按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ferent。 And you'll find marked differences even in the Renaissance art of the Italian cities； such as Rome and Florence and Venice。 But the Renaissance showed that no matter how far apart the people of Europe might have been they were all stirred by a great intellectual and spiritual movement。 It was like a vast moral earthquake。 It meant the rediscovery and the joyous recognition of the relation of the past to the present and the meaning of the relation for mankind。 It led to a new kind of self…emancipation and individualism。 It created art…forms that have stamped themselves on the work all over these grounds。 In a sense it was a declaration of artistic independence。〃
〃Is there really such a thing as independence in art？〃 I ventured to ask。
The architect began to smile。 〃I'm afraid there isn't much independence。 If there were this Exposition would not be quite so intimately related to Europe and the Orient。 But wait till we get into Mullgardt's Court of the Ages。 Then you'll find an answer to your question。〃
At this palace the architect found much to speculate on。 〃Here is one of the few buildings in the whole Exposition done in what might be called the conventional exposition spirit。 I like it immensely as an exposition building； but I should hate it as a public building that I had to see every day。 It's too fantastic。 In this place it serves its purpose。 But it might fit into a setting like the Golden Gate Park； where it would be close to nature。 Now this Exposition is very different from most of the enterprises of the kind that have taken place in Europe。 It is probably the most serious exposition ever known； with the possible exception of the one in Chicago。 If it were in a great European capital； for example； it would mainly express the spirit of gaiety。 But the builders here； though they have been gay in their use of color； have been tremendously serious in purpose。 They have worked largely for the sake of education。〃
The use of green on the building was unquestionably one of the most successful features of the coloring； particularly when it suggested； as it so often did； old copper。 〃To me the deeper green that Guerin uses is the more charming shade； far more charming； for instance； than the light green applied to Festival Hall。 And the suggestion of green in the dome is altogether delightful。 But it's a pity they didn't use another kind of glass。 When people criticise Ryan for not doing more with his lighting effects…in this dome they evidently don't know that a mistake was made when the glass was sent and Ryan could do very little with it。 In order to carry out his original plans Ryan would have to apply a coat of varnish to the interior of the dome； a rather expensive process。 However； it may be done later。〃
Returning to the South Gardens
From where we stood we could get a good view of those green columns in the Tower of Jewels； occasionally criticised as being too atmospheric to give the sense of support。 〃Those columns were colored by Guerin to get an effect of contrast。 That shade was one of the first of the shades he experimented with。 He tried it out on the sashes in Machinery Hall。 The French landscape painters used it a good deal in outdoor scenes； on trellises； for example。 It made a pleasing effect against the deeper tones of the grass and foliage。 The notion that it isn't suited to columns seems to me unwarranted。 As a matter of fact； there are several kinds of green stone that have often been successfully used for columns in architecture； like malachite and Connemara marble。 The Bank of Montreal has some magnificent Connemara columns。 Of course； the use up there is theatrical； exactly as Guerin intended it to be。 People seem to forget that Guerin got his earlier training as a scene painter。 He was recognized as one of the greatest scene painters of his time。 He deliberately undertook to make this Exposition a great spectacle； and he ought to be judged according to what he tried to do。 It seems to me that his success was astonishing。 He created a picture that was spectacular without being garish or cheap and that harmonized with the dignity and the splendor of the architecture。 One explanation of his success lies in his being so fond of the Orient； where the architects have worked in color as far back as we can go。 Every chance he makes a trip to the Orient and he comes back with a lot of Oriental canvases that he has painted there。 Only a lover of the Orient would have dared to put that orange color on the domes。 See what a velvety look he got； almost wax…like。 He was careful not to apply； in most instances； more than one coat of paint。 He wanted it to sink in and to become weathered。 He knew that nature was the greatest of all artists； always trying to remove the shiny appearance of newness and to give seasoning。〃
As we looked up toward the center of the South Garden the white globes on the French lamp posts caught the architect's eye。 〃Don't you remember how cheap they looked on the first days？〃 he said。 〃The trouble was that they were too white。 They seemed cold and raw。 So they were sprayed with a liquid celluloid to soften them into their present ivory hue。 The change shows how important detail is； and how carefully Guerin's department has worked。 While the construction was going on there was one remark that often used to be heard； 'It will never be noticed；' and a most foolish remark it was。 It showed that the people who made it were lacking in imagination。 Millions of eyes have been watching the details of this Exposition and very little has escaped notice。〃
A great crowd was pouring out of the afternoon concert in Festival Hall。 The architect； as he looked on； remarked： 〃It's like being in Paris； isn't it？ Or； perhaps； it's more like being in a lovely old French provincial city； where the theater is the chief architectural monument。 It's hard for me to understand why the French have encouraged that kind of architecture for their theaters and opera houses。 It seems so unrelated to sound； which ought to give the clue to the building。 The use of the word festival here is a little old…fashioned and misleading。 It doesn't mean what we usually consider festivity。 It is essentially a concert hall； and the architecture ought to suggest concentration of sound by being built in a way that shall make such concentration inevitable。 But this kind of building is obviously related to dissipation of sound。 No wonder the acoustics turned out bad and the interior had to be remodeled。〃
XII
The Half Courts
In front of the Court of Palms we stopped to admire James Earl Fraser's 〃End of the Trail；〃 the most popular group of sculpture in the Exposition。 〃It deserves all its popularity； doesn't it？ It's finely imagined and splendidly worked out。 The pony is excellent in its modeling and the Indian is wonderfully life…like。〃
At our side a man and a woman were standing； the man more than six feet tall； with broad shoulders and a face that had evidently seen a good deal of weather。 〃I've known fellers just like that Indian；〃 we heard him say； 〃up in Minnesota。 He might be a Blackfoot after a couple of days' tusselling with the wind and the rain in the mountains。 I've seen 'em come into town all beat out。 The man that made that statue knew his business。 An' I guess he knew what he was doing when he called it 'The End of the Trail。〃'
When the visitor had passed； the architect said： 〃The symbolism gets them all； doesn't it； and the realism； too？ But Fraser couldn't have expressed so much if he hadn't put a lot of heart into his 'Work。 He really felt all that the Indian represented； as a human being and as a representative of a dying race。〃
〃The Court of Palms〃 captured us both； by its shape； by the splendor of the Ionic columns； by the loveliness of its detail； by its coloring and by that charm of its sunken garden。 〃You can feel here the mind that developed those four Italian towers。 It shows the same balanced judgment； and skill and taste。 The two towers here； though they stand at either end of the court； and make a beautiful ornamentation； are really a part of the wall。 They help to give it dignity and variety。 And how artistically the palms have been used here。 They can be among the least graceful of plants； but here they are really decorative。 And those laurel trees at the side of the main doorway make fine ornamental notes。 The sculptured vases； too； are wonderfully graceful。〃
Above the doorways we found the three murals that gave further distinction to this court and enriched the coloring。 In 〃Fruits and Flowers〃 Childe Hassam had done one of his purely decorative pictures； without a story； contenting himself with graceful pictures and delicate color scheme。 Charles Holloway made 〃The Pursuit of Pleasure〃 frankly allegorical； the floating figure of the woman pursued by admiring youths。 Over the main doorway Arthur Mathews had also painted an allegory； 〃Victorious Spirit；〃 the Angel of Light； with wide…spread wings of gold； standing in the center and keeping back the spirit of materialism； represented by a fiery horse driven by his rider with brutal energy。 〃Observe how successfully Mathews has chosen his colors。 These deep purples help to bring out the splendor of those