THE OMAHA SUNDAY IiEE: NOVEMBER 26. 1016
I .
i . . ...
Real Art in Omaha's
Most Modern Hotel
The
Work of Hasten, Kot
Chromo. for Delectation
of Guests.
the t " 1 '
iVfas
Tjr the
'J
the Lobby and the Indies'
reption 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 $1,600. "Roses and
Liliacs" cost $350, "The Head of Loch
Katrine" is valued at $1,000, and "In
the Berkshires" represents an expen
diture of J250.
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
study of concentration in a lamp-
In
s. lighted library, was being returned to
JTEurope 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
achievement It is impossible to view
"The Author" without gathering to in
ner consciousness something of inspir
ation and purpose.
Gaining by contrast with "The Au
thor," there Is "Roses and Lilacs,"
painted by the celebrated French ar
tist, Raoul do 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. Whltmore, a personal friend of
Retail de Lojigpre, and well known lo
car authority in matters of art, de
scribes the painter of flowers as a
master. Says Mr. Whltmore, "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 Instinctively 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
in honor of the occasion he went to
tut length of importing fish from
. Japan to swim a brief while In an
oriental fish garden.
Another picture .which will delight
v BaDitues ana visitors or me juacicstone
V Is entitled, "In the Berkshires." Who-
Ja ver has seen the white birch In the
V half light of early morning and upon
J Vh slope of the peculiarly gentle Berk'
hire 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 vislonlng of the
'Berkshires" comes the dream of
pleasant melancholy with which dying
summer is instinct This picture is 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
BlackBtone has so far obtained is "The
Head of Loch Katrine," painted by
Charles Stuart Whether Mr. Stuart
Is a descendent of the Stuarts with
whom the fame of Scotland is Inter
woven is a question, but there is no
question but what he has caught and
imprisoned 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. Whltmore, who
has visited the gem like lake in its
Betting 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.
One sees in "The Head of Loch
Katrine" an unspoiled lake in the
heart of Scotland. The time is morn-
inn, 2 o'clock. Overhead the moon is
jUHt breaking through a bank of
clouds, most faithfully portrayed. To
the left upon a gradually rising slope
18 a group ot pines, misshapen and dis-
toilud by bleak winter winds. In the
foreground is a stag, Inquisitorial and
aim The whole atmosphere of the
picture is that ot action suspended, of
the silent, mysterious night. Some
wonderful coloring is to be seen In
1 this picture and to the Imaginative it
suggests a thousand and one thoughts
of the great outdoors.
A Li not only these expensive paint
lnrs will delignt the lover of art who
makes th new Blackstone his home.
For. throughout the great hostelry
in tne 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
f Blackstone's furnishings and equlp
' tnent. Cost has been made subservi
ent to result all along the iine, so that
I he unbiased critic of the modern faml-
hotel Is required, oerforce, to yield
. vmlm of tb Sltoekafan. -Arfvt,
' I ( el
Ml f 111
iff
S II M
D
1HE BLACKSTONE
of Omaha. Besides fulfilling its primary purpose, which is that of providing
a home for people who wish to enjoy all of the advantages of the most conveni
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, etc.
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 be 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
HOTEL is a building with
a distinct aim in the social
life
a hearty welcome.