Blashfield, Edwin Howland, 1848-1936

Born in New York City in 1848, Edwin Howland Blashfield became an artist who specialized in mural painting and advocated for public art. In 1867 Blashfield traveled to Paris where he studied with the figure painter Léon Bonnât. Blashfield's works were exhibited at the Paris Salon during 1875-1879, 1888-1889, and 1892-1893. On July 5, 1881, Blashfield married in Paris Evangeline Wilbour, and soon after took up permanent residence in New York City. He and his wife collaborated on many illustrated articles for magazines. In 1892 Blashfield received a commission to create a painting for the dome of the Manufacturer's and Liberal Arts Building at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The resulting artwork, "The Arts of Metal Working," earned Blashfield national recognition. Blashfield went on to create murals for public buildings including the dome of the Library of Congress (1896) and the state capitols of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Blashfield also received many private commissions such as the New York residence of Collis P. Huntington and the Hotel Astoria. He remained active as an artist, and prepared several war posters during the first World War. Throughout his career, Blashfield remained dedicated to the promotion of public art. He was one of the founding members of New York City's Municipal Art Society in 1892. Blashfield achieved both popularity with the public and professional esteem among his peers. He served as president for many prestigious professional organizations including Society of American Artists (1895-1896), National Institute of Arts and Letters (1914-1916), and The National Academy of Design (1920-1926). In 1908 Blashfield was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Blashfield died at his summer home in South Dennis, Mass., 1936.

Mural painter. Having studied at P.A.F.A. and in Paris, Blashfield worked on: the Court House, Baltimore; Cleveland Federal Building; Citizens Bank, Cleveland; Hudson County Court House, Jersey City; Capitol, Masdison, Wis.; Essex County Court House, Newark; Appellate Court, N.Y.; C.C.N.Y.; Church of the Saviour, Phila.; Capitol, Pierre, S. Dak.; Bank of Pittsburgh; Capitol, St. Paul, Minn.; Library of Congress; Luzerne County Court House, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Mahoning County Court House, Youngstown, Ohio; St. Matthew's Church, Wash., D.C.; First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Public Lib., Detroit, M.I.T.; and the Episcopal Church, Chappaqua, N.Y.

Edwin H. Blashfield, painter and muralist, travelled extensively in Europe during the 1880s. He was married to Evangeline Wilbour, daughter of Egyptologist Charles Edwin Wilbour, and travelled in Egypt with the Wilbours.

Painter and muralist.