Oyen Watercolor Interior Design Elements, (Signed)

"The Oyen Collection is a group of designs done by artists and workmen employed by Odin J. Oyen in his decorating business. Ranging from preliminary drawings to finished watercolors, these designs show each of the steps from idea to final painting. Because the Oyen firm decorated almost every possible type of building, these designs give the present viewer a better understanding of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Subject matter and style of execution vary through time and partially depend upon their intended use. The Oyen firm clearly suited the subject of the paintings to the use of the building.” – Dr. Leslie F. Crocker in “A Catalog of the Oyen Collection,” 1979.
La Crosse, Wisconsin, resident, Nicolas J. Passe, acquired over 100 individual original watercolor designs created by Odin J. Oyen, Leighton Oyen, or the Oyen interior design firm. Passe noted the intellectual and historical significance of these works and offered Murphy Library the opportunity to digitize the items and make them available in the Digital Collections. Murphy Library's Digital Collection Unit incorporated four digital capture techniques to produce these images at resolutions that enable users to view design details. Murphy Library thanks Nicholas Passe for his willingness to allow these items to be digitized and for his appreciation of their significance.