In his Fleur-de-Lys Studio

I continue to be fascinated by images of my grandfather's studio for several reasons. First and foremost, I am interested because they are moments in time in his studio. And if that were not enough, the studio itself, is so interesting!















My grandfather's studio was in the Fluer-de-Lys building on Thomas Street in Providence. I'm not sure when he began a studio there (later I'll check with the Providence Art Club) but in this pile of papers I am going through there are photos of him in the studio that date back to around 1930 (so at least as early as that), and I know he maintained the studio until his death in 1960.

The Fleur-de-Lys Studios, is a brick and wood tudor revival building with a stucco face and two especially interesting windows described in the NHL papers as looking like "loosely angled folding-screens". It is  located at 7 Thomas Street on College Hill in Providence. Built in 1885, it was collaboratively designed by artist Sydney Burleigh and architect Edmund Willson. Now, and for quite some time actually, it has been owned by the Providence Art Club. It became a National Historic Landmark in 1992. The NHL nomination papers state, "The Fleur-de-Lys Studios is a key architectural monument to the American Arts and Crafts Movement. It is significant in the history of the movement itself and in the history of American architecture." Here is an image by Daniel Case (who grants permission to reproduce and share this image via Creative Commons).