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John Singer Sargent's murals for the Boston Public Library were to be his 'American Sistine Chapel.' Instead the paintings touched off a nationwide controversy over their depiction of religious figures.

John Singer Sargent, whose mural series for the Boston Public Library, "Triumph of Religion," included "Synagogue" (bottom center), "Church" (bottom right), and "Frieze of the Prophets" (top).

By Scott-Martin Kosofsky

March 19, 2006

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EACH DAY, VISITORS to the third floor of the Boston Public Library's McKim Building pass by a series of allegorical murals. For some, they are a destination: The series, called ''Triumph of Religion,'' is the work of the famous portrait artist John Singer Sargent. But few library patrons, whether connoisseurs or passersby, are likely aware that, less than 100 years ... (Full article: 1684 words)