St. Louis Mercantile Library Summer Newsletter, 2026

Summer | 2026

News of the Mercantile Library

Coming to a Close on July 31: Frederick Oakes Sylvester and His Circle

The Mercantile Library has been thrilled to spend these past months sharing with our friends and members Casting a Long Shadow: Frederick Oakes Sylvester & His Circle. This special exhibition made its inaugural debut in October, 2025 as the first to be shown in the brand new Wallace H. Smith Gallery of Art. Since its opening, we have been pleased to provide scheduled and private tours to a variety of groups in and outside of the greater St. Louis region. Perhaps the most notable tour request came in early April, when we were treated to a visit from none other than the direct descendants of Sylvester himself!

In early April, the exhibition welcomed the great, great-great, and great-great-great-grandchildren of Frederick

Oakes Sylvester. Three generations of descendants were present for a family reunion with the art of their famed forebear.

The Mercantile's own Emerita Curator of Fine Art Collections, Julie Dunn-Morton, returned to the W. H. Smith Gallery on June 12th to give a closing presentation, this time diving deeper into the artistic circle that surrounded Sylvester during and after his prominent career.

Emerita Curator of Fine Art Collections, Julie Dunn-Morton, gave a focused closing talk on Frederick Oakes Sylvester and the enduring influence he had among his artistic circle. Here, Julie draws technical comparisons between Sylvester's The Road to Notchcliff, 1911 (on screen, right) and the similar yet earlier work by Edmund Wuerpel, Road to Elsah, 1902 (on screen, left).

Docent-led tours of this exhibition are still available by appointment while it is open.
Submit a tour request form, or call 314-516-5920 to schedule a tour today!

Check out these cover stories from Town & Style about Sylvester & His Circle:

August 20, 2025

May 6, 2026

Frederick Oakes Sylvester & His Circle

Limited Edition Exhibition Catalogue, Hardcover

$40.00

($36.00 for Mercantile Members)

Copies are available for purchase at The Lantern Gift Shop on Level 2. You can also order over the phone by calling 314-516-7248. Order Form

Click the link below to see our good friend and longtime member, Robert Morrissey, give an inside look into the exhibition catalogue!

facebook.com/StLouisMercantileLibrary

We also have exhibition merchandise - perfect gifts for the art enthusiast!

Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America's Independence

The Mercantile Library staff want to wish everyone a very safe and happy Fourth of July, and a very special and reflective holiday at this auspicious time of the 250th Anniversary of American Independence!

We want this second half of the year to welcome our members, friends and indeed our entire community with special gallery displays on the American Revolution:

UNUM: The Level 3 Seifert Gallery will present a multimedia exhibition of a recent collection of fine printers who have each produced a new Declaration of Independence-related broadside in the UNUM project. The Mercantile is one of a select group of libraries which have received this collection across the nation. We hope you will have a chance to see it and meet the fine book artists via a continual digital slide show presentation. Also on exhibit in the Gallery’s center is an early, meticulously executed facsimile (from the Lakeside Press many decades ago) of the first printed broadside of the Declaration. The original Durand print of Trumbull’s Signing the Declaration, and an early mid-19th century print, “The Day We Celebrate” published in Philadelphia by Laing in 1888, flank the UNUM artists’ new efforts in commemorating this venerable document.

Marking the Calendar in the Magazines: The Medart Gallery on Level 3 across the Lobby Hall is decked out with colorful examples of mid-20th century magazine covers celebrating past July 4ths. Fortune, The Atlantic, Harpers, Readers’ Digest, and The New Yorker excelled in these visual treats, among many other periodicals, and are powerful memorials of this special American celebration. Famed artist like Addams, Steig and Thurber are represented.

A rare red mulberry ink early state on cotton cambric printed in Scotland by Colin Gillespie, the “Handkerchief Declaration” (1821), with scenes of the Boston Tea Party and Burgoyne’s Surrender. Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library.

Early Printings of the Declaration, A Selection: Displayed on the Freerks’ Staircase leading to the main level of the Mercantile Library are other early examples of the printing of the Declaration of Independence from the Mercantile collections. From the early 19th century, mostly due to American battle victories in the War of 1812, a huge patriotic nostalgia for the Nation’s founding history swept the young republic. Early Declaration printings displayed on the stairs are the Eleazar Huntington printing (1820-24); a rare red mulberry ink early state on cotton cambric printed in Scotland by Colin Gillespie, the “Handkerchief Declaration” (1821), with scenes of the Boston Tea Party and Burgoyne’s Surrender; the Benjamin Owen Tyler printing of 1818; and two from the Centennial era, one purportedly printed on the press which first printed the Declaration in 1876 (but really from another old press of the time) and another ornate version from 1876 printed under the auspices of the proud Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

July 4th in the Dailies, Weeklies, and the Gentleman’s Magazine: The Level 2 lobby is displaying not only July 4th related newspapers of St. Louis from the past—including a full sheet of Old Glory in the Post-Dispatch which a reader could remove for their window, but also national, illustrated newspapers and, facing the base of the stairs, Revolutionary War communiques published during the war years in Great Britain’s Gentleman’s Magazine, including one of the first, if not the first, international printing of the Declaration of Independence in its entirety for a mass English audience in the mother country.

Washington’s Life: The Kranzberg Display Case on Level 2 is focusing on Washington’s Life with the rare first Girardet printing after Leutze on Washington Crossing the Delaware, among other great, early images of the Father of His Country, as well as a franked letter from Washington communicating to his adjutant, Alexander Hamilton, at Valley Forge, and late in life, a full letter sending advice to a fellow gardener. A centerpiece of the Kranzberg case is one of the earliest Philadelphia newspaper printings (from the Ledger, July 13, 1776) of the Declaration, and the first printing of the US Constitution in a newspaper (Connecticut Courant, Oct. 1, 1787).

Revolution Mapping: In the Maffitt Bates Gallery on Level 1 will be displayed early maps and atlases related to the Revolutionary War, including the fabulously rare Atlantic Neptune by Des Barres, (a comprehensive British naval survey of the entire Atlantic and Gulf seaboard of American harbors of the time) and Capt. Phillip Pittman’s 1770 maps of our region across from the British outposts still overlooking the Mississippi at the outbreak of the Revolution.

Please reserve some time this summer and fall to visit the Mercantile and celebrate our shared heritage. Happy 250th Birthday, America!

Dr. Frances Levine to Present at the Next Mercantile Library Annual Meeting

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Frances Levine will be our guest speaker at the 180th Annual Meeting of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association. She will be discussing her latest book, Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe Trail, with an author Q&A after the presentation. Copies of her book will be available for purchase and signing after the meeting concludes.

About Dr. Levine: Frances Levine has had a distinguished career as a museum executive leader at both ends of the Santa Fe Trail. She was the Director of the Palace of the Governors/ New Mexico History Museum from 2002 until she moved to St. Louis in 2014. Dr. Levine was the President and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society and Missouri History Museum from spring 2014 until summer 2022. Dr. Levine served as the Interim Director of the Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum during its inaugural year from 2022 to 2023. She now works as an author and museum consultant. A native of Connecticut, Frances received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

Dr. Levine is the author, co-editor or contributor to several award-winning books. Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe Trail received the 2025 Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá award from the New Mexico Historical Society recognizing it as an outstanding contribution to the history of the American Southwest and Borderlands. She was the winner of the New Mexico Writers Book Award for History in 2025 as well. Dr. Levine received the 2026 Anne Morrow Lindbergh Literary Award in May 2026 for her historical research, writing and museum leadership.

About Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe Trail: Women from Anglo American, African American and Hispanic communities were always a part of the Santa Fe Trail, although their place in the historical literature of the trail sometimes reduced them to popular stereotypes. Through a selected survey of paintings, drawings, lithographs and sculptures, Levine will show how women of different cultures have been depicted in historical and contemporary art forms relating to the Santa Fe Trail. Do they help us understand the place of women in the history of the American West? Or do the images generalize and reduce the roles that women played on the trail and limit trail scholarship?

The St. Louis Mercantile Library Association Annual Meeting

Friday, July 1o | 1:30 PM CT

St. Louis Mercantile Library, Level 2 Smith Gallery Programming Room

Members may register to attend here.

If you are not a current member, you can learn more about the Mercantile's membership
levels and how to join by visiting umsl.edu/mercantile/membership-and-giving, or calling 314-516-7248.

New Additions to the Art Collection

Frederick Oakes Sylvester (1869–1915) was one of St. Louis's most celebrated landscape painters, known for his evocative depictions of the region's rivers, bluffs, and rolling countryside. Notch Cliff (1905) is a large rendering of one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Mississippi, captured with remarkable clarity and restraint. Viewed from an elevated vantage point, the limestone bluff rises above the broad river below, while expansive skies and soft clouds create a sense of atmosphere and distance. Sylvester's subtle palette of blues, greens, and earth tones emphasizes the quiet beauty of the scene rather than dramatic spectacle. The painting exemplifies the artist's lifelong dedication to recording the landscapes of Missouri and the surrounding Midwest. Through careful observation and confident brushwork, Sylvester transforms a familiar regional view into a timeless meditation on place, preserving a landscape that continues to define the character of the region. This important acquisition further strengthens the Mercantile Library's extensive collection of Sylvester's work and was made possible through the generosity of Rebekah Berkowitz and a group of donors who joined together to purchase the painting for the Library. In recognition of her distinguished career and lasting contributions to the institution, the work has been dedicated to Emerita Curator Dr. Julie Dunn-Morton, whose stewardship helped shape and expand the Mercantile's renowned art collections for over two decades.

Frederick Oakes Sylvester, Notch Cliff, 1905, oil on canvas, 36.75 x 30.75 in.
Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Art Museum

Francis H. Woolrych (1868–1941) studied at the Royal Academy of Berlin and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he met his wife and fellow artist, Bertha H. Woolrych. Following his years of study abroad, he settled in St. Louis and became an active participant in the city’s artistic community. Woolrych’s Seated Woman in a Black Dress demonstrates the elegance and economy of watercolor portraiture. The unidentified sitter is depicted with a poised, self-assured presence, her dark dress and dramatic hat standing in striking contrast to the softly rendered background. Woolrych uses fluid washes and selective detail to focus attention on the woman’s face and posture, creating a portrait that feels both refined and immediate. Rather than relying on elaborate surroundings, the artist allows the sitter’s expression and bearing to convey personality and character. The work reflects the enduring appeal of portraiture as a means of capturing individual identity while showcasing Woolrych’s sensitivity to light, form, and gesture. Its understated sophistication makes it a welcome addition to the Mercantile Library’s collection of regional art.

Francis H. Woolrych, Seated Woman in a Black Dress, n.d., watercolor, 17 x 21 in.
Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Art Museum

Virginia “Tito” Gay (1932-2024) earned a Master of Fine Arts from Washington University before honing her skills at the National Academy School of Fine Arts in New York. She established herself as a successful artist in St. Louis and taught painting at several institutions in the city. Her work entitled Joyful Girls radiates movement, energy, and delight. Depicting two young girls caught mid-motion, the composition is animated by sweeping gestures, flowing garments, and a vibrant interplay of pinks and purples. Gay skillfully captures the spontaneity of childhood, freezing a fleeting moment of play while preserving its sense of motion and exuberance. The simplified background focuses attention entirely on the figures, allowing viewers to appreciate the artist’s confident handling of color, form, and movement. The painting reflects her gift for portraying human connection and emotion with warmth and immediacy. Both lively and expressive, Joyful Girls exemplifies the artist’s ability to transform an everyday moment into a celebration of youthful spirit and shared happiness.

Virginia "Tito" Gay, Joyful Girls, n.d., oil on canvas, 24 x 24 in.
Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Art Museum

Robert E. Tindall (1913–1981) studied at the Kansas City Art Institute under Thomas Hart Benton and became an important Missouri painter and educator. Tindall’s Self Portrait with an Easel (1944) offers a thoughtful glimpse into the artist at work. Depicted in profile as he concentrates on a painting beyond the viewer’s sight, Tindall presents himself not simply as a subject but as an active creator. Executed in watercolor and gouache, the portrait demonstrates careful craftsmanship and a subtle command of color, particularly in the cool blues of the artist’s shirt and the soft tonal modeling of the face. By portraying himself at the easel, Tindall aligns his image with a long tradition of artists who have represented themselves in the act of creation, from Renaissance masters to modern painters. The composition emphasizes concentration and craftsmanship, drawing attention to the relationship between artist and canvas while offering insight into the professional identity of the painter. Created early in Tindall’s career, the work serves as both a personal statement and an affirmation of the enduring role of the artist in shaping and interpreting the world.

Robert E. Tindall, Self Portrait with an Easel, 1944, watercolor and gouache, 30 x 22.5 in.
Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Art Museum

Congratulations to the 2026 Bibliographical Society of America

and St. Louis Mercantile Library Research Fellowship Recipient, Christina Vortia!

We are pleased to announce that Christina Vortia has been named the 2026 BSA-St. Louis Mercantile Library Research Fellow. Ms. Vortia is currently the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center's Chief Librarian at Howard University. Her research project proposal, “This is Mine: Provenance, Black Bibliophiles, Bookplate Art and the Radical Claim of Cultural Ownership,” will investigate how African American bibliophiles use bookplates to stake claims over knowledge, history, and cultural space.

Bookplate for the Helen E. Nash Collection of African-Americana and Africana.

Special Collection of the St. Louis Mercantile Library

In her project proposal, Ms. Vortia argues that "Bookplates may be small, but they tell an epic story: one of resilience, creativity, and the radical act of claiming space in archival history."

The Mercantile Library is proud to support this project and eagerly looks forward to the bibliographical contributions resulting from Ms. Vortia's research.

See past recipients of the BSA-Mercantile Library Fellowship here.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Viewing Rail History Through the Camera’s Lens

Wallace H. Smith Gallery of Art, Level 2

March 2027

This exhibition will focus on the rich collection of photographic scenes that document 200 years of railroading in America. Many items will be on display from the Barriger Railroad Library's collections for the first time.

St. Louis Artists and the Figure

Wallace H. Smith Gallery of Art, Level 2

TBA, 2028

This focused exhibition will use selections from the Mercantile Library's art holdings to explore the many ways in which artists have depicted the human figure through drawings, prints, paintings, and sculpture. Many of the Art Collection's newest acquisitions will be included and shown here for the very first time.

New Hours of Operation