The Life and Art of Arthur Frank Mathews
Born in Markesan, Wisconsin, Arthur Frank Mathews moved to San Francisco as a child. Having learned architecture from his father, Julius Mathews, he later studied painting at the California School of Design. His artistic journey took him to Paris, where he studied at the Académie Julian between 1885 and 1889. During his time in France, he was influenced by the academic classicism of Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre, the tonalism of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and the symbolism of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.
Mathews was an American Tonalist painter and a founder of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. He was a master of various media, including:
Legacy and Artistic Contributions
Alongside his wife, Lucia Kleinhans Mathews, he played a significant role in the evolution of Californian art. Together, they developed the California Decorative Style, designing interior decoration schemes, furniture, boxes, picture frames, and stained glass windows. His professional life included serving as the director of the California School of Design and teaching life classes at the San Francisco Art Students League.
His extensive mural commissions were located in several prominent sites, such as:
- The State Capitol Building in Sacramento
- The Oakland Public Library
- The Mechanics' Institute Library
- The Lane Medical Library at Stanford University
- The Supreme Court Chambers of the California Supreme Court Building
- The Court of Palms at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
His works are held in major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
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