But　it　would　not　answer　this　purpose　at　all；　although　he　confessed　he　would　rather　paint　it　than　any　subject　in　the　realm　of　all　literature　and　art。

〃And　the　subject？〃　asked　Bok。

〃The　Grove　of　Academe；〃　replied　Abbey；　and　the　eyes　of　the　artist　and　his　wife　were　riveted　on　the　editor。

〃With　Plato　and　his　disciples？〃　asked　Bok。

〃The　same；〃　said　Abbey。　〃But　you　see　it　wouldn't　fit。〃

〃Wouldn't　fit？〃　echoed　Bok。　〃Why；　it's　the　very　thing。〃

Abbey　and　his　wife　were　now　like　two　happy　children。　Mrs。　Abbey　fetched　the　sketches　which　her　husband　had　begun　years　ago；　and　when　Bok　saw　them　he　was　delighted。　He　realized　at　once　that　conditions　and　choice　would　conspire　to　produce　Abbey's　greatest　piece　of　mural　work。

The　arrangements　were　quickly　settled；　the　Curtis　architect　had　accompanied　Bok　to　explain　the　architectural　possibilities　to　Abbey；　and　when　the　artist　bade　good…by　to　the　two　at　the　railroad　station；　his　last　words　were：

〃Bok；　you　are　going　to　get　the　best　Abbey　in　the　world。〃

And　Mrs。　Abbey　echoed　the　prophecy！

But　Fate　intervened。　On　the　day　after　Abbey　had　stretched　his　great　canvas　in　Sargent's　studio　in　London；　expecting　to　begin　his　work　the　following　week；　he　suddenly　passed　away；　and　what　would；　in　all　likelihood；　have　been　Edwin　Abbey's　mural　masterpiece　was　lost　to　the　world。

Assured　of　Mrs。　Abbey's　willingness　to　have　another　artist　take　the　theme　of　the　Grove　of　Academe　and　carry　it　out　as　a　mural　decoration；　Bok　turned　to　Howard　Pyle。　He　knew　Pyle　had　made　a　study　of　Plato；　and　believed　that；　with　his　knowledge　and　love　of　the　work　of　the　Athenian　philosopher；　a　good　decoration　would　result。　Pyle　was　then　in　Italy；　Bok　telephoned　the　painter's　home　in　Wilmington；　Delaware；　to　get　his　address；　only　to　be　told　that　an　hour　earlier　word　had　been　received　by　the　family　that　Pyle　had　been　fatally　stricken　the　day　before。

Once　more　Bok　went　over　the　field　of　mural　art　and　decided　this　time　that　he　would　go　far　afield；　and　present　his　idea　to　Boutet　de　Monvel；　the　French　decorative　artist。　Bok　had　been　much　impressed　with　some　decorative　work　by　De　Monvel　which　had　just　been　exhibited　in　New　York。　By　letter　he　laid　the　proposition　in　detail　before　the　artist；　asked　for　a　subject；　and　stipulated　that　if　the　details　could　be　arranged　the　artist　should　visit　the　building　and　see　the　place　and　surroundings　for　himself。　After　a　lengthy　correspondence；　and　sketches　submitted　and　corrected；　a　plan　for　what　promised　to　be　a　most　unusual　and　artistically　decorative　panel　was　arrived　at。

The　date　for　M。　de　Monvel's　visit　to　Philadelphia　was　fixed；　a　final　letter　from　the　artist　reached　Bok　on　a　Monday　morning；　in　which　a　few　remaining　details　were　satisfactorily　cleared　up；　and　a　cable　was　sent　assuring　De　Monvel　of　the　entire　satisfaction　of　the　company　with　his　final　sketches　and　arrangements。　The　following　morning　Bok　picked　up　his　newspaper　to　read　that　Boutet　de　Monvel　had　suddenly　passed　away　in　Paris　the　previous　evening！

Bok；　thoroughly　bewildered；　began　to　feel　as　if　some　fatal　star　hung　over　his　cherished　decoration。　Three　times　in　succession　he　had　met　the　same　decree　of　fate。

He　consulted　six　of　the　leading　mural　decorators　in　America；　asking　whether　they　would　consent；　not　in　competition；　to　submit　each　a　finished　full…color　sketch　of　the　subject　which　he　believed　fitted　for　the　place　in　mind；　they　could　take　the　Grove　of　Academe　or　not；　as　they　chose；　the　subject　was　to　be　of　their　own　selection。　Each　artist　was　to　receive　a　generous　fee　for　his　sketch；　whether　accepted　or　rejected。　In　due　time；　the　six　sketches　were　received；　impartial　judges　were　selected；　no　names　were　attached　to　the　sketches；　several　conferences　were　held；　and　all　the　sketches　were　rejected！

Bok　was　still　exactly　where　he　started；　while　the　building　was　nearly　complete；　with　no　mural　for　the　large　place　so　insistently　demanding　it。

He　now　recalled　a　marvellous　stage…curtain　entirely　of　glass　mosaic　executed　by　Louis　C。　Tiffany；　of　New　York；　for　the　Municipal　Theatre　at　Mexico　City。　The　work　had　attracted　universal　attention　at　its　exhibition；　art　critics　and　connoisseurs　had　praised　it　unstintingly；　and　Bok　decided　to　experiment　in　that　direction。

Just　as　the　ancient　Egyptians　and　Persians　had　used　glazed　brick　and　tile；　set　in　cement；　as　their　form　of　wall　decoration；　so　Mr。　Tiffany　had　used　favrile　glass；　set　in　cement。　The　luminosity　was　marvellous；　the　effect　of　light　upon　the　glass　was　unbelievably　beautiful；　and　the　colorings　obtained　were　a　joy　to　the　senses。

Here　was　not　only　a　new　method　in　wall　decoration；　but　one　that　was　entirely　practicable。　Glass　would　not　craze　like　tiles　or　mosaic；　it　would　not　crinkle　as　will　canvas；　it　needed　no　varnish。　It　would　retain　its　color；　freshness；　and　beauty；　and　water　would　readily　cleanse　it　from　dust。

He　sought　Mr。　Tiffany；　who　was　enthusiastic　over　the　idea　of　making　an　example　of　his　mosaic　glass　of　such　dimensions　which　should　remain　in　this　country；　and　gladly　offered　to　co…operate。　But；　try　as　he　might；　Bok　could　not　secure　an　adequate　sketch　for　Mr。　Tiffany　to　carry　out。　Then　he　recalled　that　one　day　while　at　Maxfield　Parrish's　summer　home　in　New　Hampshire　the　artist　had　told　him　of　a　dream　garden　which　he　would　like　to　construct；　not　on　canvas　but　in　reality。　Bok　suggested　to　Parrish　that　he　come　to　New　York。　He　asked　him　if　he　could　put　his　dream　garden　on　canvas。　The　artist　thought　he　could；　in　fact；　was　greatly　attracted　to　the　idea；　but　he　knew　nothing　of　mosaic　work；　and　was　not　particularly　attracted　by　the　idea　of　having　his　work　rendered　in　that　medium。

Bok　took　Parrish　to　Mr。　Tiffany's　studio；　the　two　artists　talked　together；　the　glass…worker　showed　the　canvas…painter　his　work；　with　the　result　that　the　two　became　enthusiastic　to　co…operate　in　trying　the　experiment。　Parrish　agreed　to　make　a　sketch　for　Mr。　Tiffany's　approval；　and　within　six　months；　after　a　number　of　conferences　and　an　equal　number　of　sketches；　they　were　ready　to　begin　the　work。　Bok　only　hoped　that　this　time　both　artists　would　outlive　their　commissions！

It　was　a　huge　picture　to　be　done　in　glass　mosaic。　The　space　to　be　filled　called　for　over　a　million　pieces　of　glass；　and　for　a　year　the　services　of　thirty　of　the　most　skilled　artisans　would　be　required。　The　work　had　to　be　done　from　a　series　of　bromide　photographs　enlarged　to　a　size　hitherto　unattempted。　But　at　last　the　decoration　was　completed；　the　finished　art　piece　was　placed　on　exhibition　in　New　York　and　over　seven　thousand　persons　came　to　see　it。　The　leading　art　critics　pronounced　the　result　to　be　the　most　amazing　instance　of　the　tone　capacity　of　glass…work　ever　achieved。　It　was　a　veritable　wonder…piece；　far　exceeding　the　utmost　expression　of　paint　and　canv