ARCHITECTURE
THE PALACE
An example of Zorthian’s distinctive artistic architectural repurposing. This building was made of redwood from a demolished Craftsman home, and discarded telephone poles. The steps were made out of old railroad ties, and windows donated from a train were decorated by telephone insulators.
MAIN HOUSE
Handmade stone entrance and wall
MAIN HOUSE
Side wall
POOL WALL OF ART
Jirayr Zorthian created this work of wall art, when the county insisted he needed a safety wall around the pool. Each shelf contains humorous toys and fun things to discover.
Stairs leading to the courtyard
Stairs leading to the courtyard
Stairway to the pool
This beautifully colorful open-door structure was built to house a shower and toilet – with an inspiring view. The adjoining stacked tire rims became more lustrous with age.
9ft handmade door with repurposed telephone insulators for decortation (burned in the fire)
Open air art gallery
Brick courtyard
Western art gallery
MAIN HOUSE
Designed by Breo Freeman (1933) Materials: Wood Frame with veneer of brick coated in a glaze
GREEN HOUSE
Built in 1943 Architect: Max Lewis
Early Mid-Century Modern
PIG HOUSE
GREEN HOUSE
Interior decor
GEODESCIC DOME
WOOD WALL ART
WOOD WALL ART (closeup)
WESTERN BUILDING
Colorful handmade wall. Zorthian saw Art everywhere
JIRAYR'S ART STUDIO
MAIN HOUSE
Front door by D. Paul
Chronological History of Early Works: Jirayr Zorthian
(Burned in Eaton Fire)
Jiyayr Zorthian was born in Kütahya, Turkey. His father, a prominent writer and intellectual, was arrested and scheduled for execution during the Armenian Genocide. Managing to escape, the family fled to Italy. Jirayr had shown considerable artistic talent from an early age. The time spent in Italy was formative for the then nine-year-old, as his father also exposed him to great works of art in many cities of Europe. Immigrating to the U.S. in 1921, the family settled in New Haven, Connecticut. Zorthian’s art flourished throughout his teenage years, which led to a full scholarship at Yale School of Fine Arts.
THE SHIPWRECK was featured in the Feb. 12, 1940, issue of Life Magazine, in an article on the excellence of the Yale School of Fine Arts. After graduating with a BFA, Zorthian was granted a Winchester Fellowship to study abroad, traveling across Europe and North Africa for 18 months. Inspired by Renaissance artists Michelangelo and Da Vinci, he strove to be broadly artistic, studying painting, architecture, and sculpture during the rise of fascism in Italy, Germany, and Spain.
THE SHIPWRECK
Yale School of Fine Arts Senior Thesis Painting
While at Yale, Zorthian’s advisor, knowing the government was going to be hiring artists to paint murals for the eventual WPA project, chose Zorthian to create a mural study to exemplify his masterly painting skills. CORTEZ IN MEXICO was his submission.
CORTEZ IN MEXICO
Submission to WPA project:
After returning to America, Jirayr received national recognition, painting forty-two murals throughout the US prior to his enlistment in the US Army. The State of Tennessee bequeathed him the title of “Colonel” for eleven murals, which tell the story of Tennessee's early history. Painted in 1938, they are on display in the Governor's reception area at the Tennessee State Capitol.
In 1939, Zorthian was awarded a WPA contract for a superb mural study: Mohawk Valley: Early St. Johnsville Pioneers. Smithsonian Museum featured an article about the finished piece (below), which resides at the National Register of Historic Places, St. Johnsville, NY Post Office. Painted in the classic Italian fresco style, it includes three separate frontier scenes that tell the story of the pioneers' influence in the valley. The St. Johnsville Enterprise and News stated, Zorthian “ . . . has caught the spirit and atmosphere of the Mohawk Valley.”
1939 Zorthian was awarded a WPA contract from a superb submission mural study: Mohawk Valley: Early St. Johnsville Pioneers. Smithsonian Museum featured an article about the finished piece (below), which resides at the National Register of Historic Places, St. Johnsville, NY Post Office. Painted in classic Italian fresco style, it includes three separate frontier scenes, telling the story of the pioneer influence within the valley. The St. Johnsville Enterprise and News stated, Zorthian “ . . . has caught the spirit and atmosphere of the Mohawk Valley.”
Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training
After enlisting in the Army, Zorthian was assigned to Army Intelligence. He created propaganda posters, and painted a 157-foot-long mural entitled Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training. depicting the process of men in training (proceeding the formation of the CIA). Painting the work at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, it was hung at the Pentagon, but taken down at war's end and ultimately lost. At the present time, a black & white miniature mural, and small color piece are all that remain.
In 1940, Zorthian won first prize and a commission for a contest sponsored by the United Illuminating Company. He was especially proud that two of his former professors at Yale University entered the contest, which he won.
The STUDY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT represents the development of electricity, and four scientists who were pioneers in the discovery of power: Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, Count Volta, and Benjamin Franklin. Above the left arm of the central figure is Industry, below to the right is Medicine.
Study for "THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT”
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT represents the development of light: Fire is the beginning of illumination in the caveman period. A medieval castle is lighted by a torch. The man with a knife on the left is “the creeping figure in the shadow,” resulting from inadequate illumination of the streets. The allegorical figure in the center represents the Electric Light. Under her arm is Thomas Edison. A man in front is dazzled by her beauty and existence. The symbolic figure points to skyscrapers, advertising, movies and radio—all the results of Light. (12’x20’)