Wikipedia

Julian Abele

Julian Francis Abele (April 30, 1881Template:Spaced ndashApril 23, 1950) be a prominent black American architect, den chief designer insyd de offices of Horace Trumbauer. He contribute to de design of more dan 400 buildings, including de Widener Memorial Library at Harvard University (1912–15), Philadelphia's Central Library (1917–27),[1] ein de Philadelphia Museum of Art (1914–28).[2] He dey be de primary designer of de west campus of Duke University (1924–54).[3]

Julian Abele
human
Ein sex anaa gendermale Edit
Country wey e be citizenUnited States Edit
Name wey dem give amJulian Edit
Family nameAbele Edit
Ein date of birth30 April 1881 Edit
Place dem born amPhiladelphia Edit
Date wey edie23 April 1950 Edit
Place wey ediePhiladelphia Edit
Place wey dem bury amEden Cemetery Edit
SiblingElizabeth Rebecca Abele Cook Edit
Ein occupationarchitect Edit
EmployerHorace Trumbauer Edit
ResidencePhiladelphia, Paris Edit
Ethnic groupAfrican Americans Edit
Notable workCameron Indoor Stadium, Widener Library, Parkway Central Library, Philadelphia Museum of Art Edit
MovementBeaux-Arts Edit
Award e receiveFrederick Graff Prize, Arthur Spayd Brooke Memorial Prize Edit
Has works in the collectionPhiladelphia Museum of Art Edit
Copyright status as creatorcopyrights on works have expired Edit
Artist files atPhiladelphia Museum of Art Library and Archives Edit

bele's contributions to de Trumbauer firm were great, but de only building for wich he dey claim authorship during Trumbauer's lifetime be Duke University Chapel. Following Trumbauer's 1938 death, he dey co-head de architectural firm ein design additional buildings at Duke, including Allen Administrative Building den Cameron Indoor Stadium.[4]

Background

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Dem born Abele insyd Philadelphia to a prominent family. Ein maternal grandfather be Robert Jones, hu insyd de late 18th century dey found de city's Lombard Street Central Presbyterian Church. He san dey relate to Absalom Jones, hu establishe de African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas insyd 1794, de first Black church insyd Philadelphia.[4] Abele's son, Julian Francis Abele, Jr. be an architectural engineer den ein nephew, Julian Abele Cook, wey dey work as de Building Coordinator for Howard University.

Abele work insyd many media: watercolor, lithography, etching ein pencil, wood, iron, gold den silver. He design den constructe all of ein own furniture, even doing de petit point himself. While he know many historic styles, he seemed to love Louis XIV French most of all.

Education

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Presentation drawing (1918) for the Free Library of Philadelphia. Although unsigned, this appears to be drawn by Abele.

Abele attend de Quaker-run Institute for Colored Youth,[5] wich later becam Cheyney University, where he excel insyd mathematics ein dem choose am to deliver de commencement address.[6] Insyd 1898, he complete a two-year architectural drawing course at de Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art (PMSIA, now University of the Arts).

He be de first Black student wey dem admit for de Department of Architecture at de University of Pennsylvania.[6] Dis achievement be all de more noteworthy for de restrictions Black people face at de university, including not being able to live insyd dormitories anaa dine insyd de school's cafeteria.[citation needed] On projects wey dey assign to pairs of students, he partner plus Louis Magaziner, de only Jewish student insyd de department, hu san dey face discrimination.[7] Dis be de beginning of a lifelong friendship between de two.

He win a 1901 student competition to design a Beaux Arts pedestrian gateway. Ein submission be insyd de form of an exedra – a curve bench flank by piers, but plus steps passing through its center. Dis becam ein first commission wen e dey build for de campus of Haverford College.[8] De Edward B. Conklin Memorial Gate stands at de Railroad Avenue entrance to de college.[9] He be widely dey respect among ein peers, earning de nickname "Willing ein Able",[4] den san win student awards for ein designs for a post office den a museum of botany, ein dem dey elect am as de president of de university's Architectural Society.[10]

He becam de University of Pennsylvania architecture department's first Black graduate insyd 1902. He work part-time for a local architect den attend evening classes at de Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Under de financial sponsorship of Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, he travel through France ein Italy, an experience dat be to influence ein design work throughout ein life.

École des Beaux-Arts

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Between 1903 ein his hiring by Horace Trumbauer insyd 1906, Abele travel throughout Europe.[11] Ein descendants contend dat he study at de École des Beaux-Arts insyd Paris during ein stay.[12] But Sandra L. Tatman, co-author of The Biographical Dictionary of Philadelphia Architects, 1700-1930, could find no record of ein having been enroll at de École.[13] She allows dat he may have been permitted to informally sit insyd de school's atelier. She san notes dat Abele dey list travel to France, Italy, England, Germany, Switzerland, den Spain on ein membership application to de American Institute of Architects (AIA), but not to study at de École des Beaux-Arts.

Career

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Preliminary study for the Philadelphia Museum of Art (1916), possibly drawn by Abele

Immediately after ein graduation from de University of Pennsylvania insyd 1902, Abele travel west to Spokane, Washington, where he design a house for ein sister, Elizabeth Abele Cook, before returning east.[14] Insyd 1906, Abele join de Trumbauer firm as assistant to chief designer Frank Seeburger.[10] Wen Seeburger leave de firm insyd 1909, Abele advance to chief designer.[10] Abele's stature within de firm be no secret; he be de second-highest employee wey dem pay. He be an architect.

Art historian David B. Brownlee study de 14-year effort to design ein build de Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1914-28. He credits Trumbauer architect Howell Lewis Shay plus de building's plan den massing, but notes dat de final perspective drawings dey insyd Abele's distinctive hand.[15] Design of de exterior terracing, including de front steps celebrate insyd de 1976 film Rocky, be credit to Abele.

Abele san be de architect for Eisenlohr Hall, wich functions as de official home of de president of de University of Pennsylvania on de Penn campus.[16]

Following Trumbauer's death insyd 1938, de firm continue until 1950 under de name "Office of Horace Trumbauer," co-head by Abele ein William O. Frank. Commissions were hard to cam by during The Depression den World War II, but de firm complete Duke Indoor Stadium at Duke University insyd 1940, wich be rename Cameron Indoor Stadium insyd 1972, den later make additions to Duke's Library (1948) ein design Duke's Allen Administrative Building (1954).

Wen Abele join de American Institute of Architects insyd 1942, Philadelphia Museum of Art director Fiske Kimball call him "one of de most sensitive designers insyd America".[10] Smithsonian Magazine describe him, insyd a career retrospective, as "probably de most accomplishe [Black architect] of ein era."[4]

Despite being de primary designer of Duke University, dem refuse to give Abele accommodations at a Durham hotel during a visit to campus.[7] Although e be not until 1988 dat a portrait of him be display at de University, de main quad at Duke University be now officially dey name Abele Quad plus a dedication plaque prominently place at de busiest spot on campus.[17]

Personal life

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Insyd 1925, at de age of 44, he marry Marguerite Bulle, a French pianist 20 years ein junior. Dem dey get three children: Julian Abele, Jr., Marguerite Marie Abele (die young), den Nadia Boulanger Abele. Marguerite leave him insyd 1936, to becam de common-law wife of opera singer Jozef Kowalewski, plus whom she had three additional children.[4] Because Abele never take action to divorce ein wife, de Kowalewski children share insyd ein estate.[18]

He die from a heart attack insyd 1950, insyd Philadelphia[19] den be interred at Eden Cemetery insyd Collingdale, Pennsylvania.[20]

Legacy

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  • De Allen Administration Building at Duke University, wich he dey design, be complete after ein death insyd 1950.
  • Insyd 1988, Duke University honor Abele plus ein portrait dat be display insyd de main lobby of de Allen Building. E be de first portrait of an African-American to be display on de campus.[19] To prominently acknowledge ein contribution to Duke University's West Campus, de main quad at Duke be now officially name Abele Quad plus a dedication plaque prominently place at de very center of west campus.[17]
  • For August 17, 2012, construction begin on Julian Abele Park, at 22nd & Carpenter Streets insyd Philadelphia.[21][22]
  • Architectural historian Dreck Spurlock Wilson be preparing de first biography of Abele.[23]
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See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Digital Collections: History".
  2. ↑ "Julian F. Abele (1881-1950) •". 29 January 2007.
  3. ↑ "Julian Abele, Architect". Library.duke.edu. May 26, 2010. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Out of the Shadows".
  5. ↑ d "75th Anniversary - Julian Abele". Libwww.freelibrary.org. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Webster, Josephine Faulkner. "Julian Francis Abele (1881-1950)." In Wilson, Dreck Spurlock (ed.), African-American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945, 2004, pp. 1–3. Taylor & Francis.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Henry Magaziner, son of Abele's U. of P. classmate and friend Louis Magaziner, in a 1989 interview. Quoted in Susan E. Tifft, "Out of the Shadows," Smithsonian Magazine, February 2005.
  8. ↑ "Gate on Haverford College Campus Linked to Black Architectural Pioneer Julian Abele," Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, January 26, 2016.
  9. ↑ Conklin Memorial Gate, from Google Earth.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Meet the Black Architect Who Designed Duke University 37 Years Before He Could Have Attended It - Curbed". www.curbed.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-28.
  11. ↑ Gates, Henry Louis; Higginbotham, Evelyn Brooks (2004-04-29). African American Lives (in English). Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 9780195160246.
  12. ↑ "75th Anniversary - Julian Abele". Libwww.freelibrary.org. Retrieved 2013-07-04.
  13. ↑ Biography: Abele, Julian Francis (1881 – 1950), from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings.
  14. ↑ "Abele, Julian Francis (1881 - 1950) -- Philadelphia Architects and Buildings".
  15. ↑ David B. Brownlee, Making a Modern Classic: The Architecture of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1997), pp. 60–61, 72–73.
  16. ↑ Burrell, Janelle (2024-02-14). "Julian Abele, the Black architect behind Philadelphia's art museum - CBS Philadelphia". www.cbsnews.com (in American English). Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Duke Names Quad in Honor of Julian Abele".
  18. ↑ Cf. Tifft 2005
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 William E. King (2009). "North Carolina Architects & Builders: Abele, Julian Francis (1881-1950)". North Carolina State University Libraries.
  20. ↑ Romero, Melissa (26 September 2017). "Octavius Catto and the forgotten African-American heroes that lie in Eden Cemetery". www.philly.curbed.com. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  21. ↑ Friends of Julian Abele Park Website
  22. ↑ "Julian Abele Park Ribbon Cutting", March 24, 2009.
  23. ↑ Kristin E. Holmes, "Haverford gate a portal to architect Abele's legend," The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 6, 2016.
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