The New York LDS Historian
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Spring 2003; Volume 6 Issue 1 The New York LDS Historian A Portrait of Latter-day Saint Art By Glen Nelson The history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York City is a story of conversion, development, and stabilization. In that sense, it is a familiar story of Church growth—like thousands of others in Ameri- ca—in which a Mormon pioneer arrives, settles and develops a community. A less well-known chapter in Church history relates how some pioneers made a reverse trek: they came from the west to seek specialized tutelage in New York City, and armed with training they received here, returned to edify the entire Church. This is par- ticularly evident in the realm of visual arts.1 From its earliest days, the Church has enjoyed an abun- dance of artists. An unusually high number of artists congre- gated in early Utah. Histori- ans have noted the patron- age of Brigham Young, the The New York LDS Historian stability of the population, is the quarterly newsletter of the New and the number of Old York New York Stake LDS History Com- World immigrants as pos- mittee. This newsletter contains articles sible explanations.2 In 1886, about and notices of the research of the Utah historian Edward W. Committee. Tullidge explained the abun- More detailed research results will be dance of painters as a result of published in our monograph series. social expectation: “early taste Monographs will be announced in future and love for pictures in the com- issues of this newsletter. munity was far in advance of that in surrounding territories and greater Current research projects: than the newness of the country would 70th Anniversary of the New York City Stake seem to promise.”3 History of the Manhattan Temple Church leaders and artists of Overview of LDS History in Brooklyn the day wanted the crowning achievement of their growth to Hispanic Latter-day Saints in New York be symbolized by a magnificent, City luxurious edifice—the Salt Lake New York Mormons in Temple. Inside the temple, • Business there were to be grand and ex- • School travagant leaded stained glass windows from Tiffany and If you are interested in volunteering for The Tragedy of Winter Quarters, Nebraska, 1933. Company in New York. All research, writing, archiving, translating or Avard T. Fairbanks (1897-1987) Cast bronze, 36” x 25” x 25” of the materials were to be historical activity planning, please contact Museum of Church History and Art © by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. of the highest quality, with Kent Larsen at (212) 568-3909. an eye for craftsmanship and New York LDS Historian Spring 2003; Volume 6 Issue 1 A Portrait of Latter-day Saint Art attention to detail of exceptional accom- short of time allotted for me to stay here, plishment. Yet the Church and its artists it will be through the miraculous power faced a significant challenge. Although of God.”6 the artisans of the day were dedicated, passionate and loyal, their skills were The lessons the artist-missionaries not at the level of refinement to which learned in Paris—either by training or by the Church aspired toward the end of the association—were the teachings of the 19th century. Avant-garde. The Utah painters brought home with them the radical ideas of Beginning in 1890, dozens of LDS artists Impressionism: the technique of loosely developed their talents away from home, worked brush stokes and tilted perspec- soaking up the art of Old Masters and tives that caused outrage and the ostra- the techniques of the Avant-garde in the cism of their creators including Monet, large cities of the world. The cosmopoli- Cezanne, and Degas. In the face of such tan training of these artists immediately artistic revolution, the artist-missionaries altered how the Church depicted itself often interpreted their training through a visually, how it positioned itself regard- religious lens. ing the fine things of the world, how it celebrated and commemorated its “Much depends upon character in ob- achievements, and especially, how it em- taining excellence in art,” Hafen wrote bellished its places of worship. To master from Paris. “Good art is also much de- the skills necessary for this transforma- pendent on truth. A man or woman who tion in the late 19th century, Paris was, has wrong ideas of his or her individual- initially, the ideal training ground. Yet ity, of religion, of God, of duty, cannot The New York LDS Historian become a great artist, be they ever so many LDS artists would soon venture to 7 Published by the New York New York Stake one of the western world’s newest artistic gifted.” LDS History Committee of the Church of Jesus capitals—New York City. Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon their return, the missionaries were immediately engaged in Utah to begin a New York New York Stake President The Artist-Missionaries — 1890-1917 series of large-scale murals for the Salt Brent J. Belnap On June 3, 1890, three young men were Lake Temple. Meanwhile, Springville, Committee Chairs set apart as missionaries in Salt Lake Utah native Cyrus E. Dallin, who had Richard Bushman City, Utah. At a time when hundreds also studied in France, was commis- Claudia Bushman of missionaries for the Church left on sioned to create the sculpture of Angel Editor missions overseas, the departure of three Moroni to stand atop the temple. Scott Tiffany more elders would be a rather unremark- If the Impressionists’ palate and style Publisher able event—except that these three young were vibrant and new in Paris, their Kent Larsen men received callings, not to preach the techniques were at least as radical in Salt Committee members: gospel to the French, but to study paint- Darrell Babidge Jennifer Li 4 Lake. In a temple mural of the Garden Mark Butler James Lucas ing at the Academie Julian in Paris. of Eden, for example, Hafen creates a Tim Davis Ben McAdams By 1890, Church leaders felt that jungle of chartreuse, crimson, mustard Fumi Davis Julie McAdams skilled artists had an important role in yellow and mint green paint. It is applied James Fry Glen Nelson with brash, unblended, gestural strokes. Patricia Fry Elena Nieves the building of the kingdom. They also Anne Knight Joanne Rowland realized that in order to decorate the Lilies float nearby in a dazzling whirl of Joanna Legerski Aaron Skabelund Salt Lake Temple as they wished, artists color, seemingly borrowed from a Monet The authors of each article herein are solely needed to be sent away to study with canvas. These are paintings of religious responsible for their work. The views expressed the world’s best available teachers. The events but re-envisioned with a modern, are those of the individual authors and are not three pioneering artists sent to France in French spirit. necessarily those of The Church of Jesus Christ the summer of 1890 were John Hafen, For the next twenty years, these artists of Latter-day Saints or the sponsors and editors Lorus Pratt, and John B. Fairbanks, and and others who subsequently followed of this publication. they arrived in Paris on July 24, 1890—a (Lee Richards, Alma Wright, Mahonri holiday celebrated in their home state of 8 5 Young, and Louise Richards ) created The articles in this newsletter are copyright by Utah as Pioneer Day. murals, easel paintings, friezes, and their respective authors. In Paris, Hafen felt the burden keenly sculptures for the temple in Salt Lake to soak up a rich education and to do City as well as the temples of Hawaii, Al- For further information contact Kent Larsen at it quickly: “There is a Herculean task berta, and Arizona, and for local chapels 212-568-3909. before me which if I accomplish in so and tabernacles. Today, these are some 2 New York LDS Historian Spring 2003; Volume 6 Issue 1 of the most popular images in the visual tures of Joseph and Hyrum Smith by consciousness of the church. Mahonri Young, who studied at the Art Students League in New York and taught The Legacy of New York City in classes there intermittently from 1916 to 11 LDS Art and Sculpture — 1917- 1943; “The Handcart Monument” by Torlief Knaphus, a Norwegian sculptor 1964 who studied at the Art Students League As significant as the artist-missionaries’ upon his immigration to the United States work was, the next generation of LDS in 1906; three monuments by Avard Fair- painters contributed even more directly banks, an artistic child prodigy who was in the creation of a Mormon art. John awarded a scholarship to the Art Students Hafen and the other artist-missionaries League at the age of fourteen, including began teaching young painters in Utah. his “Monument to the Three Witness of At a certain point, however, Hafen en- the Book of Mormon” and monuments couraged those with talent to study in the depicting the restoration of the Aaronic East, even though the financial sacrifices Priesthood and required were extensive. Mahonri Young, the centennial for example, worked as a portrait artist at of the organiza- The Salt Lake Tribune for $5 a week for tion of the Relief four years until he could save the $400 Society which he required to study at the Art Students 9 are on display League in New York for a single year. in the Temple With the outbreak of war, the LDS Square Visitors student painters shifted their studies Center. Inside the from Paris to New York City. Here, they temple, there are rubbed shoulders with artists even more murals retouched closely associated with Modernism.