The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-07
some oursrIoxs OF ART
The Exhibition or she Architectural League
SECOND NOTICE.

SECOND NOTICE
New Workers who have been Watching tho
progress OF the Waldorf Hotel. on Fifth ave-
nue.. cannot have felt that 1t was certain to be
one OF tho chief ornaments OF that motley and
perpetually remodelled thoroughfare. Their
prophecies will receive confirmation from the
big water color perspective OF the completed
building which hangs in this exhibition.
picturesQueness seems to have been the ar
lists aim. and on such site with structure
Of such size. this aim was certainly
not the best. The conspicuously broken
sky limo and varied massng OF the roois
are not happily conceived in themselves and
are hardly appropiate to the character OF
the design OF the lower walls; and 1t Is to be
feared thut the hotel will crush all the neigh
boring portions OF Fifth avenue without itself
gratifying the eye. BY contrast one may look
Mt a thoroughly sensible and straightforward
yet dignined design for winter hotel in the
country-Mcssrs Carrare and Hastings design
for aurel-in-the- Pines at Lakewood.
When our first notice was written. and the
Mdil and Express building of these last-named
artists was mentioned. the large colored ele-
walton of its Broadway front. which Is shown
in the vestibule Of the gallery. was overlooked.
1t reveals a most interesting piece OF work.
although not so satisfying one as the lateral
facade. The problem was more difficult. as
this front appears to be only about twenty-five
feet in width and Is carried up to quite dizzy
height: hut great skill and scholarly good
taste are shown in the treatment OF the fea-
lures which compose it. 1t Is rather to tho
choice than to the arrangement of the fea-
lures that ono objects. this somewhat
late and heavily elaborate type OF French
Renaissance seeming more suitaelJ to
tho pnatial structures wherein it orig
inaly developed. than to modern COM
mercial building. Indeed we may say that.
whatever the purpose OF building. this style
seems rather out OF keeping with modern
tastes and artistic needs. It may havc great
beauty. but 1t cannot avoid a certain degree of
pomrosity and an air as though effectiveness
were the most important thing in archltecture:
and the character Of the sculntured ornament
it demands is not In true sympathy with the
tendencies Of our day and land. We instinct
lively ask for a greater simplicity and a greater
degree OF natUralism. and object to tho slight
tings Of Crotesqueness that marks these cary
atids and masks 1n tho more simply handled
lateral facade these objections to the artists
choice OF style do not make themselves felt:
one cannot but regret in studying the Broad
way front. that artists Of such knowledge and
capacity. dealing with 30 typicnlly modern n
problem. should not have produced something
which could he cited as m odel and not merely
admired as very clever piece OF work.
Designs for country residences are as usual.
frequent upon tho walls. Some OF them are
extremely irrational. like Mr.. Robertsons
Country Mansion"-a very widespread stone
structure OF a late Gothic type. looking more
like home for q stage heroine thnn for COM
monplace modern American mortas. Others
are sensible enough. but in no way rcmarka-
bio lack OF harmony and grace in the outlines
OF the roof being. as we might expect, the most
conspicuous fault. Planning is tho strong
point OF those who build such houses
in America: the time las not yet ar
rived when they can carry up the
forms prescribed by n very varied ground plan
into truly artistic assem- blage Of roof lines.
Colonial architecture is still largely pursued.
but with a less faithful adherence than ut first
to its original types. Americans. it seems.
must have big piazzas: and the attempt to
combine them with the old-time colonial
house seldom results in an organic or agreea-
BILE composition. Better than these are houses
which one can hardly fit with the name OF any
style unless one invent the American Rural
Style for tho purpose. Especially pleasing to
contemplate. and probably to live in. arc Mr..
kent's house at Winter Harbor. Mo-. No. a.
and Messrs Berg d Clark's at New Rochelle.
No. 81.
Designs for churches are not numerous or
very interesting. Upon this field. too. the
renaissance styles seem to be encroachinG. as
is proved. for instance, by Messrs. Renwick.
Aspinwall. Russell. and Coulter's scheme for
the big cathedral at Indianapolis
While there are not so many DRAWINGS this
year which take and hold the eye chiefly
by their pictorial qualities. there are a
few. notable among them Mr.. Rotch's water
color Of the cathedral at Limburg. and Mr..
Hills Cumpanile of $. Maria in Cosmedin. Tho
subject Of the latter. by the way. may interest
New Workers as showing the famous Roman
| tower. which seems to have served Messrs.
Mckim White as a model when they built
their Baptist Church on Washington square.
Whom we look for fine draughtsmanship en-
ployed moro strictly in the service OF archi-
tecturnl explanation. there is great deal to
admire in a very hearty way It is doubtful
whether in any atelier in tho world moro
beautiful piece OF pencil drawing could be pro-
duced than the one which portrays Messrs.
McKim. Mead l. Whites Worlds Fair build
| ing. Nothing could be more scholarly and
| perfect than the pen-and-ink rendering OF Mr..
| Tuthills 'Portico for Public Tombs" Mr..
| Bacon has depicted exauisitey the proposed
Soldiers Monument for Cam bridge: and every
| thing that comes from the Office OF Messrs.
Carrere Il Hastings is wonderfully we'll
drawn. Dir. MngonlSles lToggia OF the
Country Club" is m excellent water color
example. and Mr.. Hopkins bird's-eye view OF
the roof and tower OF the Madison Square
Garden with the city and harbor is ustonish.
ingly clever. although II trfle hard in color
The subject for the League competition this
year was a Town Hall for Town OF About
10000 Inhabitants" Among the submitted
designs some seem to show a church. others a
casino. and others n temple But some really
look like town halls. and two OF these were
selected to receive the medals. The gold
medal fell to Mr. ). stevens Haskell Of this
| city. the silver one to Mr. Louis q. Dttoe OF
Cincinnati. Both submitted simple schemes
| treated in a rather severe Renaissance style
| round-headed openings A lot OF amusing
drawings executed unon tho menus OF the
| annual dinner OF the League hang together
| upon n screen near tho entrance. and upon
another the construction OF Mr.. Hunt Admin.
istrntion building at Chicago may be studied.
!, Then. after noticing some photographs 81
Office building in Minneapolis. with its nr.
daciousiy yet successfully treated great spiral
stairways, We may pass into the smaller gal
decorative and pictorial art Here we find q
| group OF water colors by Mr.. La Fargo. chiefly
studies made during his recent travels among