The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-04
SOME QUESTIONS OF ART
The E.hibisioa or the Architectural Leaepe.
FrRsr NoT1rr

tectural League. now open at the Fifth Avenue
Art Galleries. Is the most interesting that has
been held. ut least to those who look for evil
dence OF serious architectural accomp lishment
rather than for an array Of pictorally attractive
drawings. The beautiful rcnderings Of ancient
foreign buildings contributed in former years
by Mr.. Pennell. and by various holders Of the
Rotch Travelling Scholarship, finds no parallel
this year. But, on the other hand. tho ability
OF the American profession to cope with din
cult and Enthusiastically modern problems
has never before been SO plainly revealed.
Interest concentrates Of course. upon the
series OF big elevations that show the main
buildings which will occupy the Chicago Fair
grounds In 1883. Taken singly they prove
great ability on the part Of thor designers
Taken together they show that the Exposition
authorities were wise in selecting number OF
different architects to do their work. and that
these architects were wise in consulting to.
Eethcr before they began. Each OF the struc.
lures will have individuality. yet all will har.
monize In general effect that promises to be
dlgnihcd. imposing, and beautiful enough to
do Infinite credit t. American art. and appro-
pirate enough to DO as creditable to American
good sense. H. indeed. art and good sense can
be even nominally discovered when works OF
architecture are In question. or course. how
ever. ono must regret. even more than in
former years. that the space at tho Leagues
command Is so small that plans and sections
as well as exterior views could not be shown.
simple typo Of Renaissance art has been
chosen for all the buildings. but, as was not
undesirable. some are much more richly
treated than others. The richest OF all Is
Messrs McKim. Mead. and Whites Agricul-
tural Hall. with Its far-spreadine Cornthian-
esQue colonnades. The plainest is Mr.. Jen-
ney's Horticultural Hall. which. however, is so
good In the massing Of its varied parts that no
lack of elaboration is felt when it ia compared
with any Of the others. In the final design for
Mr.. Atwood's Gallery Of Fine Arts (which il
great improvement on the original one that
hangs near by) colonnades appear again. but
OF an Ionic type. As regards outline. not orna-
mentation. no other structure Ia so simple as
MIR Posts for the exhibition OF Manufactures
and Liberal Arts but its immense size seems
impressive and monumental enough to sus-
tain the monotony Of It's lines. Excellent,
again. is Messrs. Adler and Sullivan's Trans
portation Building. except as regards the CEN
trail cupoln. which, II it were to exist at all.
ought surely to have been more prominently
marked feature. The only design which does
not seem thoroughly appropriate In effect is
Messrs Peabody and Stenrns's for Machinery
Hall. Here. where the purpose to be served
was Shc uioSI ptosdlC uuu ulOuSEu VI any, Cn0
treatment Is not SO straightforward as else
where. and willingness to secure architectu-
raj grandeur at the expense Of truthful ex-
preston Is very apparent The combination
OF the great semicircular glazed ends
OF the divisions OF the hall with the
colonnaded porticos which run beneath them
is not very happy: and the two large porches.
each projecting from wall crowned by pair
OF elaborate towers. are distinctly ecclesiasti-
cal In air. These central fronts recall the
churches Of Venice or OF Spanish America In
stend Of suggesting Chicago home for the
Spirit OF Steam. But when one studies all
these buildings together. including Mr.. Hunts
Administration Building. when one fancies
them enlivened by color and SCULPTURE. based
on broad green lawns and standing near tho
borders Of the great lake and the newly con-
structed canals. u picture Ia called up which
arouses deep satisfaction in the patriotic
heart. However great or small may be
the success Of the Exposition in other
ways. we can no longer doubt that as
far as architectural art is concerned we
shall not blush in the presence OF the "intelli-
gent foreigner" 1t Is nothing short OF an
artistic triumph thus to have struck. In these
vast and difficult structures. a happy medium
between Inorganic diversity and monotonous
uniformity. and between utilitarian pow
erty OF effect and an undue degree Of monu-
mental elaboration. How excellent they are
is proved by the fact that we cannot even try
to crlticse them from any point Of view ex-
cept the one from which they were designed
We Judge them simply as exposition buildings.
and are not for a moment tempted to compare
or contrast them with buildings Of any other
kind. 1t Is Interesting to reflect upon the
style that was selected for them by the many
distinguished architects concerned. Doubtless
no other style suggested itself as possible.
Probably no ono even thought that it might
DO best to choose some form OF Gothic.
though Gothic lends itself SO we'll to pctur-
esqueness OF general effect and to variety in
hetreatment of special features: or to choose
that type OF Romanesque which Americans
| have SO generally practsed in recent years and
have SO commonly believed to be adaptable
| to all modern needs. When it came to the
designing Of structures which had to be at
| once very monumental and very practical. and
in which economy had to be considered. Re-
| Nuisance art must have been recognized at
| once as the only adequate resource. And the
| fact has wider significance than as mere
justification Of these architects choice in this
| special case.
Conspicuous on the end wall OF tho main
| gallery are the revised drawings Of Messrs.
Helms and La Fargo and their colleagues for
| the proposed Cathedral OF st John In this
| city. But this scheme like tho competitive
schemes. ono or two OF which are also exhib-
| tied. was discussed at length in these columns
nearly year ago. and 1t has not been SO con-
| spicuousy altered that further comment Is
necdiul. Familiar. again. is tho design for tho
building Of the American Fine Arts Society.
It's plan. which may DO studied in the cnta-
logue. seems very excellent. but regret does
not lesson that q purer. simpler. more typi.
| caly instructive method OF treatment was not
chosen for Its facade.
The decreasing hold OF tho Romanesque
manner OF design Is shown by an examination
| OF the other new or proposed buildings. Of
| which drawings are shown. Tho most inter.
esting structures. OF course. are still the tall
Office buildings; and In them more or less
| modified form Of Richardsonian art still fire.
quently appears This is notably tho case with
the fourteen-story Ames building. erected In
Boston by Richardson's former pupils. Messrs.
Shepley. Rutan 4 Coolidge. where very difficult
proportions have been handled In an unex-
pectedly satisfying way; and also with Mr..
1