Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, November 26, 1916, Page 39

Most Modern Hotel The Work of Masters, Not the Chromo, for Delectation | \ of Guests. ! 0y N In the Lobby and the Ladies’ re- ception room at the New Blackstone Hotel, there is art to the sum total of ' $3,100. This amount of money repre- sents four carefully chosen pictures. “The Author” cost $1,500, “Roses and Liliacs” cost $350, “The Head of Loch Katrine” is valued at $1,000, and “In the Berkshires” represents an expen- diture of $250. To those who can talk the jargon of art, to those who simply love the beau- tiful, and to those who go in for the personality of folks of renown, the four pictures mentioned hold consid- erable interest. For both reasons of art and romance, “The Author” is the best known of the group of four pictures which form the nucleus of the collection which it is the intention of Mr. Moffitt to as- semble as part of the Blackstone's many characteristic features. There is a bit of war history mixed up with this example of the art of Rene Xavier Prinet, noted French painter of the } modern school, and successful ex- hibitor here and abroad. * When “The Author,” a satisfying W study of concentration in a lamp- lighted library, was being returned to urope from exhibition at the Car- negie Art Institute of Pittsburg a little over two years ago, the picture was! seized by the English. And it was| only through the intervention of men high in financial circles of both Amer-! ica and England, that the painting was returned to America instead of being held as a spoil of war. Returned it was, however, and eventually became one of the paintings exhibited at the last Friends of Art Exhibit at the Hotel Fontenelle. There it was the most ad- mired painting of the entire exhibit, and there it was seen, admired and purchased by Mr. Moffitt. “The Author” is a wonderful con- trast of light and shade, with the virile face of the man, the author; accentu-; ated by the yellow glow of lamplight, ‘ and the whole emphasized by vanish- ‘ . ing perspective and clever handling of blacks. One gets from it a sense of endeavor which foreshadows great (t achievement. It is impossible to view “The Author” without gathering to in- ner consciousness something of inspir- i ation and purpose. Gaining by contrast with “The Au- thor,” there is “Roses and Lilacs,” painted by the celebrated French ar- tist, Raoul de Longpre. This picture is a truly wonderful portrayal of massed roses and lilacs in such pris- tine colors that one reaches out almost resistibly to touch the delicately- fashioned petals of rose upon rose, or the enticing lilacs which, with becom- ing modesty, enhance the wonder of the de Longpre roses. H. P. Whitmore, a personal friend of ‘\ Rgjul de Lopgpre, and well known lo- al authority in matters of art, de- scribes the painter of flowers as a master. Says Mr. Whitmore, “Raoul de Longpre not only paints roses, but grows them. He knows every petal, every shade and every characteristic of his favorite flowers. When he de- picts them it is with a faithfulness to detail which may well be said to rival nature. Mr. de Longpre is in love with his wonderful art and the beholder of his accomplishments instinétively real- izes this fact.” It is a matter of interest that Raoul de Longpre has a brother in the United States. The brother is Paul, resident of Los Angeles, and well known to America as a painter of flowers. But Paul is said by artists to be less adept than his brother, though perhaps more of a money-maker. It is related of him that he once gave a dinner at which were present J. P. Morgan, Rocke- feller and other financiers, and that honor of the occasion he went to length of importing fish from Japan to swim a brief while in an oriental fish garden, Another picture which will delight habitues and visitors of the Blackstone is entitled, “In the Berkshires.” Who-| ever has seen the white birch in the (half light of early morning and upon he slope of the peculiarly gentle Berk- shire hills will be transported by this restful picture to days gone by. The time is autumn, the predominant color is the glorious golden yellow which only the frost-seared birch can por- tray and out of this visioning of the “Berkshires” comes the dream of pleasant melancholy with which dying summer is instinct. This picture 18 by ) Frank C. Raynaud, Swiss-American artist of renown and a product of the famous Ecole Des Beauz Arts, Paris, The gem of the collection which the Blackstone has so far obtained is “The ‘ Head of Loch Katrine,” painted by Charles Stuart. Whethér Mr. Stuart is a descendent of the Stuarts with whom the fame of Scotland is finter- woven is a question, but there is no question but what he has caught and jmprisoned on canvas the charm of Scottish scenery at its best. “The beholder of ‘The Head of Loch Katrine’ is at once impressed with the naturalness, the fidelity of the pic- ture,” according to Mr. Whitmore, who has visited the gem like lake in its setting of rugged mountains. But the artist who could conceive out of his - | ! own imagination anything so wonder- ful as this painting might be forgiven infidelity. s One sees in “The Head of Loch Katrine” an unspoiled lake in the heart of Scotland. The time is morn- ing, 2 o'clock. Overhead the moon is just breaking through a bank of clouds, most faithfully portrayed. To the left, upon a gradually rising slope is a group of pines, misshapen and dis- toited by bleak winter winds. In the forcsround is a stag, inquisitorial and The whole atmosphere of the is that ot action suspended, of silent, mysterious night. Some nderful coloring is to be seen in icture and to the imaginative it a thousand and one thoughts of Lhe great outdoors. A~ not only these expensive paint- will delignt the lover of art who makes the new Blackstone his home. For, throughout the great hostelry in the individual suites, there will be smaller pictures of merit. Bed room walls will be adorned with carefully chosen pictures processed in the most approved way to afford faithful repro- duction of the work of the masters of | many nations and times. It has been the effort of Mr. Moffitt to obtain the best in pictures as in all else that goes to make up the ensemble of the { Blackstone's furnishings and equip- !ment. Cost has been made subservi- ;1 ent to result all along the :ine, so that Ihe unbiased critic of the modern fami- j aotel is required. perforce, to yield o pnim of tha Rlackatane. —Advt. Real Art in Omaha’s! ___THE OMAHA SUNDAY LEE: NOVEMBER 26. 1916 HE BLACKSTONE HOTEL is a building with a distinet aim in the social life T of Omaha. Besides fulfilling its primary purpose, which is that of providing y a home for people who wish to enjoy all of the advantages of the most conveni- Iml]m ent and luxurious form of communal housing, the Blackstone also includes something for which there has been a constantly growing demand here for many years; namely, a suitably located structure of permanence and beauty, espe- cially designed, built and equipped to serve as a center for our city’s best social functions. The entire eighth floor of the Blackstone has been set aside for this purpose. On this floor, which is conveniently accessible from the first floor lobby by means of two high-speed electric elevators, is the large, beautiful, French ball room and two large party rooms which may be used separately or together. Connecting with these stately rooms is the large service kitchen, which is in turn directly connected with the lower kitchens and refrigerating rooms by elevator, and besides there is the soda fountain, the cloak rooms, toilet rooms, rest room, ete. In addition to all of this there are three large and delightfully appointed roof gardens on the eighth floor, all of which will be open in summer, and one of which will be enclosed during the winter months and heated by steam. People wishing to make use of any or all of these facilities for afternoon or even- ing affairs at which refreshments are to be served, will be furnished porter service, parlor maid service, waiter service, and music, by the Blackstone management. In other words, the banquet, the dinner dance, the afternoon tea or light luncheon, the card party or the reception—all are affairs which the Blackstone man- agement are prepared to make pleasingly convenient for the host or hostess, and de- lightfully agreeable for their guests. The Blackstone dining room is another feature which will appeal to non-residents of the building, as well as to those who have their homes here. The dining room on the ground floor has a seating capacity of 200 persons, and it is so arranged as to permit the housing of small parties of diners in private dining rooms. Noonday luncheons, dinners, and after the theater suppers, in season, are all occasions that we are pre- pared to make especially pleasant for people who want perfect assurance as to the character of the guests, the quality of the food, the reasonableness of prices and the efficiency of service. ‘At the Blackstone you will come to know that a hotel can he something more than a pile of brick, terra cotta, steel and concrete, and a tangle of pipes and wires— you will find here an element of human service which will make you feel “at home” away from home. When you come to the Blackstone, courtesy, kindness, friendship, good will, and a desire to render satisfactory service will assure you a hearty welcome. Under the Personal Direction of Franklin V. Moffitt. Telephone Harney 945. % 2 ;i s )55 =L ™ O 9 9, N, 2N\ O -.- 9, e S g 9, N 9, S, /S Q) h N, e, (=N L)