Class of 1920
Jean Mannheim
b. Kreuznach, Germany, 1862
d. Pasadena, 1945
On the Road to San Gabriel, c. 1920
Oil on canvas
48 x 36 inches
Conservation funded by the Historical Collections Council of California
Jean Mannheim built a craftsman studio-home on the Arroyo Seco in 1908, soon after he had returned from London, where he had taught at the Brangwyn School of Art, dedicated to training in the Arts and Crafts. On the Road to San Gabriel depicts a quiet country road winding through a eucalyptus allée. Mannheim contrasts the soft abstract treatment of the sunlight and shadow with the painterly texture of the trees’ peeling trunks and jumbled masses of bright green and blue leaves. In the far distance is the atmospheric purple of the San Gabriel Mountains. Wild yet accessible, this rugged area north of Mannheim’s home was a favorite painting spot for artists.
GIFTED: Collecting the Art of California at Gardena High School, 1919-1956 is organized by the GHS Art Collection, Inc, in association with the Gardena High School Student Body and curated by Susan M. Anderson.
