Mosaic on Adelaide for Realneo Banner

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Sat, 01/26/2008 - 15:06.

This mosaic is one of the finest I have seen - and that includes mosaics I've seen in Italy, Greece, and elsewhere.  Below are the coffer panel details.

AttachmentSize
Mosaic-on-AdelaideP1160656.jpg216.76 KB
MacDonald-mosaic-arch-panel.jpg149.73 KB
( categories: )

Where??

  Adelaide?

Yes, where

I Googled Adelaide and mosaic and got this at REALNEO... so where is this, as it is spectacular...

Disrupt IT

The Concourse Building on Adelaide in Toronto



A 16 story art deco building in Toronto probably near where Jeff is wandering around with that camera. Great story, too. The building was designed by architects Baldwin and Greene and completed in 1928. B&G also designed The Victory in Toronto. The artists were J. E. H. MacDonald (James Edward Hervey MacDonald) and his son Thoreau. Here's a 1969 radio interview with Arthur Lismer who was MacDonald's colleague in the Group of Seven; more here (from the CBC). MacDonald's paintings and more. That the building is still standing for Jeff to photograph is a wonder; " J.E.H. MacDonald wrote that the Concourse demonstrated how architects and their clients were discovering colour and thereby expanding the possibilities of commercial structures: "There seems to be no reason why business and building should not be entertaining as well as efficient.""

SLUETH SUSAN

Hello Susan, 

Your research skills are pretty keen. 

 

Before posting the banner I tried doing a little googling to get info on the artist and couldn't hit anything.   I intended to go back to the building to get a more detailed lead.

 

Clearly, Susan, you would be the Easter Egg search partner to have….thanks for the back up on James Edward Hervey MacDonald’s mosaic!

signature was the lead

I googled J. E. H. M mosaic and came up with the Concourse Building.  Michael DeAloia has an interesting deco era post today as well on the Statler Hotel. There used to be one in Buffalo, but don't try to photograph it when you come though Buffalo. It was demolished. It's a sad tale, recounted here.