New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-15
THE ART OF WAR" TX T. Carl MELcHEEs.

Dodce's "Glorca,ion Of the Arts and Sciences.
in the dome of the Administration Building. from
the sketch Of a fragment of it which is given
with this letter. would appear as easy. per
haps, as rcconstructnc a mastodOn from single
bone The sketch is not 20 inadequate. however
In the frmncss with which the figures stand on
the ground, in their unstraincd attitudes. in the
vrility with which they have been drawn and
modeled--al Of which the illustration sug-
gcsts. in measure-in these things is TO be dis
covered the source Of whatever success the
picture may have when the scaffolding is re-
moved and the dome is seen in proper pcrspectiv"
Good drawing and vigorous style III painting
bodies nude and drapcd. are the first essentials
in mural painting. and Mr. Dodge has them. His
design comprchcnds many figures. In the centre
of the composition. above the doorway opening
on the court. Apollo is cnthrOncd. with hands
outstrctchod TO encourage the seekers for honor
who pass in procession around the dome. The
steps leading TO his chair lead also TO SEMI
circle of Greek wise men, which he breaks in the
centre. At the foot Of these steps one on either
side are free adaptations. on pcdcstals. OF the
statues OF GiuliaDO and Lorenzo on the Medicl
tombs in the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence
Tripods bear incense before these statues male
figure synrbolizing art knccls before Apollo who
seems to acqucsce as a winged genius dcscends
TO bestow a wreath upon the victor. Behind the
latter there stands warrior Then the pan
Drama unrolls on the left of the throne il dis
closes model of the Parthcnon mounted on a
chariot to which three winged horses ridden by
brawny figures are attached. This typhcs arch
,tccturc and does So it may be added, with an
originality which it is difficult to either praise or
blame. 1t is ingenious and picturesque il is
very clever in pictorial way. But the irrcssti-
Idle association of ideas makes it impossible 10
avoid feeling that ima2inativcly. POLITICALLY,
Mr. Dodgcs conception OF architecture amolts
TO little upon this occasion. II seems Il sacreec
10 depict the faircst monument in the world in
this toy fashion But this may be hypercrticsm
and no doubt it was desirable to present Apollo
with the best Of architectural types. Still il
might have been pre- sentcd him less awkwardlv, just
as the Venus dc Milo might have been presented
with more dignity than it is. in the of n
sculptor who walks beside the architectural
van. Following these the two representa-
tivcs Of music shown in the illustration
and after them come figures svmbolica Of hort-
culture, dancing, science. agriculture the ceramic
arts, textiles and until the throng brings
the eye around to the statue on the right Of
Apollo The circle is interrupted Just opposite the
god by group Of applanding gadiators. A
wave Of energy flows through the composition,
which would be remarkable for It's movement, for
the genuine sense Of a marching crowd OF eager
figures which it conveys IL for nothing else. But
it has other virtues, and not only those which
have been alluded TO above. II has color The
dominant tones are found i'm the blue sky in the
tawny draperies which partially hide the latter.
in the violet and lavender robes of some of the
figures and in the flesh color of those others
which arc entirely or partially nude. The dark
notes struck BY the Medici statues have been
mentioned. What the spectacle will be like when
it is uncovered can only be guessed at But it