The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-24
The Dishpan Goddesses.

Upon and around the white palaces Of
the Worlds Fair there were scores of
the most impressive and inspiring statues
OF modern times. Those colossal figures
which dominated the busy scene bore ex-
pressions OF calmness, repose and power.
and seemed like benefcent genii watching
over the treasures of nations to defend
and to bless. To the immense vistas
and prolonged sky lines Of the Exposition
they gave kind of fantastic life, be-
cause there was such Yigor in their mod
cling, such force In their design that they
seemed 10 be always on the point Of mo-
ton. The tourist through Italy will tell
you that there are more than 1000 statues
on Milan Cathedral, and some OF them
are the work of the illustrious Canova.
European travellers are familiar with
the enormous stone apostles en- the front
of ST. Peters, the muscular statues by
Michael Angelo at Florence, the great god
desses or the French cities in the Place
de la Concorde. But ii is safe to say that
none OF these famous simulacra has exer-
cised more potent influence than the
majestic symbolical statues of the
Worlds Fair, which may perhaps have
been defective in some Of the fine min
utiae OF art, but yet on the whole pos
sessed the grand quality of effectiveness.
Millions of people gazed upon them who
had never before seen a statue and were
amazed at their silent language, their
revelation OF mystic power. on the one
side stood these huge memorials in the
serious and sacred spirit of Greek art,
each setting forth its earnest lesson in
simple symbolism. On the other side
stood the tuft-whiskered granger from
the prairies of the Usage the rugged lum-
herman from the pineries OF Wisconsin,
the shamblng mountainer of the ALLIE
Il. 80 II.
from the Mississippi canebrakes. II is
alleged that Ralph Waldo Emerson once
seated himself before the great sphinx
in Egypt and after contemplating that
mysterious figure for hours hurled at it
these pregnant words: you're another"
and turned away. 1t would be of pro-
found interest TO know, in many cases.
what these quaint American provincials
and these vast Hellenic statues may have
said 10 each other in the silent language
Of the soul.
An eminent philosopher has remarked
concerning the theologies of the ancient
world: The granite statues have out
lived the gods" Isis and Sesostris. Zeus
and Minerva. Venus and Neptune have
become mere broken dreams, but tieir
magnificent temples and memorials line
every shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
The tenure or the Exposition statues
has already ceased and their lessons
have been taught; therefore they are
passing away.
Ii is interesting TO recall how these
works of art were made and TO see now
simple We're the means used 10 produce
such great effects. The only implements
were dishpan and a Ratchet; the ma
terials laths and plaster. Let is take,
for instance. the statue Of the Angel Of
Peace. thrice as high as a man, and
yet in appearance as graceful, airy, and
lissome as young Nassar girl. Her
rounded legs are made of by scant~
ling; her spine of an iron rod; her bosom
and head OF laths. and her wings OF steel
netting. This is merely the anatomy or
the fair goddess. Her flesh and blood is
made up of plaster and hemp fibre mix
ed up in dishpan and heaped upon and
around the scantling legs and lath bosom.
When this is done and an unsightly and
shapeess mass stands upon the plat
form, a black-whiskered son OF Italy,
with "A pipe in his mouth and bottle
of beer In his pocket, attacks the plastery
chaos with d Ratchet and shortly the
symmetrical curves, the lines OF express
sion, the features OF grand ideaism begin
to appear and a new goddess has come
10 bless the earth.
Hundreds OF such odd transformations
went TO make up the Fair and very lit
tie is yet known of their intensely fas-
cinatng details. What astonishment Will
seize the people when they read about
them in the new Book of the Builders.
now being published upder the direction
OF Director of Works Burnham and Art
Director Millet. The men who are united
in writing and illustrating this wonder
full work are the same men who con-
ceiyed and built up the Fair in all its
multitudinous and singular details. Ii
may well be assumed that they have
something new to say and that their
words will be OF prodgious value. The
Standard Edition is so costly as to be
out of the reach of most people. since II
sells at $1,000 a copy. But THE TIMES
has been happy in securing for It's pa
irons the preparation OF a rich popular
edition of the Book OF the Builders,
superbly and copIously illustrated and
written by the same authors. Our adj
vertising columns ESPECIALLY on Sunday
tell the tory in detail.
Arkansas and Greece met amid the
Worlds Fair colonnades. There was the
spirit of the New World. the practical,
In all its crudlty and freedom. its ul-
couthness and energy, and there also
stood the symbolism OF the ancient Hell
lenic centuries. sweet, pure. and i'm
pressiye. but devoid OF virile power
Each may learn much from the other.
no doubt.
There are many other surprises to be
found in the Book OF the Builders" un-
I'll those OF us who fancied we knew the
Fair thoroughly find ever new interpre-
tations and narratives. now obviously
true but not before imaEineds