In 1912, Thomas G. Moses and his wife Ella stopped in Chattanooga on their way to Asheville, North Carolina. Moses was headed south on vacation to sketch and check in on some projects. In Chattanooga, he dropped off a panorama for the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s Association.
The painting was for a permanent display at the new Chattanooga Manufacturer’s Association. “The Chattanooga News” described his contribution on Jan. 1, 1913, in the article “Manufacturers Receiving in Their Commodious Home” (page 12). Of Moses’ artwork, the article reported, “The panorama of Chattanooga and the miniature replica of the Cincinnati Southern railway attracted the greatest interest upon the top floor, crowds of amazed spectators standing around these exhibits throughout the morning and afternoon.”
On New Year’s Day, 1913, more than 15,000 people visited the permanent exhibit of the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s Association, far exceeding the expectation of the exhibit committee. From 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., a steady stream of visitors poured into the building. The new home of the Chattanooga Manufacturers’ association home was a three-story building on Broad Street, where the products of various manufacturing plants of the city were permanently displayed.
Chattanooga had more than 300 manufacturing plants turning out 700 different products of common use by 1913 (“The Chattanooga News,” 12 March 1913, page 5). The annual value of manufactured exceeded $65,000,000. Today’s equivalent of that purchasing power is $1,685,791,414.14.
That fall “The Chattanooga News” included an article about Moses’ visit to Chattanooga, mentioning his panorama work and role in the Palette & Chisel Club (Nov. 5, 1913, page 2). Moses was 57 years old at the time, well-respected as a fine artist, and in his artistic prime. Here is the article in its entirety:
“ARTISTS MAY CAMP HERE NEXT SUMMER.
Thomas F. [sic.] Moses Has Interested Palette and Chisel Club of Chicago in Chattanooga –
The genius of Thomas G. Moses, the artists who painted the panorama of Chattanooga, now at the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s association exhibit building, is at present being officially recognized in Chicago by the Palette and Chisel Club there, one of the most exclusive art clubs in America.
Nov. 2 to 14, the paintings of Mr. Moses are on display at the club apartments. This opportunity is an honor afforded only to the most prominent members. Invitations have been sent out to the most able of America’s painters. In the invitation the Palette and Chisel club says of this artist:
‘There is not one of our members of whom we are more proud. There is probably not another painter in Chicago who has sought out and painted so many of the beauty spots of our own country. From a thousand sketches and paintings sixty have been selected, and are hung in our club to give our members and their friends an opportunity of seeing a representative collection of the works of Thomas G. Moses.
It is customary for sketching parties of the Palette and Chisel Club to make excursions to locations of exceptional beauty over the continent of America. When in Chattanooga to deliver his painting of this city to the Manufacturer’s association Mr. Moses expressed his admiration for the scenic beauty of this section and stated that he hoped to bring a party of artists from Chicago art circles to establish a summer painting camp in this locality.”
To be continued…
