Scarab Club
Scarab Club | |
Location | 217 Farnsworth Street Detroit, Michigan |
---|---|
Coordinates | 42°21′35.46″N 83°3′46.15″W / 42.3598500°N 83.0628194°W |
Built | 1928 |
Architect | Lancelot Sukert |
Architectural style | Arts and Crafts |
NRHP reference No. | 79001176[1][2] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | November 20, 1979 |
Designated MSHS | July 26, 1974[3] |
The Scarab Club (commonly referred to as Historic Scarab Club of Detroit) is an artists' club, gallery, and studio in the
The early years
The Scarab Club was formed in 1907. It began as an informal association named the Hopkin Club after the founder, marine painter Robert Hopkin.[4] The members met regularly to talk art, eat dinner, and critique paintings. The club's vision since inception was
"to promote the mutual acquaintance of art lovers and art workers; to stimulate and guide toward practical expression the artistic sense of the people of Detroit; to advance the knowledge and love of the fine arts in every possible manner; and to maintain a clubhouse for entertainment and social purposes as well as to provide working and exhibit facilities for artist members."
Renamed the "Scarab Club" in
, and John Sinclair appear on the beams.American artist, inventor, and automobile pioneer George Schuyler Hodges, of Pontiac, Michigan, was a charter member of the club.[6]
The club's themed costumed balls, held from 1917 to 1950,[
For many years The Book Club of Detroit held its regular meetings at the Scarab Club.[7]
The annual Exhibition of Michigan Artists at the Detroit Institute of Arts was originated by the Scarab Club in 1911.[citation needed] In 1915 the Scarab Club Prize became the top award and in 1917 the first Scarab Club Gold Medal was awarded.[citation needed] The gold medal is still the club's most prestigious award, given each December at the Gold Medal Exhibition and Dinner.
The building
The clubhouse was built in 1928 in the Arts and Crafts style by architect and member Lancelot Sukert. The exterior mosaic tiles, which appeared in 1928 renderings, were not completed until the 1980s, when they were finished by W.P.A. muralist and member Edgar Yaeger, who was a junior member of the club in 1928. The ceramic scarab embedded over the front entrance was designed by sculptor Horace Colby and fired at Pewabic Pottery.
The original paneled wood entry in the front hints at intrigue inside, while a brick-walled courtyard in the rear of the building conjures up more pastoral images, with its exquisite flower gardens, fountain and statuary. The club contains several galleries and lounges, as well as six working artist studios. The second floor lounge is unique for its massive ceiling beams painted by members in 1928 and signed by more than 230 artists since, including
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ http://www.scarabclub.com/history [dead link]
- ^ a b "Scarab Club". Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
- ^ Reed, Patricia; Renner, Christine; & Crane, Michael E. The Scarab Club. Arcadia Publishing (2006), p. 9.
- ^ Eckert, Kathryn Bishop. The Campus Guide: Cranbrook. New York: Princeton Architectural Press (2001), p. 172.
- ^ "G.S. Hodges Dies at 89; Artist and Inventor". The Detroit Free Press. April 14, 1953. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
- ProQuest 404354578.
Further reading
- Hill, Eric J. and John Gallagher (2002). AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-3120-3.