▁for ▁the ▁Century ▁Magazine ▁attract ed ▁wide ▁attention , ▁as ▁did ▁his ▁illustr ations ▁for ▁Sir ▁Ed win ▁Arnold ' s ▁Japon ica . ▁ ▁A ▁D augh ter ▁of ▁Japan , ▁drawn ▁by ▁Bl um ▁and ▁William ▁Jacob ▁Ba er , ▁was ▁the ▁cover ▁of ▁S cri b ner ' s ▁Magazine ▁for ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁pieces ▁of ▁color ▁printing ▁for ▁an ▁American ▁magazine . ▁His ▁Art ist ' s ▁Let ters ▁from ▁Japan ▁also ▁appeared ▁in ▁an ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁edition ▁of ▁S cri b ner ' s . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁adm ir er ▁of ▁Mar iano ▁Fort un y , ▁whose ▁methods ▁somewhat ▁influenced ▁his ▁work . ▁ ▁Bl um ' s ▁Ven et ian ▁pictures , ▁such ▁as ▁A ▁Bright ▁Day ▁at ▁Ven ice ▁( 1 8 8 2 ), ▁had ▁l ively ▁charm ▁and ▁beauty . ▁His ▁oil ▁painting ▁The ▁Ven et ian ▁B ead string ers ▁( 1 8 8 9 ) ▁was ▁a ▁popular ▁work , ▁which , ▁when ▁shown ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Academy ▁of ▁Design , ▁resulted ▁in ▁him ▁being ▁elected ▁an ▁Associ ate . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁he ▁exhib ited ▁The ▁A me ya ▁at ▁the ▁Academy ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁full ▁member ▁based ▁on ▁that ▁canvas . ▁ ▁Bl um ' s ▁chief ▁patron , ▁Alfred ▁Cor ning ▁Clark , ▁he ir ▁to ▁the ▁S inger ▁S ew ing ▁Machine ▁fortune , ▁commission ed ▁tw in ▁can