Free exhibit coming to Visitor Information Center

Historic City News readers will enjoy a free exhibit at the Visitor Information Center located at 10 West Castillo Drive in St Augustine from November 15, 2014, to January 12, 2015. The St. Augustine 450th Commemoration exhibition, which kicks off the anniversary year, focuses on comparing St. Augustine from then and now; a quest that has always intrigued visitors and residents.

The free exhibition is uniquely displayed in a then-and-now format with many of the early St. Augustine paintings accompanied by a current photograph of the exact location and perspective for visitors to explore how America’s first city has changed throughout the centuries.

“This is a must-see exhibition,” said Dana Ste. Claire, director of the St. Augustine 450th Commemoration. “It’s the perfect combination of historical paintings and present-day photographs with both types of work showcasing the vibrancy of our amazing city. It’s a natural prelude to our 450th anniversary year.”

Works include the paintings of Frank Henry Shapleigh, who wintered at Henry Flagler’s Ponce de Leon Hotel from 1886 to 1887 and was the hotel’s resident artist from 1889 to 1892. Other artists featured include William Staples Drown, John James Audubon, Anthony Thieme and George Seavey. The current-day photographs are by Stacey Sather of SGS Design & Art.

The paintings are on loan from Cici and J. Hyatt Brown, and the Museum of Arts & Sciences, Daytona Beach, Florida. The Browns have amassed one of the largest collections of Florida-based materials that includes 2,700 works. The collection focuses on subjects and styles produced in Florida by significant 19th and early 20th century artists who have created and contributed to the Florida School of Painting. Forty-five of those works are featured in “The First City through the Eyes of Masters” exhibition.

The exhibition also includes a walking tour brochure. The brochure provides a brief description, distance and exact standing location to view more than half of the paintings found in the exhibition. Tour stops include the Castillo de San Marcos, City Gate, Charlotte Street, Treasury Street and Plaza de la Constitución, among many others. The walking tour brochure is free and available at the exhibition.

For more information about the exhibition, visit www.StAugustine-450.com