Question: Golden Spike Ceremony paintings [other than Thomas Hill's]
From: "Peter J. McClosky" pmcclosky@earthlink.net
I understand that there were (at least) 4 major paintings done of the Golden Spike Ceremony. I know one ... but [what about] the others?
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 5:36 AM
10 Comments:
We are not aware of other 19th century paintings other than the famous Thomas Hill painting, "The Last Spike."
There are a number of 20th century paintings depicting the golden spike ceremony.
"The Golden Spike Stamp ... May 10, 1944 ... is based on a mural by John Hafen in the Union Pacific Terminal, Salt Lake City. The mural was retouched by John McQuarrie, a Utah landscape artist, in 1944. It is well known that the flag and the smoke blow in opposite directions."
"There are two oil-on-canvas paintings at the north and south ends of the room by San Francisco artist John McQuarrie. ... The 'Driving of the Golden Spike' is depicted on the north wall commemorating the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and uniting the nation by rail. ... these magnificent artworks remain today. ... Source: Historic American Building Survey"
"One ceiling mural by San Francisco artist Harry Hopp depicts the driving of the Golden Spike north of Salt Lake City at 'Promontory ... ' signifying the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869."
There is a painting by Howard Fogg commissioned for the 1969 Centennial Celebration of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Another painting was used to illustrate Cecil B. DeMille's 1939 motion picture film "Union Pacific."
The Architect of the Capitol describes that the "corridors on the first floor of the U.S. Capitol's House wing are elaborately decorated with wall and ceiling murals ... designed by renowned artist Allyn Cox (1896-1982)"
EverGreene Painting Studios, Oil on Canvas, 1993-1994.
Acrylic on canvas mounted on ceiling.
Do you know of other paintings?
From: "Don Snoddy" DDsnoddy@cox.net
There are two paintings in the Union Pacific Museum Collection done at the time by the partner of C R Savage. Their images are not online.
—Don
Utah photographer Charles Roscoe Savage's (1832-1909) partner in 1869 was artist George Martin Ottinger (1833-1917).
From: "Don Snoddy" DDsnoddy@cox.net
I finally remembered that it was George Ottinger. Both are signed in the lower right by him, GMO.
—Don
From: johnsnyder@onetel.com
If I recall correctly, John McQuarrie was NOT a Utah artist, but someone will have to dig up my National Register nomination for the San Jose depot to glean the information. In fact, he was better known as a sculptor, and I believe did the Donner Memorial at Donner Lake (among other things).
—John Snyder
A number of websites state that John McQuarrie was a mural artist,
"The Palo Alto depot was refurbished and landscaped in 1982 as a regional transit center while preserving its art deco style. John McQuarrie painted the 26-foot by 6-foot mural on the south end of the waiting room. It is a montage of California history."
The National Park Service states that "The Palo Alto Southern Pacific Railroad Depot ... Waiting room and mural by John McQuarrie ... The interior of the building features a mural by John McQuarrie. Its central theme is Leland Stanford's dream of a University influenced by a pageant of transportation. The mural depicts facts and events of significance and influence historically expressed in the development of California."
THE RAILWAYS OF AMERICA: A study of postage stamps by A. M. GOODBODY, Published in Railway Philately, Volume 5 No. 4, September 1971 states that "The Golden Spike Stamp (S.G. 919; Sc. 922) - May 10, 1944 ... The scene portrayed here is ... based on a mural by John Hafen in the Union Pacific Terminal, Salt Lake City. The mural was retouched by John McQuarrie, a Utah landscape artist, in 1944. It is well known that the flag and the smoke blow in opposite directions."
The Boyer Company website states that "The Boyer Company acquired the Union Pacific Depot in December 1999 from the State of Utah ... The station’s interior is typical of railroad-related rooms of the time, waiting rooms, baggage rooms, ticket office and administrative offices. The most impressive room features a domed ceiling rising three stories above the central waiting room. This vast room is enriched with numerous decorative features. There are two oil-on-canvas paintings at the north and south ends of the room by San Francisco artist John McQuarrie. In the painting on the south wall, Brigham Young is depicted making his famous exclamation upon first sight of the Great Salt Lake Valley - “This is the Place”. The “Driving of the Golden Spike” is depicted on the north wall commemorating the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad and uniting the nation by rail. Beautiful stained glass windows on the west wall feature a series of various kinds of rail transportation. All of these magnificent artworks remain today. Source: Historic American Building Survey"
From "The Texas Jack Scout" XIV (2), 1999:
"Many of the early emigrant oxen-driven covered wagon trains to California passed through Emigrant Gap north of Lake Tahoe near Truckee, CA. The Donner Party was stranded there in October 1846 by early blizzards. Of that group of almost 90 men, women, and children who pitched camp there, only 48 survived the winter. Dr. Charles Warren Chapman, a Nevada City dentist, led a drive to erect at the Donner site a large bronze monument to the pioneer emigrants to California. This Pioneer Monument, the largest statue (18 tons) made at that time west of the Mississippi, was dedicated June 6, 1918. The sculptor was John McQuarrie of San Francisco. This commanding statue shows a pioneer and his family, hand shading his eyes, facing the mountain that needed to be passed, leading his wife and their baby, with an older child clinging to his boots."
From: "chris graves" caliron@cwnet.com
Subject: John McQuarrie
John McQuarrie, who died in November, 1944 in the City of San Francisco, was an artist as well as sculptor.
His mural, done in 1931, depicts 'breaking the ground', January 1863 at the SP Depot in Sacramento.
His sculpture of the raising of the Bear Flag at Sonoma, Cal. is a life size model of that action.
On another yet unanswered question, there used to be a brass plaque at the SP Depot, giving the names of all the participants in the mural. Does anyone know where that plaque is today? I have the original artist's palette for the mural, it was tossed when the work was done.
—G J Chris Graves, NewCastle, Cal.
From: "chris graves" caliron@cwnet.com
Subject: Re: John McQuarrie
His obit: John A. MacQuarrie (1871-1944) Sculptor, muralist. Born in San Francisco, CA. on June 12, 1871. MacQuarrie was a lifelong resident of San Francisco with a studio at 1370 Sutter St. He died in his native City on Nov. 24, 1944 and is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery. Works held: Golden Gate Park, McKinley statue; BearFlag Monument, Sonoma; Donner Lake Monument; Southern Pacific Terminals (murals). See the S F Chronicle of Nov 30, 1944 and SF Examiner Nov. 28, 1944 for complete obits.
Further, the 1939 Sacramento City Guidebook, published by the Bee:
"The present Southern Pacific railroad station, ..........The mural at the East end of the waiting room, THE FIRST TRANCONTINENTAL RAILROAD....was unveiled August 22, 1931. It was painted by J. McQuarrie (sic?) (I have seen it spelled McQuarrie and MacQuarrie) of San Francisco..........."
—gjg
McQuarrie also did twelve 10' angel statues that are in St. Brigid Church on the corner of Van Ness and Broadway in San Francisco. See the website: www.st-brigid.org. Click on the stained glass picture in upper right hand corner. It contains 100 pictures of windows, church interior and exterior and some of McQuarrie's statues.
McQuarrie also did the design for the hand woven carpet in the chapel at St. Patrick's seminary in Menlo Park.
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