the city of domes-第24章

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ded。〃



XVIII

The　Illuminating　and　the　Reflections



That　motionless　steam　engine；　all　in　gray；　harmonizing　with　the　Travertine；　was　furiously　at　work。　Into　the　air　it　sent　clouds　of　steam　that　turned　to　red　and　blue　and　green　under　Ryan's　magic。　And　up　there；　at　the　top　of　the　Column　of　Progress；　we　saw　the　Adventurous　Bowman　and　his　companions　in　two　groups；　one　reflected　on　the　illuminated　fog。

Through　the　smoke　and　the　fog　the　bombs　were　shooting　and　breaking　into　great　masses　of　liquid　fire；　golden　and　green　and　pink　and　yellow。　〃Someone　says　we're　all　children　at　heart；〃　the　architect　remarked。　〃These　fireworks　get　more　attention　than　all　the　architecture　and　the　art　put　together。　But；　after　all；　they're　just　about　as　beautiful　as　anything　man　can　make　and；　in　the　way　of　color；　they　put　the　artists　to　shame。〃

We　were　part　of　the　crowd　that　swept　to　the　Court　of　the　Universe；　never　so　splendid　as　at　night；　with　the　columns　reflected　in　the　pool　and　Calder's　star　figures　shining　from　the　concealed　electric　bulbs。　On　reaching　the　court　itself　we　stood　at　the　end　of　one　of　the　corridors　and　looked　down。　Great　drops　of　light　hung　on　the　columns　like　molten　gold。　〃Ryan　has　done　something　very　artistic　and　unusual　there；〃　the　architect　remarked。　〃So　far　as　I　know　nothing　just　like　it　has　ever　been　done　before。　It　suggests　the　tongues　of　fire　mentioned　in　the　Scripture　that　descended　from　Heaven。〃

In　the　sunken　garden　those　two　shafts；　rising　from　the　fountains；　looking　like　stone　by　day；　had　become　great　candles；　glowing　from　the　base　to　the　glass　globe　on　top。　〃They're　practically　the　sole　means　of　illuminating　this　court。　The　other　lights　are　merely　ornamental。　So　far　as　I'm　aware　nothing　just　like　these　shafts　has　ever　been　tried　in　an　Exposition　or　anywhere　else。　It's　a　novel　Expositional　effect。　Some　people　don't　like　it；　but　most　people　admire　it　immensely。　It　symbolizes　the　gold　that　first　drew　the　multitude　to　this　part　of　the　world。　If　the　golden　color　had　been　used　more　extensively　throughout　the　Exposition　it　would　have　helped　a　lot。　Guerin　gets　it　at　night　by　means　of　the　light　that　shines　through　the　windows　and　Faville　gets　it　in　the　light　behind　those　wonderful　doorways　of　his　that　haven't　been　praised　half　as　much　as　they　ought　to　be。〃

The　Court　of　the　Ages　lured　us　along　the　dimly　lighted　inner　court；　the　arches　taking　on　an　even　more　delicate　beauty　in　the　night　light。　Once　within　the　court　we　found　ourselves　under　the　spell　of　Mullgardt's　genius。　The　architecture；　the　cauldrons　sending　out　pink　steam；　the　flaming　serpents；　the　torches　on　the　tower；　the　warm　lights　from　within　the　tower；　the　great　ecclesiastical　stars；　brilliant　with　electricity；　all　carried　out　the　idea　of　the　earth；　cast　off　by　the　sun。

In　the　entrance　court　we　found　the　effects　less　magnificent　but；　in　their　way；　just　as　beautiful。　The　lighting　emphasized　the　refinement　of　the　court；　the　rich　delicacy　of　the　ornamentation。　〃Mullgardt　ought　to　go　down　into　history　for　this　contribution　to　the　Exposition；〃　said　the　architect。　〃He　has　shown　that　originality　is　still　possible　in　architecture。〃

In　the　Court　of　the　Four　Seasons　we　watched　the　Emerald　Pool　turning　the　architecture　into　a　mermaids'　palace。　The　water　flowing　under　the　four　groups　of　the　seasons　shone　from　an　invisible　light　beneath；　coloring　it　a　rich　green。　〃When　Ryan　promised　to　illuminate　the　water　here　without　letting　the　source　of　the　light　be　seen；　it　was　thought　by　the　people　it　couldn't　be　done。〃　For　a　long　time　we　sat　in　front　of　the　lagoon　where　the　swans　were　silently　floating　and；　and　the　Palace　of　Fine　Arts　was　reproduced　with　a　deeper　mystery。　Now　we　could　feel　the　relation　between　the　colonnade　and　Gerome's　chariot　race。　〃It　would　please　Gerome　if　he　could　know　that　he　had　helped　to　inspire　so　magnificent　a　conception；〃　said　the　architect。　〃And　if　Boecklin　could　see　this　vision　and　hear　that　his　Island　of　the　Dead　had　started　Maybeck's　mind　thinking　of　it　he　would　probably　be　astonished　and　delighted　at　the　same　time。　With　his　fine　understanding　of　the　influences　operating　in　art　he　would　see　that　his　contribution　did　not　in　any　way　detract　from　Maybeck's　originality。　Down　the　centuries　minds　have　been　influencing　one　another　and；　in　this　way；　adding　to　the　sum　of　wisdom　and　beauty　in　the　world。　Now　and　then；　as　in　this　instance；　we　can　plainly　see　the　influences　at　work。　Behind　Boecklin　and　Gerome　there　were　doubtless　influences　that　led　to　their　making　those　two　pictures；　inspirations　from　nature　or　from　other　artists；　or　both　together。　And　this　palace　will　doubtless　inspire　many　another　noble　conception。〃

〃When　we　apply　that　thought　to　the　Exposition　as　a　whole；〃　I　said；　〃we　can　see　what　a　big　influence　it　is　likely　to　have　on　the　art　of　the　country。〃

〃It　has　undoubtedly　had　a　big　influence　already；　even　though　we　may　not　he　able；　as　yet；　to　see　it　working。　The　very　interest　the　Exposition　has；　aroused　in　the　people　that　come　here；　whether　they　are　artists　or　not；　can't　help　being　productive。〃



Seeing　the　Lights　Fade



We　went　over　to　the　South　Gardens　to　see　the　lights　change　on　the　Tower　of　Jewels；　passing　the　half…dome　of　Philosophy；　the　stained　glass　of　the　windows　enveiling　the　background。　They　were　still　robing　the　tower　in　pure　white；　and　the　hundred　thousand　pieces　of　Austrian　cut　glass　were　shimmering。　〃They　must　have　had　a　hard　time　getting　those　jewels　fastened　on　the　ornamentation　of　the　upper　tiers。　The　wind　up　there　is　very　strong。　Some　of　the　men　came　near　being　blown　off。　It　took　pretty　expert　acrobatic　work　to　hang　the　jewels　out　on　the　extreme　edges。

Suddenly　the　lights　on　the　tower　glowed　into　red。　The　tower　itself　seemed　to　become　thinner　and　finer　in　outline。

〃There　are　people　who　don't　like　this　color；〃　said　the　architect。　〃It's　fashionable　nowadays　to　feel　a　prejudice　against　red。　But　it　is　one　of　the　most　beautiful　colors　in　nature　and　one　of　nature's　greatest　favorites；　associated　with　fire　and　with　flowers。　To　me　the　tower　is　never　so　beautiful　as　it　is　when　the　red　light　seemed　to　burn　from　a　fire　inside。　See　how　it　tends　to　eliminate　the　superfluous　ornamentation。　It　brings　out　the　grace　of　line　in　the　upper　tiers；　like　folded　wings。　With　just　a　few　eliminations　the　improvement　in　that　tower　would　be　astonishing。〃

Presently　the　lights　in　the　tower　went　out　altogether。　The　four　Italian　towers　also　grew　dim。　It　was　getting　late。　People　were　hurrying　out。　But　we　lingered。　We　wished　to　see　this　city　of　domes　as　it　appeared　without　any　lights　at　all；　except　for　those　that　were　kept　burning　to　meet　the　requirements　of　the　law。

For　an　hour　we　roamed　about　the　deserted　place。　Here　and　there　we　would　meet　a　belated　visitor　or　a　group　of　people　from　some　indoor　festivity。

The　material　had　taken　on　a　finer　quality。　It　looked　like　stone。　Wonderful　as　the　Exposition　was　by　day　and　in　the　evening；　it　was　far　more　wonderful　at　this　hour。

Now　it　was　easy　to　imagine　the　scene　as　a　city；　with　the　inhabitants　asleep　in　their　beds。　But　just　what　kind　of　city　it　was　I　could　not　make　up　my　mind。　When　I　expressed　this　thought　to　the　architect；　he　said：

〃Have　you　ever　seen　David　Roberts'　big　illustrated　volumes；　'Travels　in　the　Holy　Land'？　If　you　haven't；　look　them　up。　Then　you　will　see　what　kind　of　a　city　this　city　is。　It's　a　city　of　Palestine。　It's　Jerusalem　and　Jaffa　and　Akka　all　over　again。〃



Features　that　Ought　to　be　Noted　by　Day



The　South　Gardens



Hedge。　Idea　suggested　by　W。　B。　Faville；　of　Bliss　&　Faville；　architects；　of　San　Francisco；　and　developed　by　John　McLaren；　landscape　gardener　and　superintendent　of　the　Golden　Gate　Park；　San　Francisco；　to　give　impression　of　old　English　wall。　African　dew　plant　grown　in　shallow　boxes；　two　inches　deep；　covered　with　wire　netting。

Design　of　entrance　at　Scott　Street；　by　Joseph　J。　Rankin。

South　Gardens；　French　in　character；　with　suggestions　of　Spanish。　Planting　by　John　McLaren。

In　center；　〃Fountain　of　Energy；〃　by　A。　Stirling　Calder；　acting　chief　of　sculpture；　French　influence。　Expresses　triumph　of　energy　that　built　the　canal。　Youth　on　horseback；　standing　in　stirrups；　〃Energy。〃　Figures　on　shoulders；　〃Fame〃　and　〃Valor。〃　Figures　on　globe