AN ICONIC COLLEGE VIEW: "MIAMI UNIVERSITY" RUMMELL, RICHARD (1848-1924)
Miami University
Richard Rummell
Restrike engraving from the original plate (c.1913)
Printed on heavy woven paper and hand colored
Plate Size: 17 x 29 ¼
At the turn of the century, the accomplished landscape artist Richard Rummell (1848-1924) painted a panoramic bird’s-eye view watercolor of Miami University. In this selection of paintings of American colleges and universities, Rummell selected the twenty best colleges in the nation at the time of painting. His inclusion of these universities in his oeuvre indicates his immense respect for these institutions. From this watercolor, a copper-plate was engraved and a limited number of pulls (engravings) were distributed. Today, Arader Galleries owns the collection of copper plates used for engraving and watercoloring. Using the original process and 100 year old original plates, Arader is proudly re-striking and making the beautiful college view available for acquisition the same way it was 100 years ago.
Miami University, one of Ohio’s premier academic institutions, was founded in 1809. Its name pays homage to the native Miami tribe, which Miami University still holds a strong relationship with. After being given its charter by the Ohio State Legislature, Miami University would become the tenth oldest public university in the United States. Miami University would not host its first day of classes until 1824.
What is truly fascinating about this Rummell painting is that it shows a layout of Miami University that varies greatly from the current campus. Rummell is likely painting from the perspective of the intersection of S Campus Avenue and E High Street peering south and east. Any alum of Miami University would recognize McGuffey Hall to the far right. The first part of the building would be completed in 1909 with two other sections being added in later years.
Although it contrasts with the brick known today, Alumni Hall (then the Alumni Library) stands in the back. Rummell paints this spectacular building in all white colors, making this special structure radiate like a beacon of the Oxford campus. This fantastic structure was funded by Andrew Carnegie and was finished in 1910, only 3 years before the completion date of Rummell’s painting.
Beyond these two spectacular buildings, Rummell includes many structures that no longer stand or have been renamed at Miami University. Just to the center left, Old Main’s spectacular towers stand alongside this spectacular structure. Now known as Harrison Hall (for Miami University alum and 23rd president Benjamin Harrison), this building was built in many pieces throughout the nineteenth century. Ultimately, Harrison Hall would be rebuilt to resemble the original structure after inspections deemed the building unsafe in 1957. The new building would be finished by 1959, and it would be much smaller than the original Harrison Hall.
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