Emperor Norton in the Artistic Taxonomy of Antonio Sotomayor

May 06, 2020 / John Lumea

The Emperor Norton mural in The Pied Piper, at the Palace Hotel, in San Francisco — painted by the city’s longtime “artist laureate,” Antonio Sotomayor (1904–1985) — is one of the best-known and -loved Emperor-themed works of art.

A newly discovered art-historical survey done for the San Francisco Arts Commission in 1953 offers an elusive date for the painting — and a new way of seeing it.

Includes rarely seen photographs.

3 Likes

categories / Research, Original sources, ARENA, Tributes, Legacy, Places
tags / art, mural, Antonio Sotomayor, Palace Hotel, Pied Piper, Happy Valley Room, San Francisco Arts Commission, Martin Snipper, Mark Twain, Bret Harte, The Great Unknown, Lotta Crabtree, Frederick Coombs, George Washington II, 1935, 1953

An Empire of the Heart

September 18, 2015 / John Lumea

A portion of remarks offered by Emperor's Bridge Campaign founder and president John Lumea at the Campaign's inaugural celebration of Empire Day in San Francisco's Redwood Park on 17 September 2015. The event was held to mark the 156th anniversary of Joshua Norton's declaration of himself as "Emperor of these United States" on 17 September 1859 and to welcome the 157th year of the Nortonian realm and reign.

1 Likes

categories / Events, Tributes, Places, Commentary
tags / Empire Day, Redwood Park, E Clampus Vitus, Discordianism, Cacophony Society, Emperor Norton's Hunch, Chuck Prophet, Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band, Palace Hotel, Tommy's Joynt, Comstock Saloon, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, Congregation Emanu-El, Home of Peace, Heirs of Norton, Anthony Guzzardo, Richard Clopton

The Emperor Norton Trust

Filtering by Tag: Palace Hotel

Emperor Norton in the Artistic Taxonomy of Antonio Sotomayor

An Empire of the Heart