Issue 60, Spring 2001

The cover of “Alabama Heritage” magazine features an oval-shaped artwork framed in ornate gold. The background is a solid dark blue. Let’s break it down further: Title: At the top, in white capital letters, the title reads “ALABAMA HERITAGE.” Artwork: Centrally placed, the artwork depicts four adults and a baby. They appear to be indoors, with architectural elements and foliage visible in the background. One individual seems to be handing over the baby to another person. Their attire suggests a historical or biblical context. Additional Text: Below the artwork, smaller white text states that the magazine is “PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM.”

Issue 60, Spring 2001

On the cover:  Madonna and Child with St. John and Three Angels, ca. 1500, by Sebastiano Mainardi, Italy, tempera on panel, Kress Collection of Renaissance Art, Birmingham Museum of Art. [Courtesy Birmingham Museum of Art]

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Features

The image features a black vase adorned with intricate white engravings. Here are the specifics: The vase has a wide body, a narrow neck, and a flared opening. Two handles are elegantly attached to the upper part of the vase. The white engravings create a striking contrast against the black background. Three finely crafted human figures are depicted on the vase, each in different poses. Surrounding the figures are delicate floral elements, adding to the overall complexity of the design. The aesthetic evokes classical artistry, exuding elegance and sophistication.
Slate Blue Portland Vase Copy, ca. 1791, Dwight and Lucille Beeson Wedgwood Collection. The finest collection of Wedgwood in the United States, the Beeson Collection comprises over fourteen hundred pieces, including pieces from the dinner service of Catherine the Great of Russia. [Birmingham Museum of Art]

The Birmingham Museum of Art: A Civilizing Spirit

By Vicki Ingham

How does a rough-and-tumble mercantile town polish off its edges and get a little refinement? If you’re Birmingham, Alabama in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, you cultivate a nascent appreciation of the arts and open yourself a museum, with the help of what one writer erroneously termed a “group of little old ladies.” In the Spring 2001 issue of Alabama Heritage, Vicki Ingham tells the story of the formation of the Birmingham Art Club (later the Birmingham Art Association), which consisted largely of a group of energetic and highly cultured Birmingham women, all of them former art students themselves, who ushered in an appreciation for the fine and decorative arts in the so-called Magic City. Later, these very same women were the catalysts for the development and construction of a new museum. Now, celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, the Birmingham Museum of Art enjoys a reputation as one of the finest regional museums in the country.

“Place,” an excerpt from Alabama Architecture: Looking at Building and Place

By Alice Bowsher

What makes a strip mall different from a farmer’s market? Why is the dining experience at a fast food restaurant so different from that at a tucked-away neighborhood bistro? Alice Bowsher knows, and she wrote a book about it. Alabama Heritage’s Spring 2001 edition excerpts from Bowsher’s new book, Alabama Architecture: Looking at Building and Place, in which she delves into the notion of “place” and how it shapes our experiences of our surroundings. Published by the University of Alabama Press in cooperation with the Alabama Architectural Foundation, Alabama Architecture features one hundred Alabama sites, both grand and modest, from all regions of the state, dating from the antebellum period to the present day.

The focal point of the image is an elaborate fountain with multiple tiers and a statue on top. The water in the fountain is a bright blue, contrasting with the dark color of the structure. A decorative wrought iron fence surrounds the fountain, adding to its elegance. Behind the fountain, there are buildings that appear to be commercial or residential structures. These buildings vary in color and architectural design, creating an interesting backdrop. The scene suggests an urban environment. The sky appears overcast, casting soft lighting over the entire scene. It’s a captivating blend of artistry and city life.
Court Square, Montgomery [M. Lewis Kennedy, Jr.]
The photograph depicts an individual seated in an ornate, dark-colored chair. The person is engrossed in reading a large book or document. Their face is intentionally obscured, perhaps for privacy or ethical reasons. The individual is dressed in formal attire, suggesting that the photo might be from an earlier era. The setting appears to be a well-furnished room. Behind the chair, two framed artworks hang on the textured wall. A small table beside the chair holds a lamp with a decorative shade and other unidentifiable items. The overall ambiance of the image has an antique quality, conveyed through both its content and monochromatic color scheme.
Clarence Cason [Jane Simpson]

Clarence Cason’s Shade: A Look at Alabama Then and Now

By Bailey Thomson

Clarence Cason was described in the Montgomery Advertiser as one of the “most brilliant and engaging thinkers in Alabama.” Returning to the University of Alabama as a journalism professor in 1928, only eleven years after his graduation, Cason had already distinguished himself as a highly respected reporter and essayist, widely publishing his works in leading national journals. As a writer, Cason often concerned himself with his Alabama home, questioning the South’s stubborn traditionalism while trying to defend its distinctiveness. Cason culminated these thoughts in 1935, in a book of essays titled 90° in the Shade. But in this book that should have been his crowning achievement, Cason found his deepest fears, notes Bailey Thomson in the Spring 2001 issue of Alabama Heritage.

Clarabelle: The Montgomery Advertiser’s “Felonious Feline”

By Aileen Kilgore Henderson

Even Grover Cleveland Hall, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor of the Montgomery Advertiser from 1926-1941, didn’t know the scroungy piebald cat that appeared at the Advertiser’s offices in January 1938 would soon become the most talked-about female in Montgomery. Named Clarabelle, this “felonious feline” captivated the newspaper staff and the public as well. From the moment she sashayed onto the Advertiser’s editorial page she “ran away with the show,” as Hall himself admitted. Aileen Kilgore Henderson traces the history of Clarabelle at the Montgomery Advertiser, from her arrival in the offices to her death in 1940.

The artwork features a meticulously drawn calico cat. Here are the specifics: The cat is seated, its body slightly turned to the side. Its predominantly white fur serves as the base color, adorned with patches of vibrant orange and black. The eyes are captivating—yellow and intricately detailed. The artist skillfully uses fine lines to create texture in the fur, lending a realistic touch. In the background, there appear to be faint text or lines, though they remain indistinct.
Clarabelle walked into Grover C. Hall’s office in January 1938 and made herself at home. Over the next two years she became a fixture of the newspaper, with Hall using the editorial page to relay her activities and report her opinions on the news of the day. [Drawing by Robin McDonald]

Departments

Nature Journal

Neither Spanish Nor Moss

By L. J. Davenport

Spanish moss is beset by misinformation: it is not Spanish, nor is it a moss, nor is it a parasite. L.J. Davenport examines the history of this misunderstood and misnamed plant.

Plant Description: The image showcases a close-up view of a small green plant with three leaves. These leaves emerge amidst a tangle of thin, white, and fuzzy stems or roots. The background is dark, which makes the green leaves and white structures stand out prominently. Key Features: The main focus is on the small green plant with its three bright green leaves, which appear healthy and vibrant. Surrounding the plant are numerous thin, white, fuzzy stems or roots. These structures are tangled and intertwined. The white stems have a soft texture and contrast against the dark background. Overall, the image conveys a sense of growth and emergence as the green plant stands out amidst the tangle of white structures.
Tiny yellow-green flowers reveal the bromeliad affinity of Spanish moss [L.J. Davenport]
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