New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-30
DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCH
STANFORD WHITES ACCOUNT OF HIS
CREATION.
A COMPARISON OF 1T WITH SIMILAR STRUCTURES

A COMPARISON OF 1T WITH SIMILAR STRUCTURE
THE oRNAMEHTATloN N DETAIL.
The Washington Arch is built of white marble
from the quarrles az Tuckahoe. near New-York.
1t consists 4 single arch. supporting an eHtabla
ture and attic. and springing from plain piers
broken on the north side only by pedestals de-
signed for the reception OF groups Of statuary
Above the .impost. which is ornamented with
Greek fret are decorated panels; those on the
north side containing in the centre shields bear.
Ing the coat-of-arms. ere SITS and notices OF Gen.
eral Washington and Of the United states, and
those on the south the arms Of the state ano
the city Of New-York The arms OF Washington
are described Argent, two bars gules. II
chief three mullets" \ raven over a coronet con.
stitutes the crest ana the motto reads: "Exitus
acta proba," The space around these shields Is
filled with trophies. treated in a purely decora'
tive manner, there being above-on the north
side (Which Is the more elabOrate)-a wreath 81
oak encircling a sword Hit and fanked with
fos.oons clustered banners and insignia Of war
below another wreath Of laurel-echoing that
above and affixed 10 crossed cannon Of the old
type On the south side are again trophies OF
different design. consisting ~ flags spears
swords and bows and arrows. grouped above and
below the central shields bearing the coats OF
arms The spandrels between these panels and
the carved arch mouldngs are designed 10 re'
ce.ve allegorical figures. y large and highly
decorated keystone marks the elimination 81
the arch and binds ii 10 the architrave OF the
main entablature. and this with the spirited eagle
surrounding il and unfolding its wings over the
main freze t. the extent Of almost eleven feet
may be considered the centre OF the motif"
The freze itself of which the eagle on either
facade forms the central figure. is Of unusua.
depth. and is very deliberately adorned With
wreat this OF laurel in high relief. containing twelve
large stars which with that on the keystone Of
the south front. represent the orsina! thirteer
States Between the wreaths and the lower relief
are sprays of oak and lauTVi crossed and enfoldins
the initial letter w. The smaller stars represent
the number Of States at the time % erection. The
srieZe and the bold and severely Ornamented cor
nice above ii dominate the rest or the construc'
ton. including even The attic above when, though
massive and bearing the chief inscriptions. ~ Kepi
comparatively In subordinati0n 10 the main en'
tablaturc. The inscription incised IN Roman let
ters reads on the north facade: TO commemorate
the One-hundredth Anniversary or the lnau
guration of George Washington as FIRST President
OF the United states" and on the south, Let ui
raise a standard 10 which the Wise ana the Hon.
est can repair. The Event - In the Hands 81
God-WashingtOn." Another inscription on the
architrave below sets forth that the arch was
Erected by the People Of the city OF New-fork'
the dates 1889 and 1889. In Roman letters. The
great vault which rises to the height OF ove
forty-seven feet above the roadway, is ornaments:
with Golfers and rosette5 in the usual Romar
manner.
In style this monument is distinctly classic. AND
by this term is meant Roman. in contradistnc'
ton TO the less robust more fanciful, ana more
personal style of the Renaissance. Although
having a dscrete flavor OF It's own, this quality
has been kept in allegiance TO the conservatism
which seems proper in the design OF a structure
intended to stand for all time and to outlasf
any local or passing fashions. When brought II
close comparison however, with the triumpnai
arches OF Rome and the Roman Empire many
differences are to be notced-that OF the size Of
the opening being the most striking. though moi
the most important. No arch or antiquity con-
tanning but one opening has span as great az
that at New-York the nearest approach TO II
being the arch at Aosta. which has span OF
about % feet inches. The arch at Salonica haa
its central opening SO feet wide. which Is the
largest span Of all Roman trumphal arches
This however. is a construction with three opeh
ings In architectural treatment the Washingtou
Arch differs from its classical predecessors ir
being generally lighter. In the prominence OF the
frieze. In the reduced height OF the attic. and
lastly and most important. in the absence OF the
orders OF the few remaining Roman examples
Of arches without orders, perhaps the best
known Is that at Acantara.
The following the dimensions OF the Wash
inpton Arch