the city of domes-第12章

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s　making　an　unfortunate　contrast　with　the　stern　angel；　repeated　in　front　of　each　of　the　two　arches。　My　criticism　brought　out　the　reply　that　it　was　beautiful　in　itself　and　had　its　place　up　there。　〃These　accidental　effects　of　association　are　sometimes　good　and　sometimes　they're　not。　Here　I　can't　see　that　they　make　a　jarring　effect。　In　the　first　place；　a　Court　of　the　Universe　ought　to　express　something　of　the　incongruity　in　our　life。　Ideally；　of　course；　it　isn't　good　in　art　to　represent　a　figure　in　a　position　that　it's　hard　to　maintain　without　discomfort。　But　here　the　outlines　are　purely　decorative　and　don't　suggest　strain。　In　my　judgment　that　figure　is　one　of　the　greatest　ornaments　in　the　court。　It　gives　just　the　right　note。〃

The　two　fountains　in　the　center　of　the　sunken　garden　were　gaily　throwing　their　spray　into　the　air。　The　boldness　of　the　Tritons　at　the　base　represented　a　very　different　kind　of　handling　from　the　delicacy　of　the　figure　at　the　top　of　each；　the　Evening　Sun　and　the　Rising　Sun；　both　executed　with　poetic　feeling。　In　the　Rising　Sun；　Weinmann　had　succeeded　in　putting　into　the　figure　of　the　youth　life；　motion　and　joy。　Looking　at　that　figure；　just　ready　to　spread　its　wings；　one　felt　as　if　it　were　really　about　to　sweep　into　the　air。　Though　the　Evening　Sun　might　be　less　dramatic；　it　was　just　as　fine。　〃It　isn't　often　that　you　see　sculpture　of　such　imaginative　quality；〃　said　the　architect。

Those　great　symbolic　figures　by　Robert　Aitken；　at　once　giving　a　reminder　of　Michael　Angelo；　impressed　me　as　being　perfectly　adapted　to　the　Court；　and　to　their　subjects；　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　and　Water。　But　my　companion　thought　they　were　too　big。　He　agreed；　however；　that　they　were　both　original　and　strong。　There　was　cleverness　in　making　the　salamander；　with　his　fiery　breath　and　his　sting；　ready　to　attack　a　Greek　warrior；　symbolize　fire。　Under　the　winged　girl　representing　air　there　was　a　humorous　reference　to　man's　early　efforts　to　fly　in　the　use　of　the　quaint　little　figure　of　Icarus。　Water　and　earth　were　more　conventional；　but　worked　out　with　splendid　vigor；　the　two　figures　under　earth　suggesting　the　competitive　struggle　of　men。　〃I　remember　Aitken　in　his　beginning　here　in　San　Francisco。　Though　he　often　did　poor　stuff；　everything　of　his　showed　artistic　courage　and　initiative。　Even　then　anyone　could　see　there　was　something　in　him。　Now　it's　coming　out　in　the　work　he　has　contributed　to　this　Exposition。　The　qualities　in　these　four　statues　we　shall　see　again　when　we　reach　the　fountain　that　Aitken　made　for　the　Court　of　Abundance。　They　are　individual　without　being　eccentric。　Compare　these　four　figures　with　the　groups　in　front　of　the　two　arches；　by　Paul　Manship；　another　American　sculptor　of　ability；　but　different　from　Aitken　in　his　devotion　to　the　early　Greek。　When　Manship　began　his　work　a　few　years　ago　he　was　influenced　by　Rodin。　Then　he　went　to　Rome　and　became　charmed　with　the　antique。　Now　he　follows　the　antique　method　altogether。　He　deliberately　conventionalizes。　And　yet　his　work　is　not　at　all　conventional。　He　manages　to　put　distinct　life　into　it。　These　two　groups；　the　'Dancing　Girls'　and　'Music；'　would　have　delighted　the　sculptors　of　the　classic　period。〃

Under　the　Arch　of　the　Rising　Sun　two　delicate　murals　by　Edward　Simmons　charmed　us　by　their　grace；　their　lovely　coloring；　by　the　richness　of　their　fancy　and　by　the　extraordinary　fineness　of　their　workmanship。　〃There's　a　big　difference　of　opinion　about　those　canvases　as　murals。　But　there's　no　difference　of　opinion　in　regard　to　their　artistic　merit。　They　are　unquestionably　masterpieces。　Kelham　and　Guerin；　who　had　a　good　deal　to　do　with　putting　them　up　there；　believe　they　are　in　exactly　the　right　place。　But　a　good　many　others　think　they　are　almost　lost　in　all　this　heavy　architecture。　You　see；　Simmons　didn't　take　Guerin's　advice　as　to　a　subject。　Each　of　his　two　murals　has　a　meaning；　or　rather　a　good　many　meanings；　but　no　central　theme；　no　story　that　binds　the　figures　into　a　distinct　unity。　So；　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　public；　they　are　somewhat　puzzling。　People　look　up　there　and　wonder　what　those　figures　are　doing。　But　to　the　artist　they　find　their　justification　merely　in　being　what　they　are；　beautiful　in　outline　and　in　posture　and　coloring。　You　don't　often　get　such　atmosphere　in　mural　work；　or　such　subtlety　and　richness　of　feeling。〃

Both　murals　unmistakably　showed　the　same　hand。　〃There's　not　another　man　in　the　country　who　could　do　work　of　just　that　kind。　That　group　in　the　center　of　the　mural　to　the　north　could　be　cut　out　and　made　into　a　picture　just　as　it　stands。　It　doesn't　help　much　to　know　that　the　middle　figure；　with　the　upraised　arm；　is　Inspiration　with　Commerce　at　her　right　and　Truth　at　her　left。　They　might　express　almost　any　symbols　that　were　related　to　beauty。　And　the　symbolism　of　the　groups　at　either　end　seems　rather　gratuitous。　They　might　be　many　other　things　besides　true　hope　and　false　hope　and　abundance　standing　beside　the　family。　But　the　girl　chasing　the　bubble　blown　out　by　false　hope　makes　a　quaint　conceit　to　express　adventure；　though　perhaps　only　one　out　of　a　million　would　see　the　point　if　it　weren't　explained。〃

The　opposite　mural　we　found　a　little　more　definite　in　its　symbolism；　if　not　so　pictorial　or　charming。　The　figures　consisted　of　the　imaginary　type　of　the　figure　from　the　lost　Atlantis；　the　Roman　fighter；　the　Spanish　adventurer；　suggesting　Columbus；　the　English　type　of　sea…faring　explorer；　Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　the　priest　who　followed　in　the　wake　of　the　discoverer；　the　bearer　of　the　cross　to　the　new　land；　the　artist；　spreading　civilization；　and　the　laborer；　modern　in　type；　universal　in　significance；　interesting　here　as　standing　for　the　industrial　enterprise　of　today。

〃Those　murals　suggest　what　a　big　chance　our　decorators　have　in　the　themes　that　come　out　of　our　industrial　life。　They've　only　made　a　start。　As　mural　decoration　advances　in　this　country；　we　ought　to　produce　men　able　to　deal　in　a　vigorous　and　imaginative　way　with　the　big　spiritual　and　economic　conceptions　that　are　associated　with　our　new　ideals　of　industry。〃

One　feature　of　this　court　made　a　special　appeal　to　the　architect；　the　use　of　the　large　green　vases　under　the　arches。　〃They're　so　good　they're　likely　to　be　overlooked。　They　blend　perfectly　in　the　general　scheme。　Their　coloring　could　not　have　been　better　chosen　and　their　design　is　particularly　happy。〃



VI

On　the　Marina



Along　one　of　the　corridors　we　passed；　enjoying　the　richness　of　the　coloring　and　the　beauty　of　the　great　lamps　in　a　long　row；　then　out　into　the　wide　entrance　of　the　court　to　the　Column　of　Progress。

〃I　wonder　if　that　column　would　be　there　now；〃　said　the　architect；　〃if　Trajan　had　not　built　his　column　in　Rome　nearly　two　thousand　years　ago。　The　Christianizing　of　the　column；　by　placing　St。　Peter　on　top　instead　of　Trajan；　is　symbolic　of　a　good　deal　that　has　gone　on　here。　But　we　owe　a　big　debt　to　the　pagans；　much　more　than　we　acknowledge。〃

When　I　expressed　enthusiasm　over　the　column　the　architect　ran　his　eye　past　the　frieze　to　the　top。　〃In　the　first　place；　that　dominating　group　up　there　ought　at　once　to　express　the　character　of　the　column。　But　it　doesn't。　You　have　to　look　twice　and　you　have　to　look　hard。　One　figure　would　have　been　more　effective。　But　there　is　a　prejudice　among　some　sculptors　against　placing　a　single　figure　at　the　head　of　a　column；　though　the　Romans　often　did　it。　But　if　a　group　had　to　be　used　it　could　have　been　made　much　clearer。　Now　in　that　design　MacNeil　celebrated　the　Adventurous　Archer　in　a　way　that　was　distinctly　old…fashioned。　He　made　the　archer　a　superman；　pushing　his　way　forward　by　force；　and　by　the　dominance　of　personality。　And　see　how　comparatively　insignificant　he　made　the　supporting　figures。　The　relation　of　those　three　people　implies　an　acceptation　of　the　old　ideals　of　the　social　organization。　MacNeil　had　a　chance　here　to　express　the　new　spirit　of　today；　the　spirit　that　honors　the　common　man　and　that　makes　an　ideal　of　social　co…operation　on　terms　of　equality。〃

At　the　base　we　studied　the　figures　celebrating　labor。　〃Konti　is　a　man　of　broad　social　understanding　and　sympathy；〃　said　my　companion。　〃But　picturesque　as　those　figures　are；　they're　not　much　more。　They　give　no　intimation　of　the　mighty　stirr