WOMAN IN ART
the history of a state, symbolizing now the great structure whose foundations she had before seen in the laying.
"It was in London in the autumn of 1912 that she began to work upon the theme for the paintings in the Senate series. At this time Balkan troubles disturbed Europe, and the first panel to be painted symbolized 'International Understanding and Unity' during a period when a Federation of the World was considered by the vast majority of mankind a wild and forlorn dream of visionaries.
"Epitomizing as it does—this decorative scheme—William Penn's dream of a world free from war, it is singularly apt at the present time, when the nations are seeking to find a way out of the labyrinth of strife into the realms of peace. Twenty years has it taken the artist to execute this colossal work, and some idea of its scope, thoroughness and artistic achievement can be got from a volume called 'Holy Experiment.' This magnificent book is written and illuminated by the artist with colortype reproductions from the mural decorations themselves. It has been translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Presentation copies have been made to two former Presidents of the United States, Mr. Taft, and Mr. Wilson, also a copy has been accepted by the League of Nations' Library, and the subscription list, geographically, represents eighteen American states, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Morocco."
The third great cycle of Violet Oakley's monumental murals began with a deal of preliminary study while she was in England in 1912. It was then laid aside until she completed the Senate Chamber paintings. She began again to do preliminary drawings in 1917, and the big canvases were started in 1921 and finished in 1927.
Not all her working time, however, was spent on that big subject, for she had a vast amount of portraiture and designing to accomplish as well. The completed decoration of the "Opening of the Book of the Law" is being placed in the Supreme Court Room of the Pennsylvania Capitol at this time (1927).
Could a more appropriate subject be found for that place? The artist, in sixteen panels, symbolizes the evolution of law beginning with "Divine Law," over the seats of the justices, the Alpha and Omega of the subject as well as of the series of murals. "The Spirit of the Law" is the two-fold one of Purification and Enlightenment, while at the right "The Scale of the Law" shows the divisions: Divine Law, Law of Nature, Revealed Law, Law of Reason, Common Law, Law of Nations and International Law.
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