American Architect & Building News, Oct. 15, 1887, Grace Church, KCMO (1)
This print is an architectural drawing of Grace Church, a Catholic church designed by architectural firm James and James. This drawing was an entry for the 1887 design competition for the church, although the entry chosen was Frederick Elmer Hill's, an architect in the New York firm McKim, Mead & White, and exists in Kansas City on 13th St. Beneath the architect's names in the bottom right-hand corner features the Latin phrase "IN HOC SIGNO VINCES" which translates to "In this sign thou shalt conquer". A plan of the structure is included in the upper right-hand corner, completing an understanding of the building's layout as well as its outer appearance. The style is comprised of Renaissance elements with arched windows and a semi-continuous arcade around the base of the building lined by classical columns. Rough stone masonry seems to substantialize the building and its purpose, while pointed towers and cross spires elevate it. In this version of the print, the building has been painted with muted red, blue, and yellow, in watercolor, likely to give it dimension.