the city of domes-第17节

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ccessfully　Mathews　has　chosen　his　colors。　These　deep　purples　help　to　bring　out　the　splendor　of　those　golden　tones。　This　canvas　is　unquestionably　one　of　the　best　of　all　the　murals。　It　shows　that　in　Mathews　San　Francisco　has　a　man　of　remarkable　talent；　one　of　the　great　mural　painters　of　the　country。〃

On　the　way　to　the　second　half…court　we　had　a　chance　to　see　the　South　Wall　at　close　range；　with　its　rich　ornamented　doorways；　its　little　niches　and　fountains　devised　to　make　it　varied　and　gay。　Those　little　elephant　heads　were　another　sign　of　Faville's　careful　attention　to　ornamental　detail。　And　the　coloring　gave　warmth　to　the　background；　contrasting　with　the　deep　green　of　the　planting。

At　the　Court　of　Flowers　we　met　Solon　Borglum's　〃Pioneer；　too　old　to　be　typical；　different　from　the　man　in　lusty　middle　age　or　in　youth　who　came　to　California　in　the　early　days。　But　it　justified　itself　by　suggesting　perhaps　the　greatest　of　the　pioneers　in　old　age；　one　who　had　grown　with　the　community；　the　poet；　Joaquin　Miller。　〃It's　Miller　sure　enough；〃　said　the　architect；　〃even　if　the　likeness　isn't　close。　But　why　those　military　trappings　on　the　horse？　Like　the　rest　of　the　pioneers；　Joaquin　was　a　man　of　peace。〃

The　Court　of　Flowers　we　thought　well　named；　both　for　its　planting；　McLaren　at　his　best；　and　for　its　Italian　Renaissance　decoration；　with　that　pretty　pergola　opening　out　on　the　scene；　Calder's　Oriental　〃Flower　Girl〃　decorating　the　spaces　between　the　arches。　And　those　lions　by　Albert　Laessle　were　a　fine　decorative　feature。　The　fountain；　〃Beauty　and　the　Beast；〃　by　Edgar　Walter；　of　San　Francisco；　was　one　of　the　most　original　and　decorative　pieces　of　sculpture　we　had　seen。　The　figure　of　the　girl　standing　on　the　coils　of　the　beast　was　remarkably　well　done　and　the　water　flowing　over　the　bowl；　with　the　pipes　of　Pan　glimpsed　underneath；　made　a　charming　picture。　There　was　a　whimsical　and　a　peculiarly　French　suggestion　in　the　use　of　the　decorative　hat　and　sandals　on　the　nude　figure。　In　detail　those　two　towers　at　the　end　were　slightly　different　from　the　other　two。　Like　the　others　they　served　as　a　decoration　of　the　wall；　breaking　the　long　lines。〃



XIII

Near　Festival　Hall



At　close　view　we　found　the　Festival　Hall　more　interesting　than　it　had　seemed　at　a　distance。　It　unquestionably　had　something　of　the　elegance　associated　with　the　best　French　architecture。　But；　unlike　most　of　the　buildings　here；　it　did　not　develop　out　of　a　central　idea。　Much　of　its　ornamentation　seemed　put　on　from　the　outside。

Of　all　the　domes　this　dome　impressed　us　as　being　the　least　interesting。　It　did　not　even　justify　itself　as　being　a　means　of　giving　abundant　light。　〃This　kind　of　architecture　doesn't　really　belong　in　this　country；　but　it　seems　to　be　making　its　way。　Observe　the　waste　of　space　involved。　However；　the　curving　arches　on　either　side　are　rather　charming。　And　the　architect　has　succeeded　in　putting　into　the　whole　structure　a　certain　amount　of　sentiment。　In　fact；　throughout　the　whole　Exposition　you　feel　that　the　architects　haven't　worked　merely　for　money　or　for　glory。　They　have　appreciated　the　chance　of　doing　something；　out　of　the　commonplace。〃

The　sculpture　by　Sherry　Fry　was　evidently　executed　with　the　idea　of　festivity　in　mind；　the　〃Bacchus〃　and　〃The　Reclining　Woman〃　and　two　〃Floras〃　decorated　with　flowers；　and　〃Little　Pan；〃　and　〃The　Torch…bearer〃　reproduced　above　each　of　the　smaller　domes。　But；　somehow；　those　figures　did　not　quite　indicate　the　real　character　of　the　building；　intended　for　concerts　and　lectures　and　conventions；　rather　serious　business。　The　coloring；　too；　of　the　statues；　was　disappointing；　the　dull　brown　being　out　of　key　with　the　light　green　of　the　domes。

〃In　the　smaller　concert　room　upstairs；　Recital　Hall；〃　said　the　architect；　〃there　is　some　very　fine　stained　glass；　two　windows；　and　on　the　landing　of　the　north　stairway　there's　a　third　window；　all　done　by　the　man　who　has　been　called　the　Burne…Jones　of　America；　Charles　J。　Connick；　of　Boston。　Instead　of　being　hidden　away　there；　they　ought　to　have　been　put　in　the　Fine　Arts　Building。　They　represent　something　new　in　the　way　of　stained　glass；　and　they　have　a　wonderful　depth　and　brilliancy。〃

As　we　drew　near　the　Avenue　of　Progress　we　saw　the　magnificent　doorway　of　the　Varied　Industries；　overladen　with　ornamentation。　〃It　was　clever　of　Faville　to　put　that　doorway　just　in　this　spot　where　it　would　be　seen　by　the　crowds　that　entered　by　Fillmore　Street。　It　comes　from　the　Santa　Cruz　Hospital；　in　Toledo；　Spain；　built　by　the　Spanish　architect；　De　Egas；　for　Cardinal　Mendoza；　one　of　the　most　famous　portals　in　Europe。　The　adaptation　has　been　wonderfully　done　by　Ralph　Stackpole；　with　those　figures　of　the　American　workman　carrying　a　pick　at　either　side　and　the　semicircular　panel　just　above　the　door　and　the　group　on　top。　That　panel　is　one　of　the　finest　pieces　of　sculpture　in　the　Exposition。　It　has　tenderness　and　reverence。　It's　the　kind　of　thing　the　mediaeval　sculptors　who　worked　on　religious　themes　would　have　been　enthusiastic　over。　See　how　simple　it　is；　just　a　group　of　workers；　with　the　emblems　of　their　work；　the　women　spinning　with　the　lamb　close　by；　the　artist　and　the　artisan；　and　the　woman　with　the　design　of　a　vessel's　prow　in　her　hands；　suggesting　commerce。　The　single　figure　in　the　center　is　the　intelligent　workman　who　works　with　his　hands　and　knows　how　to　work；　too。　The　group　on　top　is　a　very　pretty　conception；　the　Old　World　Handing　Its　Burden　to　the　Younger　World；　with　its　suggestions　of　the　European　people　coming　over　here　and　raising　American　children。〃



XIV

The　Palace　of　Machinery



On　reaching　the　Avenue　of　Progress　we　found　ourselves　at　the　gayest　corner　of　the　Exposition；　with　two　fine　vistas　of　the　two　avenues。　To　our　right　stood　the　massive　Palace　of　Machinery；　one　of　the　largest　buildings　in　the　world；　so　successfully　treated　by　the　architect　that　it　did　not　give　the　faintest　suggestion　of　being　cumbersome　or　monotonous。　〃It's　the　Baths　of　Caracalla　in　Rome；〃　said　the　architect；　〃adapted　by　a　master。　Those　three　gables　above　the　main　entrance　are　taken　directly　from　the　baths。　See　how　simple　the　ornamentation　is　and　yet　how　satisfying。　The　building　as　a　whole　is　a　perfect　example　of　old　Roman　architecture；　feeling　its　way　toward　the　big　architectural　principles　that　are　in　vogue　today；　among　others　the　economical　principle　involved　in　the　counteracting　of　thrusts。　If　the　Roman　Emperor　who　was　nicknamed　Caracalla　on　account　of　the　hooded　military　tunic　that　he　made　fashionable　in　his　day　hadn't　built　those　baths　we　should　probably　not　have　the　glorious　Pennsylvania　station　in　New　York；　that　some　of　the　architectural　authorities　consider　the　most　important　building　of　its　kind　built　in　this　country。　Although　the　work　here　is　all　concrete；　Clarence　Ward；　the　architect；　says　that　with　care；　it　could　last　hundreds　of　years。〃

Now　we　were　struck　by　those　vigorous…looking　figures；　by　Haig　Patigian；　that　stood　on　top　of　the　Sienna　columns　all　evidently　designed　to　express　the　power　of　machinery。　At　the　entrance　the　reliefs　of　the　columns　were　in　the　same　spirit　and；　as　one　might　have　surmised；　by　the　same　sculptor　working　out　the　meaning　of　the　buildings　in　designs　that　kept　the　contour　of　the　columns；　strong　and　well…modeled。

〃There's　distinctive　character　in　this　building；〃　said　the　architect。　〃It　actually　conveys　the　sense　of　tremendous　energy；　and　by　the　simplest　means。　And　inside；　Ward　has　done　something　new　and　interesting。〃

When　we　entered　we　found　the　supports　of　the　roof　left　bare。　Instead　of　being　unsightly；　they　had　a　kind　of　beauty　and　impressiveness。　〃Observe　the　magnificence　of　the　spaces　here　on　the　floor　and　up　to　the　ceiling。　Some　one　asked　Ward　if　all　this　height　were　necessary。　He　said　it　wasn't；　but　he　wanted　it　for　pictorial　effect；　to　carry　out　the　feeling　of　massiveness　and　splendor。〃

In　the　great　figures　that　stood　on　the　columns　in　front　of　the　Palace　of　Machinery　the　architect　found　a　theme　for　a　discourse　on　the　human　figure　as　the　chief　inspiration　of　art。　〃It　is　possible　that　we　shall　change　our　minds　on　that　subject；〃　he　remarked。　〃Already　the　world　is　showing　a　tendency　to　get　away　from　the　worship　of　the　body。　Ever　since　the　Christian　era；　of　course；　the　physical　has　been　deprecated。　We　may　come　to　see　that　the　body　is　useful　as　it　develops　and　serves　the　spiritual；　that　is；　as　it　subordinates　itself。　The　marvel　is　that　the　pagan　tradition　has　persisted　so　long　in　spite　of　the　Christian　influence。　This　Exposition　shows　how　strong　it　remains。〃

〃But　what　would　you　have　in　place　of　the　human　figure　as　the　inspiration　of　art？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　there　are　plenty　of　things　that　might　take　its　place。　Flower　themes　are　just　as　beautiful　in　decoration　as　the　shapes　of　men　and　women。　I　can　conceive　of　the　time　when　it　will　be　considered　uninteresting　and　commonplace　to　have　human　bodies　used　as　a　means　of　aesthetic　display。　The　self…glorification　in　it　alone　becomes　wearying。　We　are　gradually　learning　that　the　best　we　can　do　in　life　is　to　forget　about　ourselves　and　our　old　bodies。　There　are　even　those　who　go　so　far　as　to　look　forward　to　the　time　when　we　shall　escape　from　our　bodies　altogether。　It　would　be　interesting；　by　the　way；　to　get　the　point　of　view　of