Painting Religion in Public: John Singer Sargent's Triumph of Religion at the Boston Public Library

Abstract

Remarkably, the Boston Public Library houses not one, but thrce, outstanding examples of late nineteenth-early twentieth-century muralism in the United States: Muses of Inspiration Acclaim Genius, Messenger of Enlightenment by the French muralist Pierre-Cecile Puvis de Chavannes (1895), Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail Edwin Austin Abbey (1895/1901), and Triumph of Religion by John Singer Sargent (1919). Such a constellation of talent with its seemingly quixotic mixture of French, English and American elements, points to a sophisticated level of patronage among the city fathers and the library principals. As the Erst o[ the three murals that one encounters after ascending the grand staircase to the second floor landing, Muses of Inspiration holds pride of place within the architectural space. The Holy Grail sequence lines the walls of the Tudor-like Book Delivery Room, acljacent to the principal working area for the public, in the heart of the original building. Upstairs, on the third level just above the Muses of Inspiration.